Lorie Tarshis facts for kids

Lorie Tarshis (born March 22, 1911 – died October 4, 1993) was a Canadian economist. An economist is a person who studies how money, goods, and services are made and used. He taught for many years at Stanford University in the United States.

Tarshis is famous for writing the first textbook that introduced Keynesian ideas to American university students. This book, called Elements of Economics, came out in 1947. Keynesian economics is a way of thinking about how governments can help the economy grow and keep people employed.

However, his book quickly became less popular. Some people, called McCarthyist activists, unfairly said his book was too friendly to communism. Communism is a political and economic idea that was seen as a big threat during the Cold War. Because of these accusations, another book by Paul Samuelson became the main textbook for Keynesian ideas in the United States.

Early Life and School

Lorie Tarshis was born in Toronto, Canada. He went to the University of Toronto for his first degree. Later, he earned his master's and doctoral degrees in economics from Trinity College, Cambridge in England.

His Work and Teaching

Early Career

In 1936, Tarshis moved to the United States. He started working as an instructor at Tufts University near Boston.

During World War II, he helped the War Production Board. This board made sure that factories produced enough goods for the war effort. After that, he worked as an analyst for the United States Army Air Forces. He helped plan operations for bomber commands in places like Libya, Tunisia, and Italy.

Teaching at Universities

In 1946, Lorie Tarshis began teaching at Stanford University. He moved up from an assistant professor to a full professor.

He was the head of the economics department at Stanford several times between 1950 and 1970. After leaving Stanford, he joined the faculty at Scarborough College in Canada in 1970. He taught there until 1978. He then worked as a professor and acting chairman at Glendon College, York University, also in Ontario, until 1988.

Unfair Criticism of His Book

In 1949, a writer named Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr. wrote about the attacks on Tarshis's book. He explained that in 1947, a man named Merwin K. Hart sent letters to colleges using Tarshis's textbook. Hart's letter said that the book's ideas, based on Lord Keynes's theories, were like Marxism. Marxism is another economic and political idea, often linked to communism.

Hart's letter caused a lot of trouble. Some business groups supported him. College leaders received angry letters from trustees and former students. However, many college presidents knew that Merwin K. Hart had a history of making unfair accusations. They bravely stood up against the criticism.

The American Economic Association, a group for economists, even created a special committee. This committee was set up to deal with the attacks on Tarshis's book and other economics textbooks.

Later Life and Death

Lorie Tarshis passed away in 1993 in a nursing home in Toronto. He was 82 years old and had Parkinson's disease.

See also

In Spanish: Lorie Tarshis para niños