Benjamin M. (Benjamin McAlester) Anderson

Born in 1886, Benjamin M. Anderson Jr. was an American economist best known for his writing on money, banking, and economic policy. He taught economics early in his career and later became widely known through his work in finance and public debate. He is especially associated with the Austrian-leaning critique of inflation, credit expansion, and heavy government intervention.

Anderson spent many years as an economist at Chase National Bank, where he wrote and commented on major financial issues of his day from a close professional vantage point. His best-known book, Economics and the Public Welfare, reflects that experience and offers a sweeping interpretation of economic events from World War I through the Great Depression.

He died in 1949, but his work continues to be read by people interested in classical liberal and free-market economic thought. Readers often turn to him for a combination of historical detail, strong convictions, and a practical feel for how monetary policy affects everyday economic life.