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William Harold Greider

ウィリアム・ハロルド・グライダー

William Harold Greider

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1936-08-06 （Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.）
Died
2019-12-25 （Washington, D.C., U.S.） age 83
Nationality
United States
Languages
English
Residence History
Wyoming, Ohio (suburb of Cincinnati) → Washington, D.C.

Career

Occupations
Journalist, Author
Active Years
1958-2019
Affiliations
The Washington Post, Rolling Stone, The Nation

Education

Princeton University
School of Arts and Sciences / Department of English
Degree: B.A.
Period: 1954–1958
Year of Graduation: 1958
Country: United States
Received B.A. in English

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Secrets of the Temple: How the Federal Reserve Runs the Country

1987 Economic non-fiction, investigative journalism

Chronicles the history and operations of the U.S. Federal Reserve, focusing on policy decisions from 1979–1987, and critiques the power alignments governing the financial system.

monetary policycentral banking powerpolitical-economic linkages

One World, Ready or Not: The Manic Logic of Global Capitalism

1997 Globalization critique, economic non-fiction

Examines the logic, vulnerabilities, and inequities of global capitalism, arguing structural problems in the world economy.

globalizationinequalityinternational economy

The Soul of Capitalism: Opening Paths to a Moral Economy

2003 Economic thought, prescriptive non-fiction

Explores corporate history and alternatives such as employee ownership to make capitalism more humane and ethical.

corporate governancemoral economyemployee ownership

The Education of David Stockman and Other Americans

1982 Political-economic non-fiction

Collection of critical essays on economic policymakers and Reagan-era economic policy (Reaganomics).

policy critiquepolitical economy

Fortress America: The American Military and the Consequences of Peace

1998 Security studies, non-fiction

Analyzes U.S. military policy and its consequences in peacetime.

military policyinternational relations

The Trouble with Money: A Prescription for America's Financial Fever

1989 Essays and prescriptions on financial issues

A series of considerations offering prescriptions for America's financial problems.

financial policyeconomic reform

Who Will Tell the People?: The Betrayal of American Democracy

1992 Political commentary

Questions dysfunctions in American democracy and the means of informing the public.

democracymedia and politics

Come Home, America: The Rise and Fall (and Redeeming Promise) Of Our Country

2009 Social commentary, prescriptive non-fiction

Discusses the rise and decline of America and possibilities for its renewal.

national renewalpolicy proposals

Bibliography

  • The Education of David Stockman and Other Americans (1982)
  • Secrets of the Temple: How the Federal Reserve Runs the Country (1987)
  • The Trouble with Money: A Prescription for America's Financial Fever (1989)
  • Who Will Tell the People?: The Betrayal of American Democracy (1992)
  • One World, Ready or Not: The Manic Logic of Global Capitalism (1997)
  • Fortress America: The American Military and the Consequences of Peace (1998)
  • The Soul of Capitalism: Opening Paths to a Moral Economy (2003)
  • Come Home, America: The Rise and Fall (and Redeeming Promise) Of Our Country (2009)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
investigative-reporting-based expository proseclear, explanatory style mixing historical context
Recurring Motifs
dynamics and accountability of financial systemsethics of corporations and societylack of transparency in policymaking

Health

  • congestive heart failure
    2019
    Died at home from congestive heart failure in December 2019. Affected late-life activities.

Legacy

William Greider was an influential economic journalist and author known for authoritative works on the Federal Reserve and global capitalism; noted for explaining complex economic mechanisms to general readers.

In Popular Culture

  • R.E.M.'s song "Departure" contains the lyric 'Win a eulogy from William Greider.'

Quotes

  • "This is a very revealing moment in American democracy. We're seeing the real deformities and power alignments that govern issues like this, particularly the financial system."
    Source: Broadcast interview on C-SPAN (October 1, 2008) (2008)
  • "I've been writing for some months, the system is not just broken and not just injured; it is collapsed. And as long as the government continues to play putting Humpty Dumpty back together again, I think it will fail."
    Source: Interview with Amy Goodman on Democracy Now! (January 29, 2009) (2009)

Trivia

  • Credited with coining the term "Nader's Raiders."
  • Wrote for Rolling Stone from 1982 to 1999.
  • Met his wife Linda Furry while both worked at the Daily Journal.
  • Referenced in popular culture (e.g., an R.E.M. lyric).