R. G. D. Allen - Persons

Persons

Allen was born in Worcester and educated at the Royal Grammar School Worcester, from which he won a scholarship to Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge. He gained a First Class Honours in Mathematics and was awarded a Wrangler scholarship.

He became a lecturer at the London School of Economics (LSE) later becoming Professor of Statistics. He wrote many papers and books on mathematical economics including the famous paper on A Reconsideration of the Theory of Value published in Economics in 1934 with Sir John Hicks. Other books include: Mathematical Analysis for Economists (1938), Statistics for Economists (1949), Mathematical Economics (1956), and Macroeconomic Theory (1967).

Allen was knighted in 1966 for his services to economics and became president of the Royal Statistical Society, who awarded him the Guy Medal in Gold in 1978. He was also treasurer of the British Academy of which he was a fellow (FBA).

Amongst his many great achievements and contributions to economics is his concept of the "partial elasticity of substitution" set out in his famous 1938 book. He was one of the first economists to use mathematics in economics and taught a whole generation of famous economists.

Allen became a fellow of Sidney Sussex, Cambridge and died in 1983.