Frank H. Hahn, 1925-

Photo of F.H.Hahn

The perennial renegade, Frank H. Hahn spent most of his professional life at Cambridge as virtually the sole Neo-Walrasian member of an ardently Keynesian department. Perhaps his socialization with the irascible critics of Neoclassical economics, such as Joan Robinson, imbibed in him a considerable degree of sobriety and skepticism towards the very Neoclassical economics in which he was a master.

Frank H. Hahn viewed the Neo-Walrasian research programme without illusions - remaining one of its most ardent and articulate defenders but, unique among Neoclassical economists, also acknowledging and stressing its limits clearly. (1970, 1973, 1974, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1985) Nonetheless he remained an critic of all systems - Neoclassical, Neo-Ricardian, Post Keynesian, all. But he was not a dogmatic nihilist: if his methodological position could be summed up in a phrase, it would might be "let a hundred flowers bloom - but take none too seriously."

His positive contributions are many: his work can be more-or-less divided into concerns over general equilibrium (1971), the stability of multi-market equilibrium (1958, 1962, 1970, 1982), the theory of money (1965, 1971) and the theory of economic growth (1966, 1968, 1969, 1973) and combining all these with each other. Frank H. Hahn is presently basking in the sun of Siena, Italy.

Major Works of Frank H. Hahn Resources on Frank Hahn


HET Home Page
Alphabetical Index
Schools of Thought
GF Surveys and Essays
HET Web Links