Professor at Cambridge: 1, Faculty Politics, Public Service and Lecturing

Abstract

When Pigou retired from the Chair of Political Economy at Cambridge in 1943, Keynes was the obvious person to succeed him. Keynes, however, declined the offer of the post when it was made, both because he did not need it and because he did not relish a return to lecturing. Instead, he recommended Robertson, who, after some hesitation, accepted. It cannot have been an easy decision. Dennison, surely correctly, reported that

Characteristically, the decision to return to Cambridge involved much heartsearching and consultations. Keynes was, of course, consulted, and in spite of his many other preoccupations gave it sympathetic attention, and favoured the move. (Dennison, in Dennison and Presley [eds], 1992: p. 51)