The legacy of Wynne Godley, Wednesday, May 13, 2020: welcome and introduction

Abstract

I want to welcome you to this virtual conference on the occasion of a decade since Wynne Godley’s passing. I want to thank all the speakers for their willingness to either share their memories they have about and with Wynne or talk about Wynne’s influence on their research. And finally, I would be remiss if I didn’t express my sincere appreciation and thanks to Gennaro Zezza who conceived the idea of this gathering, arranged for the speakers and the conference program and all IT details. Most of you know that Wynne was in residence at the Levy Institute for almost fifteen years returning to the U.K. in 2007. He was a forceful and often a critical voice in macroeconomics. His strong view and work, representative of a non-mainstream Keynesian approach to economics and economic policy was nevertheless confirmed time and time again as evidenced in the fortunes of the U.K., U.S. and Eurozone economies. His writings reflecting the sharpness of his mind, the flair of the language and intellectual integrity have had a considerable impact on macroeconomics, and have aroused the interest of scholars, economic journalists and policymakers in both mainstream and alternative thought. In a review of Wynne’s last book with Marc Lavoie (2007), Lance Taylor, of the New School, had this to say: “Wynne’s important contributions are foxy— brilliant innovations ... that feed into the architecture of his models” (2008, 1). Wynne Alexander Hugh Godley was born in London in 1926, was the younger brother of a hereditary Labor peer, and went to school at Rugby and New College at Oxford. His education was influenced by two of his teachers, Isaiah Berlin and P.W.S. Andrews. He pursued a career as an oboist, in the early 1950s, having studied at the Paris Conservatory earning his living as a performer at the St James’ Theater in London and subsequently as principal oboist for the BBC Welsh Orchestra. Eventually, he abandoned his professional career as an artist, but never his love and interest in music practicing the oboe every morning