Sudha Shenoy 1943-2008

I am very sorry to hear that Dr Sudha Shenoy has passed away. She was not only an eminent economic historian but also deeply aware of her intellectual heritage and committed to passing on that tradition to younger scholars (such as myself). Whilst here in London she gave the inaugural JB Say Lecture(.pdf) in November 2006 to 60+ students at my place (another photo here). The title of the lecture was "Made in China: The Hidden Lessons of Global Capital" and she explained how complex trading patterns make labels of origin meaningless. Of course this is built on her sound understanding of the structure of capital, and the role that gradually lengthening structures of production played in the Industrial "Revolution". It was a sign of her generosity and willingness to engage with students that she visited, and her talk was very well received. I can remember quite vividly a French student cautiously ask, "So you don't think tariffs are a good idea?" In a swift reply Sudha made as coherent and consistent case for free trade as I've ever heard. She had transformed the way many Masters students thought about the global economy, and they swarmed around her afterwards in boundless conversation. It was a fantastic event.

The Political Economist collects many excellent resources, and I encourage you to have a browse. Finally, in her own words (from an interview at the Mises Institute):

South Korea is the largest importer of Australian beef. During the World Cup soccer series, the cattlemen and stockmen in Queensland and the Northern Territory cheered throughout for South Korea to win! Trade brings the world together.