Guide to the Louis Walinsky Papers,
1978-1992.

Economic consultant.

Louis Walinsky was born in London in 1908, the son of Russian âemigrâe parents, and came to the United States in 1912. In 1929 he graduated from Cornell University, where he majored in economics under Sumner Slichter and Herbert Joseph Davenport, and went on to do graduate work at the University of Berlin, CCNY, and the New School. He taught economics in New York City from 1930-1943; served as an economic consultant for the War Production Board from 1943-47; as Director of the World ORT Union's network of vocational training schools for liberated Jews in the D.P. camps of Germany, and Secretary-General from 1947-49; as vice president of Robert Nathan Associates from 1950-1963; and as an economic consultant in Washington and Cohasset, Mass. from 1963.

Additionally, he was executive secretary of the Combined Pulp and Paper Commission of the Combined Raw Materials Board, 1944-45; director of the Office of Economic Review and Analysis of the Civilian Production Administration, 1946-47; member and/or leader of economic missions to Korea, Afghanistan, El Salvador, Brazil, East Africa, Israel, Iran, India, Bolivia, Venezuela, Newfoundland, Papua New Guinea, and Puerto Rico; chief resident economic advisor to the Government of Burma, 1953-58; special advisor to the Asia Dept. of the World Bank, 1971-72; and consultant to OECD, 1978. He is the author of numerous books and articles, particularly on international economic development. In 1990, he funded "The Memorial Fund in Economics in Honor of Professor Herbert Joseph Davenport."

Daily records kept during six years of service as chief resident economic advisor to the Burmese government, 1953-1958, noting the progress and difficulties encountered in Burma's efforts to achieve accelerated economic development, and weekly letters during the same period to Robert Nathan, the head of the economic consulting firm Louis Walinsky and his team represented, summarizing and assessing the recorded events. Additionally, correspondence, reports, articles, publications, and other materials relating to Burma and Burmese economic and political affairs, including intermittent correspondence and memos with and for U Nu.

Correspondents and commentators on the Burmese question include Joe Silverstein, Chao-Tzang Yawnghwe, U Aung, and David Doan.