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"Animal spirits" in John Maynard Keynes's general theory of employment, interest and money: Some short and sceptical remarks

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  • Barens, Ingo

Abstract

The recent global financial crises has caused renewed interest in the economic theories of John Maynard Keynes. In the general public and parts of academe Keynes is seen as the one economist who had very clear knowledge of the instability of markets, the volatility of economic activity and the reasons why these dreadful possibilities become reality - knowledge that mainstream economic theory allegedly has lost in the last decades. In discussions about alternatives to failed mainstream economics the notion (or phrase) 'animal spirits' takes centre stage. Sometimes 'animal spirits' even are set against the 'invisible hand' of Adam Smith as an alternative (and realistic) vision of the working of capitalist economies (Akerlof/Shiller 2010, xxiii). This role of 'animal spirits' in present-day discussions has been magnified by the publication of a book that sets itself the goal of rewriting economic theory under the heading of Keynes's 'animal spirits' that allegedly pervade all economic activity (ibid.). Keynes used the phrase 'animal spirits' only in three passages of The General Theory of Employment, Interest and Money, short passages that do not reveal their meaning immediately or easily. The following remarks try to clarify the meaning, relevance and source (or sources) of Keynes's use of this phrase. The remarks start with a very short sketch of the origin and development of the concept of 'animal spirits' from ancient physiology to modern philosophy. The analytical structure of the General Theory will be discussed in order to understand the relevance of 'animal spirits' for Keynes's critique of the orthodox economics of his day. The next section will then analyse the three passages in which Keynes made use of the concept of 'animal spirits'. The penultimate section addresses the potential source (or sources) of Keynes's use of 'animal spirits'. The final section draws some sceptical conclusions.

Suggested Citation

  • Barens, Ingo, 2011. ""Animal spirits" in John Maynard Keynes's general theory of employment, interest and money: Some short and sceptical remarks," Darmstadt Discussion Papers in Economics 201, Darmstadt University of Technology, Department of Law and Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:darddp:dar_49241
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Moggridge, D E, 1992. "The," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 6(3), pages 207-209, Summer.
    2. George A. Akerlof, 2009. "How Human Psychology Drives the Economy and Why It Matters," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 91(5), pages 1175-1175.
    3. Roger Koppl, 1991. "Retrospectives: Animal Spirits," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 5(3), pages 203-210, Summer.
    4. George A. Akerlof & Robert J. Shiller, 2010. "Animal Spirits: How Human Psychology Drives the Economy, and Why It Matters for Global Capitalism," Economics Books, Princeton University Press, edition 1, number 9163, December.
    5. Ian Glynn, 1999. "Two millennia of animal spirits," Nature, Nature, vol. 402(6760), pages 353-353, November.
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    Cited by:

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    4. Usman Ghani & Md Kamal Hossain, 2023. "The Role and Importance of Liquidity Preference, Marginal Efficiency of Capital, and Marginal Propensity to Consume in Keynes's General Theory," International Journal of Science and Business, IJSAB International, vol. 20(1), pages 58-70.

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