Andrew Glyn is dead

by Harry on December 24, 2007

Via Chris Brooke comes the sad news that Andrew Glyn has died, apparently from a brain tumour that was diagnosed only recently, and was inoperable. The only obit I can find so far is at Socialist Unity blog. I realise that a good number of our readers must have known him, so I’m sorry to be the one who brings the news. I didn’t know him, but our circles intersected a good bit, and mutual friends and acquaintances always spoke very warmly of him. So I always imagined I would meet, and enjoy chatting with, him someday.

{ 11 comments }

1

Sarah 12.24.07 at 8:06 pm

Andrew taught me economics, and as well as being an excellent, funny and dynamic tutor, he was an all-round great guy whose students loved him.

2

John Quiggin 12.24.07 at 8:30 pm

I’m very sorry to hear this.

3

Robin 12.24.07 at 9:58 pm

Terrible news, signs also of the passing of an era when political economy was more engaged in the betterment of our world.

4

lemuel pitkin 12.24.07 at 10:47 pm

Terrible news. Capitalism Since 1945 (which rightly or wrongly I think of as primarily his work) probably contributed as much to my intellectual development as any other single book.

I exchanged emails with him a couple times but not enough to get any sense of him personally. It’s an awful feeling, isn’t it, to realize that someone you’d just thought of as part of the landscape isn’t, anymore.

5

roy fletcher 12.25.07 at 9:50 am

It is with great sadness i heard of Andy’s death, my economics tutor and mate. He lived out at Summertown in those days with Cynthia and his children. Goodbye old mate, socialism has lost a great intellect.

6

Tom D 12.25.07 at 10:45 am

Friends of Andrew may be interested in contributing to the Facebook group, Memories of Andrew Glyn. There is an idea to compile a book for his family from contributions, and all who knew him are welcome.

A great loss to lose such a completely lovely man, and clear mind.

7

Daryna 12.26.07 at 5:55 pm

Andrew was a brilliant tutor – he challenged us without making anyone feel small, always welcomed discussion and considered everyone’s viewpoint thoroughly before offering his thoughts on the matter. His take on Marxist economics was probably the best of all – he considered it as something that could be utilised sucessfully in the modern market economies. This is a loss of a wonderful tutor and a clear and original thinker.

8

Jonathan 12.26.07 at 6:30 pm

Very sad news. I thoroughly recommend his ‘Capitalism Unleashed’; a shame that it will be his last book.

9

Elle 12.26.07 at 10:47 pm

I was fortunate enough to be lectured by him-Andrew’s the only economist ever to make Unemployment in Micro enjoyable! His death is a real loss to everyone who had the pleasure of encountering him.

10

Nick L 12.28.07 at 7:08 am

Tremendously sad news. Andrew was a really interesting guy and one of the nicest people I’ve met in academia. ‘Capitalism Unleashed’ should be required reading for everyone with left of centre views. As the poster above says his death is a real loss.

11

Stuart White 12.29.07 at 1:43 pm

This is terribly sad news.

I had the great fortune to be taught economics by Andrew – indeed, the economics of Marx. Although a Marxist himself, he never let me get away with giving Marx an easy ride. Dodgy thinking is dodgy thinking, including when it comes from Marx. ‘We’re not here to whitewash him.’

Towards the end of the term in which I was taught by him, the film ‘Rosa’, about the life of Rosa Luxemburg, came out. After remarking on how the film made no mention of Luxemburg’s criticisms of Lenin, Andrew’s next comment was something like: ‘Her life shows that it is actually possible to be both a serious revolutionary socialist and a human being.’

His writing has a wonderful clarity and accessibility, and he was always ready to come to speak to political and student groups. He gave an excellent talk to the students at my college in Oxford on inequality in 2006. Characteristically, although the event gave him an opportunity to plug his book, he chose to plug a book I had written.

RIP Andrew Glyn: a great teacher, a morally and intellectually serious socialist, and, not least, a really warm, modest and sensitive human being.

*****
ADDITION

Chris Bertram: adding these comments received by email from Judith Okely to the end of Stuart’s, as the software has closed the comments thread.

“I want to add my comments on the blog in honour of Andrew Glyn.
I have been deeply affected by details of his career since graduating. I knew
him at a distance on our CND and socialist circuit as an undergraduate. We
learned he seemed to be member of a rich banking family, when most members of
the Labour Club were inventing their fathers as manual workers.It is inspiring
to learn he retained his commitment and socialist critical integrity,
expounding it with brilliant intellectual clarity.He obviously inspired
generations of students.
I switched from economics to anthropology so did not follow his stunning
continuties.
Judith (Okely)”

Comments on this entry are closed.