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Better to be rough and relevant than to be precise and irrelevant: Reddaway's legacy to economics

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  • Ajit Singh

Abstract

Professor W. B. Reddaway (known to friends and colleagues as Brian Reddaway) was an exceptional economist who had a huge influence on how economics in Cambridge has been taught and researched. He held leadership positions in the Faculty of Economics and Politics at Cambridge for 25 years, between 1955 and 1980. The main purpose of this paper is to explain Reddaway's method and his distinct approach to economics. It also briefly reviews his life and times. The words in the title summarise his philosophy of research, as will become clear in the paragraphs which follow. Copyright The Author 2009. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Cambridge Political Economy Society. All rights reserved., Oxford University Press.

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  • Ajit Singh, 2009. "Better to be rough and relevant than to be precise and irrelevant: Reddaway's legacy to economics," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Cambridge Political Economy Society, vol. 33(3), pages 363-379, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:cambje:v:33:y:2009:i:3:p:363-379
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Padma Desai, 1963. "The Development Of The Indian Economy: An Exercise In Economic Planning," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 15(3), pages 308-317.
    2. Ajit Singh, 2005. "Globalisation And The Regulation Of Fdi: New Proposals From The European Community And Japan," Contributions to Political Economy, Cambridge Political Economy Society, vol. 24(1), pages 99-121, August.
    3. Begg,Iain & Henry,Brian, 1998. "Applied Economics and Public Policy," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521624145, January.
    4. Deirdre N. McCloskey & Stephen T. Ziliak, 1996. "The Standard Error of Regressions," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 34(1), pages 97-114, March.
    5. B. Reddaway, 1995. "Recollections of a lucky economist," BNL Quarterly Review, Banca Nazionale del Lavoro, vol. 48(192), pages 3-16.
    6. W.B. Reddaway, 1937. "The General Theory Of Employment, Interest And Money," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 12(1-2), pages 28-36, June.
    7. B. Reddaway, 1995. "Recollections of a lucky economist," Banca Nazionale del Lavoro Quarterly Review, Banca Nazionale del Lavoro, vol. 48(192), pages 3-16.
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    Cited by:

    1. Maria Cristina Marcuzzo, 2020. "Against the Stream: Ajit Singh and His Battles," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 51(4), pages 1160-1169, July.
    2. Ashwani Saith, 2018. "Ajit Singh (1940–2015), the Radical Cambridge Economist: Anti†imperialist Advocate of Third World Industrialization," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 49(2), pages 561-628, March.
    3. Michael Ellman, 2021. "Tribute to Domenico Mario Nuti [Industrial innovation in the Soviet Union: methodological perspectives and conclusions]," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Cambridge Political Economy Society, vol. 45(6), pages 1361-1372.
    4. Chiodi, Guglielmo, 2012. "Keynes across the Atlantic and the Refined Pedagogy of Vittorio Sirotti - Keynes tra le due sponde dell’Atlantico e la raffinata pedagogia di Vittorio Sirotti," Economia Internazionale / International Economics, Camera di Commercio Industria Artigianato Agricoltura di Genova, vol. 65(1), pages 39-53.

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    JEL classification:

    • A1 - General Economics and Teaching - - General Economics
    • A2 - General Economics and Teaching - - Economic Education and Teaching of Economics
    • C1 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods and Methodology: General
    • B5 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - Current Heterodox Approaches

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