Name
Polak, J. J. (Jacques Jacobus), 1914-2010 (Interviewee)
Emmerij, Louis (Interviewer)
Title
Oral history interview with Jacques J. Polak, 2000
Abstract
Born in Holland. Education: Primary and Secondary school in Rotterdam, Erasmiaans Gymnaisum, doctoral in Economics Amsterdam University, 1932-1937. Career: research assistant to Jan Tinbergen at League of Nations (Geneva), October 1937; assistant to Tjalling Koopman at League of Nations (Geneva), 1938; Princeton University Institute for Advanced Studies (affiliated with League of Nations), 1940; Sh ipping, Finance, and Trade Mission, Division of Netherlands Embassy, April 1943; Bretton Woods Conference, Summer 1944; United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration (UNRRA) Assistant Financial Advisor and Economic Advisor to Director General Herbert Lehman and Fiorello LaGuardia, late 1944-1947; International Monetary Fund (IMF) Senior Economist and Director of Research (1958), 1947-1979; Compensatory Finance Facility and special drawing rights (SDRs) established under Polak's direcotorship; Retired, 1979; Special Assistant to Managing Director, 1979-1980; Executive Director, 1981; Second Retirement, 1986; Jacobsson Foundation Consultant to Louis Emmeriji (1986). Influence of Great Depression, gilder devaluation, Keynesian economics, and Professor Jan Tinbergen on economics study; significance of League of Nations in economic and monetary research on IMF, UN, and Bretton Woods Conference development; Bretton Woods Conference history; UN and IMF relationship; differences between IMF and World Bank; evolution of IMF and World Bank monetary policy; future of monetary policy; IMF involvement in Latin America, decolonized Africa, and post-soviet Eastern Europe
Collection Name
United Nations intellectual history project (UNIHP)
Subjects
Economists; Depressions--1929--Netherlands; Monetary policy; International finance; International economic relations; Polak, J. J. (Jacques Jacobus), 1914-2010; United Nations Officials and employees; International Monetary Fund Officials and employees; League of Nations; United Nations History; International Monetary Fund; World Bank; United Nations Monetary and Financial Conference Bretton Woods, N.H.) (1944
Format
oral histories; sound recordings
Genre
Interviews
Date
2000
Note (Biographical)
Economist
Note
Interviewed by Louis Emmerij on March 15, 2000
Note (Provenance)
Ralph Bunche Institute for International Studies, The Graduate Center, City University of New York, Gift, 2009
Language
English
Library Location
Columbia Center for Oral History, Columbia University
Browse Location’s Digital Content
Catalog Record
13684902
Also In
Oral History Archives at Columbia
Time-Based Media
Time-Based Media
Persistent URL
https://dx.doi.org/10.7916/d8-pc5y-1566
Related URLs
Available digital content for this interview.