Walter Bagehot (1826-1877)
He was born in Langport, Somerset, England on the 3rd of February 1826. He
attended University College London, where he earned a master's degree in 1848.
He was called to the Bar, but did not practice, and joined his father in the
banking business. He wrote for various periodicals, but gained notice as an
early editor of The Economist newspaper, which had been founded by his
father-in-law. After taking over in 1861, he expanded the publication's
reporting on the United States and on politics, and is considered to have
increased its influence among policymakers, since he is one of the most
important nineteenth century British economist.
In 1867, he wrote a book called The English Constitution which explored the
constitution of the United Kingdom, in particular the functioning of Parliament
and the British monarchy and the contrasts between British and American
government. The book is an important work which was translated into several
languages.
He also wrote Physics and Politics (1872), and Lombard Street (1873), a valuable
financial work.
A collection of essays, biographical and economic, was published after his
death. He died on the 24th of March 1877.
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