Clarence Lyle Barber (May 5, 1917 – February 27, 2004) was a Canadian economist and academic. Born in Wolseley, Saskatchewan, he received a B.A. in economics from the

University of Saskatchewan The University of Saskatchewan (U of S, or USask) is a Universities in Canada, Canadian public university, public research university, founded on March 19, 1907, and located on the east side of the South Saskatchewan River in Saskatoon, Saskatch ...

in 1939. He won a scholarship to

Clark University Clark University is a private research university in Worcester, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1887 with a large endowment from its namesake Jonas Gilman Clark, a prominent businessman, Clark was one of the first modern research uni ...

where he obtained his M.A. in 1941 and he received a Ph.D. in 1952 from the

University of Minnesota The University of Minnesota Twin Cities (historically known as University of Minnesota) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul, Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint ...

. He taught economics at the

University of Manitoba The University of Manitoba (U of M, UManitoba, or UM) is a public research university in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Founded in 1877, it is the first university of Western Canada. Both by total student enrolment and campus area, the University of ...

from 1949 to 1982 and served as head of the department from 1963 to 1972. Barber also taught at McMaster University, Queen's University, McGill University, and the University of Victoria. His professional interests included macroeconomic theory, international economics, and monetary theory. Barber's best known theoretical contribution was his formulation of the concept of the

effective rate of protection In economics, the effective rate of protection (ERP) is a measure of the total effect of the entire tariff structure on the value added per unit of output in each industry, when both intermediate and final goods are imported. This statistic is us ...

. He spent the year 1959-60 living in Manila, Philippines as an advisor working for the United Nations providing assistance to the 1960 Census. Effects of the Great Depression in his youth motivated Barber to study economic

In 1978, Barber wrote "''On the Causes of the Great Depression''" where he made a link between demographics and economics. He cited how demand for housing in the U.S. began to drop beginning in 1926. Early in 1929, demand for housing dropped precipitously. The stock market crash in October of that same year was preceded by a decline in demand, Barber argues, that began with a lower formation of households concomitant with lower rates of marriage. After World War I, a birth dearth had resulted; a dearth that demographers have shown did not end until World War II ended. (see Causes of the Great Depression#Population dynamics, Causes of the Great Depression) The death of young men as soldiers in World War I, coupled with the Flu Pandemic of 1918 wrought their eventual harm to the economy as a whole. The increase in secularization during the 'Roaring Twenties', as automobiles became widespread, and availability of electricity and electrical appliances and such, may have had its effect too. Barber showed in "''On Causes...''" that lower demand for mortgages and other loans preceded by some years a shortage of loan availability as the Great Depression deepened towards 1933. After the Winnipeg flood of 1950, he was economic adviser and director of research for the Manitoba Royal Commission Flood Cost-Benefit from 1957 to 1959. The result of which led to the construction of the

Red River Floodway The Red River Floodway () is an artificial flood control waterway in Western Canada. It is a long channel which, during flood periods, takes part of the Red River's flow around the city of Winnipeg, Manitoba to the east and discharges it back ...

. In 1987, he was made an Officer of the

Order of Canada The Order of Canada () is a Canadian state order, national order and the second-highest Award, honour for merit in the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, after the Order of Merit. To coincide with the Canadian Centennial, ce ...

. In 2001, he was awarded the Order of Manitoba. In 1947, he married Barbara Anne Patchet. They had four children: Paul, Stephen, David, and Alan. From 1982 to 1985 Clarence served on the Royal Commission on Economic Union and Development Prospects For Canada, more commonly known as the Macdonald Commission. It was on this commission where he argued for free trade with the United States.

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Memorable Manitobans: Clarence Lyle Barber (1917-2004)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Barber, Clarence 1917 births 2004 deaths Canadian economists Fellows of the Royal Society of Canada Officers of the Order of Canada Members of the Order of Manitoba Clark University alumni University of Minnesota alumni Academic staff of the University of Manitoba University of Saskatchewan alumni People from Wolseley, Saskatchewan Canadian expatriate academics in the United States