George David Norman Worswick (1916–2001), also known as David Worswick, was an Oxford economist specialising in understanding of the UK's economy from a Keynesian perspective.McMahon, Kit (2001) Obituary: David Worswick The Independent, Friday, 25 MayJones, Kit (1988) Research 1938-88 Fifty Years of Economic Research: a Brief History of the National Institute of Economic and Social, National Institute Economic Review 1988; 124; 36 Whilst mathematically well trained, like

Alfred Marshall Alfred Marshall (26 July 1842 – 13 July 1924) was an English economist and one of the most influential economists of his time. His book ''Principles of Economics (Marshall), Principles of Economics'' (1890) was the dominant economic textboo ...

, he became dubious about the use of mathematics in economics arguing against those who tried to avoid the difficult parts of economic problems by resorting to solvable simple equations. He was also critical of econometricians arguing that: they ''are not, it seems to me, engaged in forging tools to arrange and measure actual facts so much as making a marvellous array of pretend-tools which would perform wonders if ever a set of facts should turn up in the right form. Thus what was said above about the detached mathematical nature of much economic theory also goes for some econometric theory as well.'' But he counterbalances these criticisms by arguing that ''econometrics has been a powerful force in bringing economic theory back into touch with reality''.

Career

* Researcher, Oxford University Institute of Statistics 1940-60 * Fellow and Tutor in Economics,

Magdalen College, Oxford Magdalen College ( ) is a Colleges of the University of Oxford, constituent college of the University of Oxford. It was founded in 1458 by Bishop of Winchester William of Waynflete. It is one of the wealthiest Oxford colleges, as of 2022, and ...

1945-65 (Emeritus) * Visiting Professor Economics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA 1963-64 * Senior Tutor 1955-57, Vice-President 1963-65 * Director

National Institute of Economic and Social Research The National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR), established in 1938, is Britain's oldest independent economic research institute. The institute is a London-based independent UK registered charity that carries out academic researc ...

1965-82

Awards and prestigious academic posts

FBA 1979; CBE 1981; President,

Royal Economic Society The Royal Economic Society (RES) is a professional association and learned society that promotes the study of economics. Originally established in 1890 as the British Economic Association, it was incorporated by royal charter on 2 December 1902. ...

1982-84;

Other sources

Obituary - Royal Economic Society Newsletter Issue no. 114 July 2001

Key publications

Source: * (1952) (with Peter Ady) ''The British Economy 1945-1950'' * (1962) (with Peter Ady) ''The British Economy in the Nineteen-Fifties'' * (1991) ''Unemployment: A Problem of Policy. Analysis of British Experience and Prospects''. Cambridge:

Cambridge University Press Cambridge University Press was the university press of the University of Cambridge. Granted a letters patent by King Henry VIII in 1534, it was the oldest university press in the world. Cambridge University Press merged with Cambridge Assessme ...

Personal life

Worswick married Sylvia Walsh. They had three children together, including their daughter Eleanor (married to television producer Tom Stanier), who was active in local politics in

Richmond-upon-Thames The London Borough of Richmond upon Thames () in south-west London, England, forms part of Outer London and is the only London borough on both sides of the River Thames. It was created in 1965 when three smaller council areas amalgamated under ...

and served as the London borough's mayor in 2001/02.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Worswick, G. D. N. 1916 births 2001 deaths British economists English economists Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Fellows of the British Academy