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Alberto Alesina

Professor of Political Economy, Harvard University; Author; Lecturer.



The preeminent International economist focused on
budget reduction as a path to growth.






Alberto Alesina’s influential work is at the intersection of politics and economics.

A leading economist whose research and writing encompass political and economic matters in both the US and Europe, Alberto sheds light on vital, challenging issues, including —
  • How politics in the US impact the economy, and how economic conditions influence elections
  • How European nations’ overprotected and overregulated economies will weaken both their economics and their political influence
  • The relationship between political and economic cycles
He is the author and co-author of numerous books, all of which provide an economic perspective on the lives of nations on both sides of the Atlantic and the welfare of their citizens. Books include:

The Future of Europe: Reform or Decline
(with Francesco Giavazzi)
    "The authors have written an accessible plea for Europeans to reform their economies along American lines. They have converted a great deal of technical thinking and evidence into a lively book that noneconomists can easily digest."
        —Charles Tilly, Joseph L. Buttenwieser Professor of Social Science,
           Columbia University

    "[T]hey reveal the seriousness of the plight of the major continental European economies—and the urgency of the need for liberalizing reforms."
        —Niall Ferguson, Laurence A. Tisch Professor of History, Harvard University, author
           of Empire and Colossus


Fighting Poverty in the US and Europe: A world of Difference
(with Edward Glaeser)
    "Mr. Alesina and Mr. Glaeser, both Harvard economists, are doing what the best in their profession do well these days: seeking to explain society not merely with conventional economic tools but with analysis of institutions, geography and social behaviour."
        —The Economist

Alberto Alesina is a highly-regarded for his work in comparing and contrasting the political / economic systems of the United States and the nations of Western Europe. He lectures around the world showcasing the differences and highlighting what these nations can learn from each other. Topics include:
  • Fiscal Policy, current fiscal adjustments in Europe, their chances for success and political consequences
  • Fiscal Rules
  • Fiscal Institutions, monetary unions and the future of the Euro
  • Political business cycles
  • Differences in the welfare state in the US and Europe
  • Differences in the economic system in the US and Europe
  • The effect of alternative electoral systems on economic policies
  • The determination of the choice of different electoral systems
He has been published in leading newspapers around the world and well as in all major academic journals in economics.

Credentials
  • Nathaniel Ropes Professor of Political Economy, Harvard University
  • Chairman, Department of Economics, Harvard University (2003-2006)
  • Research Associate, National Bureau of Economic Research and the Center for Economic Policy research
  • Fellow, Econometric Society
  • Member, American Academy of Arts and Sciences
  • Visiting Economist, The World Bank, the IMF, MIT, Tel Aviv University, University of Stockholm
  • Former co-editor, Quarterly Journal of Economics; Economics and Politics
  • Ph.D., Economics, Harvard University
  • Undergraduate degree in Economics from Bocconi University, Milan