Robert B. Reich

Robert B. Reich
Name	Robert B. Reich
Birth date	June 24, 1946
Birth place	Scranton, Pennsylvania, United States
Occupation	Professor, author, public commentator, former government official
Alma mater	Dartmouth College, Magdalen College (Oxford), Yale Law School
Notable works	"The Work of Nations", "Saving Capitalism", "Aftershock"
Offices	United States Secretary of Labor

Robert B. Reich is an American academic, author, and public commentator known for work on labor policy, income inequality, and democratic governance. He served in senior roles in multiple administrations and has taught at leading universities while publishing widely on policy, political economy, and social welfare. His career spans government service, scholarly research, popular books, documentary films, and frequent media appearances.

Early life and education

Reich was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and raised in a family shaped by postwar industrial communities such as Scranton, Pennsylvania and nearby Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. He attended Dartmouth College before receiving a Rhodes Scholarship to Magdalen College, Oxford, where he studied philosophy, politics, and economics alongside contemporaries from institutions like Balliol College, Oxford and St Antony's College, Oxford. Reich returned to the United States to attend Yale Law School, joining a cohort that included graduates who later worked at firms like Covington & Burling and agencies such as the Federal Trade Commission.

Academic and professorial career

Reich has held faculty appointments at institutions including Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government, University of California, Berkeley's Haas School of Business, and Brandeis University. His scholarly work engaged with scholars associated with Kenneth Arrow, Paul Samuelson, and Amartya Sen in discussions on labor markets, industrial restructuring, and social policy. Reich supervised doctoral students involved with research networks linked to National Bureau of Economic Research and contributed to policy fora at organizations such as the World Bank and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

Political career and government service

Reich served in three presidential administrations: as an assistant to officials from the Ford administration era policy community, within the Carter administration's policy apparatus, and most prominently as Secretary of Labor in the Clinton administration. In the Clinton Cabinet, he dealt with issues involving agencies like the Department of Labor and engaged with labor organizations including the AFL–CIO and policy groups like the Economic Policy Institute. He also advised presidential campaigns and worked with legislators from both the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate on legislation affecting labor standards, trade agreements such as the North American Free Trade Agreement, and regulatory oversight tied to commissions like the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Writing, books, and journalism

Reich is the author of numerous books and essays, including titles that entered public and academic discussion such as "The Work of Nations", "Saving Capitalism", and "Aftershock". His books engage themes raised by thinkers such as Thomas Piketty, Joseph Stiglitz, Milton Friedman, and John Maynard Keynes, and they address institutions including World Trade Organization and International Monetary Fund. Reich has written for publications like The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, and Harper's Magazine, contributing commentary alongside columnists from outlets such as The Guardian and Los Angeles Times.

Media, documentary work, and public commentary

Reich has appeared on broadcast outlets including PBS, CNN, MSNBC, and BBC. He produced and appeared in documentary projects that intersect with films about labor and inequality, joining filmmakers who have worked on documentaries featured at festivals like Sundance Film Festival and broadcast venues such as HBO and Frontline. Reich also created animated educational videos and briefings that circulated on platforms associated with YouTube and public affairs programming connected to organizations such as the Bend It Like Beckham-era cultural commentators (note: example of cultural reference).

Economic and political views

Reich's economic and political analysis emphasizes income distribution, market regulation, and democratic accountability, engaging debates with economists linked to Chicago School of Economics figures, Keynesian commentators, and heterodox critics from the Progressive movement. He has critiqued policy frameworks advanced by proponents of deregulatory agendas associated with figures from Reagan administration and Thatcherism, while advocating reforms comparable to proposals from Elizabeth Warren and commentators aligned with Progressive Democrats on taxation, antitrust enforcement, and labor rights. Reich has debated trade policy positions implicated in agreements like Trans-Pacific Partnership and argued for strengthening institutions such as the National Labor Relations Board.

Personal life and honors and awards

Reich is married and has family ties that include relatives active in education and public policy circles across regions like New England and California. He has received honors from institutions including Harvard University, Dartmouth College, and civic organizations such as the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and policy awards given by groups like the Economic Policy Institute. His work has been recognized with fellowships and prizes that overlap with honors bestowed by foundations like the Ford Foundation and professional societies tied to American Political Science Association.

Category:1946 births Category:Living people Category:United States Secretaries of Labor