7/28/2019 G. Harcourt - The End of an Era http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/g-harcourt-the-end-of-an-era 1/5 The End of an Era: Joan Robinson (1903-83) and Piero Sraffa (1898-1983) Author(s): G. C. Harcourt Source: Journal of Post Keynesian Economics, Vol. 6, No. 3 (Spring, 1984), pp. 466-469 Published by: M.E. Sharpe, Inc. Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/4537833 . Accessed: 07/04/2013 17:57 Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at . http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp . JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected]. . M.E. Sharpe, Inc. is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Journal of Post Keynesian Economics. http://www.jstor.org This content downloaded from 190.232.168.100 on Sun, 7 Apr 2013 17:57:39 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
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The End of an Era: Joan Robinson (1903-83) and Piero Sraffa (1898-1983)
Author(s): G. C. HarcourtSource: Journal of Post Keynesian Economics, Vol. 6, No. 3 (Spring, 1984), pp. 466-469Published by: M.E. Sharpe, Inc.
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/4537833 .
Accessed: 07/04/2013 17:57
Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at .http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp
.JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of
content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new formsof scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected].
.
M.E. Sharpe, Inc. is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Journal of Post
Keynesian Economics.
http://www.jstor.org
This content downloaded from 190.232.168.100 on Sun, 7 Apr 2013 17:57:39 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
the principalresults of the General Theory,not least because it camefrom Marx's schemes of reproduction, he was very muchin sympathywith what she deemed to be the revolutionarynatureof the methodand
theoryinthe GeneralTheorytself. Sraffawas moreskeptical.Possiblyhe was a little disturbedby the use whichKeynesmade of his (Sraffa's)constructof own rates of interestin Chapter17 of the GeneralTheory.Sraffaemployedthe construct n orderinternallyto criticize the argu-mentof Hayek's Prices and Productionratherthan to
providea
posi-tive theory of the workings of competitive capitalism. Overall, of
course, he and Keynes were extremelyclose; each had respect and
affection for the otherandthey were also linkedthroughtheir mutual
love of the chase in collecting and readingrare books.
PerhapsI maybe forgivenif I close on a morepersonalnote?I first
met them both in 1955 when I came as a research student to King's.Piero Sraffa looked after the research studentsand Joan Robinson
attendedourweeklyseminars, attracted,we likedto think,as muchbythe ideas in our papersas by the chocolatebiscuits which we had for
tea. In those days Piero Sraffa was a ratherwithdrawn igure (he was
still recoveringfrom the effects of a seriousfall in theearly1950s). We
regardedhim with awe but also with affection. He could ask the most
disconcertingquestionswhich, on reflection,we realizedwereprobingthe real weaknessesof our arguments.JoanRobinson,too, keptus on
our toes, treating us as equals, able to take the cut and thrust ofCambridgedebate, a flatteringbut not always accuratepresumption.
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Shealso took a kindlyinterest n ourprogressand ourproblems.Inthe
1960s when Sraffa had delivered himself of Productionof Commod-ities he was a more mellow figure-or perhapsI was older. In any
event, because Vincent Massaro and I were writing on Productionof
Commodities,I got to know Sraffabetterandto realize that the whis-
kies with which I had fortified myself in order to preparefor discus-
sions with him were in fact redundant.And, in later years, he was
kindness tself to theyoungscholarsvisiting Cambridgewhom I tookto
meet him in his rooms in Nevile's Court in Trinitynear the Wren
library.All this is not to saythatthere were not occasionalrerunsof the
kettlesuddenlyon theboil describedby Austin Robinson(1977, p. 29).I can still see Piero Sraffaarchinghis splendid eyebrows andhearhis
strident oneswhen, asI reproachedhimforretractingwo months ater
his previous agreementwith an argumentof mine, he shouted:"I am
not the Pope, I am not infallible," a commentrich in irony when his
lifetime of unswervinghostility to the Churchof Romeis considered.
I have written elsewhere aboutmy admiration or Joan Robinson'swork. I admiredand loved its creator more. Joan was a very human
person, capableof great love, anger and dislike, not always fair but
always honest, as harsh on herself as on those she criticized, often
overbearing,yet possessedof sensitivity, self-knowledge,andgenuinewarmth.Herupbringingand herclass made it difficult for her to be the
democrat she desperatelywould have liked to have been. She fought
tenaciouslyfor thecausesshebelievedin-she loathed
racism, sexism,war,for example-and she was anextraordinarilyoyal friend. Recent-
ly, thoughold andill, she forced herself to do a stint at a United States
universityin orderto show solidaritywith a black economist who she
consideredhad been unfairly reatedby being denied tenure at another
university.She gave her TannerLecturesin Utah on the arms race,
againwhile recoveringfrom a seriousillness andhavingbeen advised
by herdoctor not to fly. Nevertheless,at theage of 77, she felt that this
issue was the most pressing facing us, so she got herself up on thedetailsin orderto give thelectures. So it is easy to forgivehertendencyto stereotypecertainnationalities or groups-Americans or Marxists,for example-for, after all, she was the principal loser by denyingherself thegive andtake of dialoguethatsheotherwisewould havehad,and usually did.
JoanRobinson andPiero Sraffawere personsof great intelligence,
courage and integrity. Both possessed a civilized wit, examples ofwhich are to be found in theirwritings, and, even more, in the anec-
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dotes whichtheirfriendsaffectionatelyelate.Theirdeathsmark he
endof anera ntheprofession ut t is thesenseofpersonaloss whichisuppermostnthemindsof thosewhoknew hemwelland oved hem
unreservedly.
REFERENCE
Robinson,Austin. "Keynes and His CambridgeColleagues." In Keynes, Cambridgeand theGeneralTheory.Ed. by Don PatinkinandJ. ClarkLeith. London:Macmillan, 1977.
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