Equations vs: Identities in Macroeconomics

The original version of this paper was written in Norwegian and published in “25 Economic Essays in Honour of Erik Lindahl, 21 November 1956”. It was later published as a Memorandum from the Institute of Economics, University of Oslo, May 28 1963. The translation has been done by Olav Bjerkholt and Jon Vislie, Department of Economics, University of Oslo, on request from the international community for having access to Haavelmo’s ideas. The translation seems to be somewhat delayed as seen from the following letter to Haavelmo from Ragnar Frisch, dated August 23 1961, found in the Frisch‐archives. Frisch writes: “Dear Trygve, This is just to tell you that a few days ago when I was looking for an article in the 1956‐Festschrift to Erik Lindahl, I found (I don’t know whether I should say fortunately or unfortunately) your article “Equations vs. identities. I was so “absorbed” that I found myself reading your paper rather than completing some pressing work I was doing which had to be finished before I should go abroad. Yours Ragnar P.S. If this paper is not already translated to a “language”, you have to see that this is done immediately even thoug it should appear as a memorandum.”