Jan Tinbergen's Move from Physics to Economics, 1922-1930

Abstract

While Jan Tinbergen was one of the great economists of the 20th century, his early life has received little attention from historians. This is remarkable because Tinbergen was not an economist, but a physicist by training. Tinbergen had studied physics in Leiden under the wings of Paul Ehrenfest, and made the transition from physics to economists roughly between 1922 and 1930. This study argues that Tinbergen’s transition should be understood in the context of his political beliefs, the changing position of the academic in the Dutch society and a pre-existing tradition of exchange between physics and economics. In addition to showing Tinbergen’s motivation for becoming an economist, this study will also show how he used his physical background in his political and economic writings.