Wassily Leontief
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Wassily Leontief (August 5, 1906 - February 5, 1999), born at St. Petersburg (Leningrad), USSR (now Russia), was an economist notable for his research on how changes in one economic sector may have an effect on other sectors. Leontief won Bank of Sweden Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel in 1973.
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Biography
Early Life
Wassily Leontief, the son of Wassily W. Leontief (professor of Economics) and Eugenia, entered the University of Leningrad in present day St. Petersburg in 1921. He earned his Learned Economist degree (equivalent to Master of Arts) in 1925 at the age of 19.
Opposition to Communism
He was arrested several times because of his opposition to Communism.
In 1925 he was allowed to leave the USSR, so he continued his studies at the University of Berlin ([1] (http://www.hu-berlin.de/)) and in 1929 he earned a Ph.D. degree in Economics with a specialty in Input-Output Analysis and Economics.
Early Professional Life
From 1927 to 1930 he worked at the Institute for World Economics of the University of Kiel ([2] (http://www.uni-kiel.de/)). There he researched the derivation of statistical demand and supply curves. In 1929 he travelled to China to assist the Ministry of Railroads as an advisor.
In 1931 he went to the USA, and was employed by the National Bureau of Economic Research ([3] (http://www.nber.org/)).
Marriage and Affiliation with Harvard
In 1932 Leontief married the poet Estelle Marks. Their only child, Svetlana Leontief Alpers, was born in 1936.
Harvard University ([4] (http://www.harvard.edu/)) employed him in the same year (1932) in its Department of Economics ([5] (http://www.economics.harvard.edu/)), and in 1946 he became a professor of Economics.
Leontief set up the Harvard Economic Research Project in 1948 and remained its director until 1973. Starting in 1965 he chaired the Harvard Society of Fellows.
Death
Leontief died in New York City, New York, USA, on Friday, February 5, 1999 at the age of 93.
Personal
It is known that he enjoyed trout fishing, ballet, and fine wines.
Publications
- 1941: Structure of the American Economy, 1919-1929
- 1953: Studies in the Structure of the American Economy
- 1966: Input-Output Economics
- 1966: Essays in Economics
- 1977: Essays in Economics, II
- 1977: The Future of the World Economy
- 1983: Military Spending: Facts and Figures, Worldwide Implications and Future Outlook co-authed with F. Duchin.
- 1983: The Future of Non-Fuel Minerals in the U. S. And World Economy co-authed with J. Koo, S. Nasar and I. Sohn
- 1986: The Future Impact of Automation on Workers co-authed with F. Dochin
Awards
- 1953: Order of the Cherubim, University of Pisa
- 1962: Dr honoris causa, University of Brussels
- 1967: Dr of the University, University of York
- 1968: Officer of the French Legion d'Honneur
- 1970: Bernhard-Harms Prize Economics, West Germany
- 1971: Dr honoris causa, University of Louvain
- 1972: Dr honoris causa, University of Paris (Sorbonne)
- 1973: Bank of Sweden Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel, aka Nobel Prize in Economics
- 1976: Dr honoris causa, University of Pennsylvania
- 1980: Dr honoris causa, University of Toulouse, France
- 1980: Dr honoris causa, University of Louisville, Kentucky
- 1980: Doctor of Social Sciences, University of Vermont
- 1980: Doctor of Laws, C. W. Post Center, Long Island University
- 1980: Russian-American Hall of Fame
- 1981: Karl Marx University, Budapest, Hungary
- 1984: Order of the Rising Sun, Japan
- 1985: Commandeur, French Order of Arts and Letters
- 1988: Dr honoris causa, Adelphi College
- 1988: Foreign member, USSR Academy of Sciences
- 1989: Society of the Optimate, Italian Cultural Institute, New York
- 1990: Dr honoris causa, University of Cordoba, Spain
- 1991: Takemi Memorial Award, Institute of Seizon & Life Sciences, Japan
- 1995: Harry Edmonds Award for Life Achievement, International House, New York
- 1995: Dr honoris causa, Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany
In Honor
Tufts University awards the Leontief Prize for economics in his honor.
Memberships
- 1954: President of the Econometric Society
- 1968: Corresponding Member of the Institut de France
- 1970: President of the American Economic Association
- 1970: Corresponding Fellow of the British Academy
- 1974: US-USSR Commission on the Social Sciences and Humanities of the International Research and Exchanges Board
- 1975: American Committee on East-West Accord
- 1975: Accademia Nazionale dei Lincie, Italy
- 1976: President and Section F. of the British Association for the Advancement of Science
- 1976: Honorary Member of the Royal Irish Academy
- 1977: Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science
- 1978: Commission to Study the Organization of Peace
- 1978 - 1986: Board of Trustees of North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics
- 1979: Century Club
- 1979: Issues Committee of the Progressive Alliance
- 1980: Committee for National Security
- 1981: Board of Visitors, College of Liberal Arts, Boston University
- 1981: Board of Editors, Journal of Business Strategy
- 1982: International Advisory Council of the Delian Institute of International Relations
- 1982: Accademia Mediterranea Delle Scienze, Italy
- 1983: Board of Advisors, Environmental Fund
- 1983: Board of Directors, Tolstoy Foundation
- 1985: International Committee, Carnegie-Mellon University
- 1990: Academy of Creative Endeavors, USSR
- 1992: International Charitable Foundation, Russia
- 1993: Academie Europeenne
- 1993: Honorary President of the World Academy for the Progress of Planning Science, Italy
- 1993: Member of the Academie Universelle des Cultures, France
- 1994: Fellow of the New York Academy of Sciences
- 1995: Member of the International Leadership Center on Longevity & Society, Mt. Sinai Hospital
- American Philosophical Society
- American Academy of Arts and Sciences
- International Statistical Institute
- Honorary Member of the Japan Economic Research Center, Tokyo
- Honorary Fellow of the Royal Statistical Society, London
Quote
We move from more or less plausible but really arbitrary assumptions, to elegantly demonstrated but irrelevant conclusions.
See also
External links
- Autobiography (http://www.nobel.se/economics/laureates/1973/leontief-autobio.html)
- Information from www.biograph.comstar.ru (http://www.biograph.comstar.ru/bank/leontev.htm)
- Information from cepa.newschool.edu (http://cepa.newschool.edu/het/profiles/leontief.htm)
- Information from www.econlib.org (http://www.econlib.org/library/Enc/bios/Leontief.html)
- Information from www.iioa.org (http://www.iioa.org/leontief/Life.html)
- Article by James K. Galbraith (http://utip.gov.utexas.edu/web/JGarchive/1999/leontief.htm)de:Wassily Leontief