Economist Ian Little

Dr Sarath discusses the professional life, academic contributions, and personal character of the late economist Ian Little. Ian was a prominent economist associated with Oxford University and the Nuffield College group. His work significantly impacted the field of economics through several key areas: Critique of Neoclassical Economics: Ian famously challenged his thesis advisor, John Wall, by critiquing neoclassical economics, a move that led to him working under a different professor at Oxford. Welfare Economics: He developed a framework to evaluate welfare by using international trade as a guide, providing a method to determine if one group is better off than another over time. His seminal work in this area is titled Critique of Welfare Economics. Developing Economies: He focused heavily on developing nations, particularly India, and provided frameworks for understanding growth and policy rather than focusing on rigid economic planning.