Alan Blinder

Alan Blinder
Name	Alan Blinder
Caption	Alan Blinder in 2014
Birth date	14 October 1945
Birth place	New York City, U.S.
Nationality	American
Field	Macroeconomics, Monetary policy
Institution	Princeton University, Brookings Institution, Council of Economic Advisers, Federal Reserve Board
Alma mater	Princeton University (A.B.), London School of Economics (M.Sc.), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Ph.D.)
Doctoral advisor	Robert Solow
Known for	New Keynesian economics, Monetary policy, Central bank independence, Economic inequality
Awards	John R. Commons Award (2008)

Alan Blinder is an American economist, professor, and public servant renowned for his contributions to macroeconomics and monetary policy. A leading figure in New Keynesian economics, he has held prominent positions in academia at Princeton University and served in high-level government roles, including on the Council of Economic Advisers and as Vice Chairman of the Federal Reserve Board. His prolific career spans influential economic research, best-selling textbooks, and frequent commentary on contemporary fiscal policy and economic inequality.

Early life and education

Born in New York City, he demonstrated an early aptitude for economics. He pursued his undergraduate studies at Princeton University, graduating with an A.B. in 1967. He then earned a Master of Science degree from the London School of Economics in 1968. He completed his formal education at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he received his Ph.D. in economics in 1971 under the supervision of Nobel laureate Robert Solow. His doctoral dissertation focused on the dynamics of monetary policy and fiscal policy, themes that would define his career.

Academic career

He joined the faculty of Princeton University in 1971, where he has spent the majority of his academic life, eventually becoming the Gordon S. Rentschler Memorial Professor of Economics. He has also been a visiting professor at institutions like the University of Cambridge and the University of Oxford. A prolific author, he co-wrote one of the most widely used economics textbooks, *Economics: Principles and Policy*, with William Baumol. His scholarly work, often published through the National Bureau of Economic Research, has significantly advanced the study of price stickiness, central bank communication, and the Phillips curve.

Public service and policy work

His expertise has been sought by multiple presidential administrations. He served as a member of the Council of Economic Advisers under President Bill Clinton from 1993 to 1994. In 1994, he was appointed by Clinton to the Federal Reserve Board, where he served as Vice Chairman until 1996, influencing debates on interest rates and inflation targeting. He has also testified frequently before the United States Congress, particularly the Senate Finance Committee and the House Budget Committee, and has been a longtime affiliated scholar at the Brookings Institution.

Economic views and contributions

He is a foremost proponent of New Keynesian economics, emphasizing the role of market failure and the need for active government stabilization policy. His research on the "insider-outsider" model of the labor market and the concept of near-rationality has been influential. A strong advocate for central bank independence and transparency, he has written extensively on the Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank. In recent decades, he has focused on the causes and consequences of rising economic inequality and the challenges posed by offshoring, authoring books like *After the Music Stopped* on the Financial crisis of 2007–2008.

Awards and honors

His contributions to economics have been recognized with numerous accolades. He received the prestigious John R. Commons Award from Omicron Delta Epsilon in 2008. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the Econometric Society. He has also been awarded honorary doctorates from several universities, including Bard College and the University of Rochester.

Personal life

He is married to attorney Madeline Blinder. The couple resides in Princeton, New Jersey. An avid writer for a public audience, he is a regular columnist for *The Wall Street Journal* and has made frequent appearances on news programs such as *The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer*. He is also known for his engagement in civic and educational initiatives within the Princeton community.

Category:American economists Category:Princeton University faculty Category:Federal Reserve Board members Category:1945 births Category:Living people