John Weeks (economist)

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John Weeks (1941–26 July 2020) was an American economist who criticized neoliberal economics and advised the Labour Party under Jeremy Corbyn. He was born in Austin, Texas, into a middle-class family. He earned a degree in economics from the University of Texas in 1963 and began PhD studies. Weeks took part in anti-war protests in the 1960s. He finished his doctorate in 1969 and taught at Ahmadu Bello University in Nigeria before becoming a lecturer at the University of Sussex in 1971. He later advised Nicaragua’s planning ministry. In 1985 a conservative group called him a "dangerous academic." Feeling the US environment was hostile to his views, he moved to Britain to become professor emeritus at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London. His research focused on macroeconomics and economic development. He published numerous papers, books, and policy reports. He is credited with coining the phrase "quantity theory of competition," the idea that more competition among producers, consumers, and workers leads to a more efficient economy. In August 2015 he endorsed Jeremy Corbyn in the Labour Party leadership election. He died on 26 July 2020.