Finance & economics | Free exchange

Robert Lucas was a giant of macroeconomics

The discipline, willingly or not, has inhaled his influence

Economics is full of equations named after their inventor. Robert Lucas, who died on May 15th aged 85, was different. His name graces something edgier: a “critique”. When he presented an early version, a young economist despaired: “You just explained why everything I’ve done in the last few years is worthless.”

This article appeared in the Finance & economics section of the print edition under the headline “A wonderful ride”

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