Peter Burnham
Papers
3
Total Citations
66
H-Index
3
About
Peter Burnham is a leading scholar of British political economy, whose research focuses on the intersection of state power, monetary policy, and economic restructuring in the mid-20th century. His major contributions center on the history and significance of "Operation Robot," a secret 1952 Treasury and Bank of England plan to introduce sterling convertibility on a floating exchange rate. Burnham’s work reveals how this scheme sought to radically transform Britain’s domestic and international economic policy, challenging the postwar Bretton Woods consensus. His most-cited paper, "Operation Robot and the British Political Economy in the Early‐1950s" (1999, 30 citations), and his subsequent studies (2000, 22 citations; 2003, 14 citations) have reshaped historical understanding of Britain’s external economic policy and the global economic order. Burnham’s meticulous archival research and theoretical insights demonstrate how elite-driven market strategies were central to remaking the postwar world economy. His work is essential reading for students and researchers interested in the politics of economic crisis, state restructuring, and the historical roots of neoliberal policy.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
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- 3Remaking the Postwar World Economy: Robot and British Policy in the 1950s14 citations · 2003