Michael Boskin
Tully Friedman Professor of Economics and Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution and at the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research
Bio
Michael J. Boskin is Tully M. Friedman Professor of Economics and Senior Fellow, Hoover Institution, Stanford University. He is also Research Associate, National Bureau of Economic Research. He served as Chairman of the President’s Council of Economic Advisers (CEA) from 1989 to 1993. The independent Council for Excellence in Government rated Dr. Boskin’s CEA one of the five most respected agencies (out of one hundred) in the federal government. He chaired the highly influential blue-ribbon Commission on the Consumer Price Index, whose report has transformed the way government statistical agencies around the world measure inflation, GDP and productivity.
Advisor to governments and businesses globally, Dr. Boskin also serves on several corporate and philanthropic boards of directors. He is frequently sought as a public speaker on the economic outlook and evolving trends significant to business, national and international economic policy and the intersection of economics and geopolitics.
Dr. Boskin received his B.A. with highest honors and the Chancellor’s Award as outstanding undergraduate in 1967 from the University of California at Berkeley, where he also received his M.A. in 1968 and his Ph.D. in 1971, all in economics. In addition to Stanford and the University of California, he has taught at Harvard and Yale. He is the author of more than one hundred books and articles. He is internationally recognized for his research on world economic growth, tax and budget theory and policy, Social Security, U.S. saving and consumption patterns, and the implications of changing technology and demography on capital, labor, and product markets.
Dr. Boskin has received numerous professional awards and citations, including Stanford’s Distinguished Teaching Award in 1988, the National Association of Business Economists’ Abramson Award for outstanding research and their Distinguished Fellow Award, the Medal of the President of the Italian Republic in 1991 for his contributions to global economic understanding, and the 1998 Adam Smith Prize for outstanding contributions to economics.
Academic Appointments
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Professor, Economics
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Hoover Senior Fellow, Hoover Institution
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Senior Fellow, Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research (SIEPR)
Administrative Appointments
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Visiting Scholar, American Enterprise Institute (1993 - 1993)
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Lester Crown Distinguished Faculty Fellow, Yale University (1993 - 1993)
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Wohlford Professor of Economics, Stanford University (1987 - 1992)
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Professor, Stanford University (1978 - 1986)
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Associate Professor, Stanford University (1976 - 1977)
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Assistant Professor, Stanford University (1971 - 1975)
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Director, Center for Economic Policy Research Stanford University (1981 - 1988)
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Visiting Professor of Economics, Harvard University (1977 - 1978)
Honors & Awards
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Department Citation & Chancellor's Award for the Outstanding Undergraduate Thesis, University of California (1967)
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Award for the Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation, National Tax Association (1970-1971)
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Abramson Award for Outstanding Research, National Association of Business Economists (1987)
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Dean's Award for Distinguished Teaching, Stanford University (1988)
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W.S. Johnson Award for Contributions to Free Enterprise, National Federation of Independent Business (1990)
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Public Servant of the Year Award, University of California Alumni Association (1990)
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Medal of the President, Italian Republic (1991)
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Distinguished Public Service Award, Stanford University (1993)
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Adam Smith Prize, National Association of Business Economists (1998)
Boards, Advisory Committees, Professional Organizations
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Member, Governor's Council of Economic Advisors (2003 - 2010)
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Member, Advisory Board, U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau pf Economic Analysis (2000 - 2008)
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Member, Commission on 21st Century Economy (2009 - 2009)
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Member, Advisory Panel, Congressional Budget Office (1994 - 2003)
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Member, Advisory Panel, Congressional Budget Office (2007 - 2008)
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Chairman, Commission on the Consumer Price Index (1995 - 1996)
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Member, Governor's Council of Economic Advisors (1993 - 1998)
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Chairman, Governor's Task Force on Tax Reform and Reduction (1993 - 1994)
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Advisor, Joint Committee on Taxation, U.S. Congress (1995 - 1998)
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Chairman, President's Council of Economic Advisers (1989 - 1993)
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Member, American Economic Association
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Member, National Association of Business Economists
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Member, National Tax Association
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Member, Economics Education Committee, American Economic Association
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Consultant, House Ways & Means Committee
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Advisor, Senate Finance Committee
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Consultant, U.S. Department of the Treasury
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Consultant, Joint Economic Committee, U.S. Congress
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Consultant, Advisory Council on Social Security
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Consultant, U.S. Department of Labor
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Member, National Science Foundation Research Review Panel
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Consultant, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
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Member, Phi Beta Kappa Society
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Ford Foundation Fellow, Ford Foundation
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Woodrow Wilson Fellow, Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation
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President, International Atlantic Economic Society (2005 - 2006)
Program Affiliations
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Public Policy
Professional Education
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Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley, Economics (1971)
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M.A., University of California, Berkeley, Economics (1968)
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B.A., University of California, Berkeley, Economics (1967)
2024-25 Courses
- Introduction to Financial Decision-Making
ECON 43 (Spr) - Public Economics and Environmental Economics Seminar
ECON 341 (Aut, Win, Spr) -
Independent Studies (4)
- Directed Reading
ECON 139D (Aut, Win, Spr) - Directed Reading
ECON 239D (Aut, Win, Spr, Sum) - Honors Thesis Research
ECON 199D (Aut, Win, Spr, Sum) - Practical Training
ECON 299 (Aut, Win, Spr, Sum)
- Directed Reading
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Prior Year Courses
2023-24 Courses
- Introduction to Financial Decision-Making
ECON 43 (Spr) - Public Economics and Environmental Economics Seminar
ECON 341 (Aut, Win, Spr)
2022-23 Courses
- Introduction to Financial Decision-Making
ECON 43 (Spr) - Public Economics and Environmental Economics Seminar
ECON 341 (Aut, Win, Spr)
2021-22 Courses
- Capitalism, Socialism and Democracy
ECON 23N (Spr) - Introduction to Financial Decision-Making
ECON 43 (Spr) - Public Economics and Environmental Economics Seminar
ECON 341 (Aut, Win, Spr)
- Introduction to Financial Decision-Making
All Publications
- U.S. China Economic Relations in the Next Ten Years: Towards Deeper Engagements and Mutual Benefit edited by Boskin, M. J., Lau, L. J., Spence, M. China-United States Exchange Foundation. 2013
- Notes on the Economics of Nuclear Power The Nuclear Enterprise, High Consequence Accidents: How to Enhance Safety and Minimize Risks in Nuclear Weapons and Reactors edited by Drell, S. D., Shultz, G. P. Stanford University Press. 2012
- Fiscal Policy for Economic Growth The Economists' Voice 2012
- Grading Forty Years of Tax Policy Forty Years of Change, One Constant: Tax Analysts, 40th Anniversary Special Publication Tax Analysts. 2011
- Review of "This Time is Different" Journal of Economic Literature 2010
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Perspectives on the New Architecture for the US National Accounts
121st Annual Meeting of the American-Economic-Association
AMER ECONOMIC ASSOC. 2009: 69–73
View details for DOI 10.1257/aer.99.2.69
View details for Web of Science ID 000266458300012
- Better Living Through More Accurate Consumer Price Indexes Better Living Through Economics edited by Siegfried, J. J. Cambridge, Harvard University Press. 2009
- Final Report on the Commission on the 21st Century Economy edited by Parsky, G. State of California. 2009
- Economic Perspectives on Deficits and Debt Fiscal Challenges: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Budget Policy edited by Garrett, E., Grady, E. A., Jackson, H. E. Cambridge University Press. 2008
- Consumer Price Indexes Concise Encyclopedia of Economics edited by Henderson, D. Liberty Fund, Inc., Library of Economics and Liberty. 2008
- Eight Lessons of Public Finance in Developing Countries State Council of the People's Republic of China. 2006
- Taxation and Saving Tax Notes 2006
- Perspectives on Tax Reform Tax Notes 2006
- Causes and Consequences of Bias in the Consumer Price Index as a Measure of the Cost of Living Atlantic Economic Journal 2005; 33 (1): 1-13
- The Economic Agenda: A View from the U.S. Review of International Economics 2004
- At What Price? Review of National Academy Panel Report on the Consumer Price Index 2003
- The Comparative Postwar Economic Performance of the G-7 Countries Mimeo. 2003
- Measuring Economic Performance: Progress and Challenges American Economic Review 2000
- From Edgeworth to Vickrey to Mirrlees Atlantic Economic Journal 2000
- Capitalism and Its Discontents Business Economics 1999
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Consumer prices, the consumer price index, and the cost of living
JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC PERSPECTIVES
1998; 12 (1): 3-26
View details for Web of Science ID 000072484600001
- Some Thoughts on Improving Economic Statistics Hoover Essays in Public Policy 1998
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The CPI Commission: Findings and recommendations
109th Meeting of the American-Economic-Association
AMER ECONOMIC ASSOC. 1997: 78–83
View details for Web of Science ID A1997XB09100017
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Implications of overstating inflation for indexing government programs and understanding economic progress
109th Meeting of the American-Economic-Association
AMER ECONOMIC ASSOC. 1997: 89–93
View details for Web of Science ID A1997XB09100019
- Lies, Damned Lies, and (Faulty) Statistics The International Economy 1997
- Inflation and Its Discontents Hoover Essays in Public Policy 1997
- The CPI Commission Business Economics 1997
- The Contribution of R&D to Economic Growth: Some Issues and Observations American Enterprise Institute 1996
- A Framework for Understanding the Tax Reform Debate Frontiers of Tax Reform edited by Boskin, M. Hoover Institution Press. 1996
- Toward a More Accurate Measure of the Cost of Living: Interim Report U.S. Government Printing Press. 1996
- Frontiers of Tax Reform edited by Boskin, M. J. Hoover Institution Press. 1996
- An Economist's Evaluation of the Political Discourse on Fundamental Tax Reform Proposals Center for Economic Policy Research Discussion Paper Series 1995
- Toward a More Accurate Measure of the Cost of Living: Interim Report Stanford University Press. 1995
- A Conference Panel Discussion: The Role of Rules in Monetary Policy Review 1994; 76 (2)
- The Economic Report of the President United States Government Printing Office. 1993
- Reflections on the Bush Regulatory Record: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Regulation 1993
- The Economic Report of the President United States Government Printing Office. 1992
- Capital, Technology, and Economic Growth Technology and the Wealth of Nations edited by Rosenberg, N., Landau, R., Mowery, D. Stanford University Press. 1992
- International and lntertemporal Comparison of Productive Efficiency: An Application of the Meta-Production Function Approach to the Group-of-Five (G-5) Countries Economic Studies Quarterly 1992; 43 (4)
- The Economic Report of the President United States Government Printing Office. 1991
- Capital Formation and Economic Growth Technology and Economics: A Volume Commemorating Ralph Landau's Service to the National Academy of Engineering National Academy Press. 1991
- The Economic Report of the President United States Government Printing Office. 1990
- Issues in the Measurement and Interpretation of Saving and Wealth Fifty Years of Economic Measurement: The Jubilee of the Conference on Research in Income and Wealth edited by Berndt, E., Triplett, J. The University of Chicago Press. 1990
- Government Saving, Capital Formation and Wealth in the United States, 1947-1985 The Measurement of Saving, Investment, and Wealth edited by Lipsey, R., Stone, H. The University of Chicago Press. 1989
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TAX POLICY AND ECONOMIC-GROWTH - LESSONS FROM THE 1980S
JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC PERSPECTIVES
1988; 2 (4): 71-97
View details for Web of Science ID A1988Q908100005
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CONSUMPTION, SAVING, AND FISCAL-POLICY
AMERICAN ECONOMIC REVIEW
1988; 78 (2): 401-407
View details for Web of Science ID A1988N286300073
- Future Social Security Financing Alternatives and National Saving Social Security and Private Pensions: Providing for Retirement in the 21st Century edited by Wachter, S., Wachter, M. Lexington Books. 1988
- A Closer Look at Saving Rates in the United States and Japan Government Policy Towards Industry in the U.S. and Japan edited by Shoven, J. Cambridge University Press. 1988
- Economics of Public Debt edited by Boskin, M. J., Arrow, K. MacMillan. 1988
- The Financial Impact of Social Security by Cohort Issues in Contemporary Retirement edited by Lazear, E., Campbell, R. R. Hoover Institution Press. 1988
- Personal Security Accounts: An Alternative Social Security Reform Proposal Social Security and Private Pensions edited by Wachter, S. Lexington Books. 1988
- Alternative Concepts and Measures of Federal Deficits and Debt and Their Impact on Economic Activity Economics of Public Debt edited by Arrow, K., Boskin, M. MacMillan for the International Economic Association. 1988
- Poverty Among the Elderly: Where Are the Holes in the Safety Net? Pensions in the U.S. Economy edited by Bodie, Z., Shoven, J., Wise, D. University of Chicago Press. 1988
- Reagan and the Economy: Successes, Failures, Unfinished Agenda Institute for Contemporary Studies. 1987
- Modern Developments in Public Finance edited by Boskin, M. J. Basil Blackwell. 1987
- The Federal Budget and Insurance Programs Modern Developments in Public Finance edited by Boskin, M. Basil Blackwell. 1987
- Perspectives on the Tax Reform Act of 1986 National Tax Association Annual Proceedings 1987
- Social Security: A Financial Appraisal within and Across Generations National Tax Journal 1987
- New Estimates of the Effects of Taxes on the International Location of Investment The Effects of Taxation on Capital Formation edited by Feldstein, M. University of Chicago Press. 1987
- Concepts and Measures of Earnings Replacement during Retirement Issues in Pension Economics edited by Shoven, J., Wise, D. 1987
- Social Security and the American Family Federal Tax Policy edited by Summers, L. 1987
- Too Many Promises: The Uncertain Future of Social Security Dow-Jones-Irwin. 1986
- Deficits, Public Debt, Interest Rates & Private Saving: Perspectives and Reflections on Recent Analysis and U.S. Experience Private Saving and Public Debt edited by Boskin, M., Flemming, J., Gorini, S. Basil Blackwell. 1986
- Private Saving and Public Debt edited by Boskin, M. J., Flemming, J., Gorini, S. Basil Blackwell. 1986
- Theoretical and Empirical Issues in the Measurement, Evaluation and Interpretation of Post-War U.S. Saving Saving and Capital Formation: The Policy Options edited by Adams, G., Wachter, S. Lexington Books/D. C. Health. 1986
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NEW ESTIMATES OF THE VALUE OF FEDERAL MINERAL RIGHTS AND LAND
AMERICAN ECONOMIC REVIEW
1985; 75 (5): 923-936
View details for Web of Science ID A1985AVY6400001
- Macroeconomics, Technology and Economic Policy Technology and Economy Policy edited by Landau, R., Rosenberg, N. National Academy Press. 1985
- Public Debt and U.S. Saving: A New Test of the Neutrality Hypothesis Carnegie-Rochester Conference Series 1985
- Energy Taxes and Optimal Tax Theory The Energy Journal 1985
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INDEXING SOCIAL-SECURITY BENEFITS - A SEPARATE PRICE-INDEX FOR THE ELDERLY
PUBLIC FINANCE QUARTERLY
1985; 13 (4): 436-449
View details for Web of Science ID A1985ATX7900005
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ECONOMIC-ASPECTS OF THE TAXATION OF DECONTROLLED NATURAL-GAS
NATIONAL TAX JOURNAL
1985; 38 (2): 179-190
View details for Web of Science ID A1985ANA1400005
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THE EFFECT OF SOCIAL-SECURITY ON RETIREMENT IN THE EARLY 1970S
QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF ECONOMICS
1984; 99 (4): 767-790
View details for Web of Science ID A1984AAA8000007
- A Longer Term Perspective on Macroeconomics and Distribution: Time, Expectations, and Incentives Issues in Contemporary Economics and Distribution edited by Feiwel, G. The MacMillan Press. 1984
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OPTIMAL TAX TREATMENT OF THE FAMILY - MARRIED-COUPLES
JOURNAL OF PUBLIC ECONOMICS
1983; 20 (3): 281-297
View details for Web of Science ID A1983RC22600001
- Effects of Budgetary Constraints and Budgetary Cuts Proceedings: International Institute of Public Finance, Budapest, Hungary 1983
- Modeling Alternative Solutions to the Long-Run Social Security Funding Problem Behavioral Simulations of Tax Policy edited by Feldstein, M. University of Chicago Press. 1983
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FEDERAL-GOVERNMENT DEFICITS - SOME MYTHS AND REALITIES
AMERICAN ECONOMIC REVIEW
1982; 72 (2): 296-303
View details for Web of Science ID A1982NQ56500055
- The Federal Budget: Economics and Politics edited by Boskin, M. J., Wildavsky, A. Institute for Contemporary Studies. 1982
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TAXATION, INNOVATION AND ECONOMIC-GROWTH
TECHNOLOGY IN SOCIETY
1981; 3 (1-2): 35-44
View details for Web of Science ID A1981LV27100003
- Issues in the Taxation of Capital Income American Economic Review 1981
- Some Issues in Supply-Side Economics Supply Shocks, Incentives and National Wealth edited by Brunner, K., Meltzer, A. 1981
- The Economics of Taxation edited by Boskin, M. J., Aaron, H. 1980
- The Impact of Inflation on U.S. Productivity and International Competitiveness National Planning Association. 1980
- The Economy in the 1980's: A Program for Stability and Growth edited by Boskin, M. J. Institute for Contemporary Studies. 1980
- Interrelationships Among the Choice of Tax Base, Tax Rates and the Unit and Time Period of Account in the Design of an Optimal Tax System The Economics of Taxation edited by Aaron, H., Boskin, M. 1980
- Growth Policy for the Eighties Proceedings of the Workshop on Supply-Side Economics 1980
- Social Security and Private Saving: Analytical Issues, Empirical Evidence and Policy Implications Special Study on Economic Change 1980
- Social Security: The Challenge Before Us The United States in the 1980's edited by Duignan, P., Rabushka, A. 1980
- The Long-Run Incidence of Government Policies in Open Growing Economies Economics and Human Welfare: Essays in Honor of Tibor Scitovsky edited by Boskin, M. Academic Press. 1979
- Economic Factors Behind the Tax Revolt National Tax Journal 1979
- Economics and Human Welfare: Essays in Honor of Tiber Scitovsky edited by Boskin, M. J. Academic Press. 1979
- Optimal Redistributive Taxation when Individual Welfare Depends upon Relative Income Quarterly Journal of Economics 1978
- Optimal Tax Theory, Econometric Evidence and Tax Policy Econometric Contributions to Public Policy edited by Stone, R. MacMillan for the International Economic Associations. 1978
- Taxation and Aggregate Factor Supply: Preliminary Estimates U.S. Treasury Compendium of Tax Research 1978
- Federal Tax Reform edited by Boskin, M. J. Institute for Contemporary Studies. 1978
- Taxation and Capital Formation: Missing Elements in the President's Tax Program Tax Policies in the 1979 Budget edited by Penner, R. AEI. 1978
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EFFECT OF SOCIAL-SECURITY ON EARLY RETIREMENT
JOURNAL OF PUBLIC ECONOMICS
1978; 10 (3): 361-377
View details for Web of Science ID A1978GK44300005
- Taxation, Saving and the Rate of Interest Journal of Political Economy 1978
- An Economist's Perspective on Estate Taxation The Future of Wealth Transmission 1977
- Effects of the Charitable Deduction on Contributions by Low and Middle Income Households: Evidence from the National Survey of Philanthropy Review of Economics and Statistics 1977
- The Crisis in Social Security edited by Boskin, M. J. Institute for Contemporary Studies. 1977
- Some Lessons from the New Public Finance American Economic Review, American Economic Association 1977; 67 (1): 295-301
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SOCIAL-SECURITY AND RETIREMENT DECISIONS
ECONOMIC INQUIRY
1977; 15 (1): 1-25
View details for Web of Science ID A1977CV39400001
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SOME RECENT ECONOMETRIC RESEARCH IN PUBLIC-FINANCE
AMERICAN ECONOMIC REVIEW
1976; 66 (2): 102-109
View details for Web of Science ID A1976BS28900015
- The Economic Common Sense of the Debate over Controlling Nuclear Power Development The California Nuclear Initiative edited by Reynolds, W. Stanford University Press. 1976
- The Economic Common Sense of the Debate over Controlling Nuclear Power Development California Energy: The Economic Factors 1976
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ESTATE-TAXATION AND CHARITABLE BEQUESTS
JOURNAL OF PUBLIC ECONOMICS
1976; 5 (1-2): 27-56
View details for Web of Science ID A1976BV58600002
- Notes on the Tax Treatment of Human Capital Treasury Conference on Tax Policy 1975
- Lessons from the New Jersey-Pennsylvania Income Maintenance Experiment Evaluating the New Jersey-Pennsylvania Income Maintenance Experiment 1975
- Efficiency Aspects of the Differential Tax Treatment of Market and Household Economic Activity Journal of Public Economics 1975
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MARKOV MODEL OF TURNOVER IN AID TO FAMILIES WITH DEPENDENT CHILDREN
JOURNAL OF HUMAN RESOURCES
1975; 10 (4): 467-481
View details for Web of Science ID A1975BE21900003
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EFFECTS OF GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURES AND TAXES ON FEMALE LABOR
AMERICAN ECONOMIC REVIEW
1974; 64 (2): 251-256
View details for Web of Science ID A1974S954100046
- A Conditional Logic Model of Occupational Choice Journal of Political Economy 1974
- Regression Analysis when the Dependent Variable is Truncated Lognormal: with an Application to the Determinants of the Duration of Welfare Dependency International Economic Review 1974
- Economics of the Labor Supply Labor Supply and Income Maintenance edited by Cain, G., Watts, H. Rand McNally. 1973
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LOCAL GOVERNMENT TAX AND PRODUCT COMPETITION AND OPTIMAL PROVISION OF PUBLIC GOODS
JOURNAL OF POLITICAL ECONOMY
1973; 81 (1): 203-210
View details for Web of Science ID A1973O359700014
- Theoretical Models of Local Government Finance 26th Congress of the International Institute of Public Finance 1973
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UNIONS AND RELATIVE REAL WAGES
AMERICAN ECONOMIC REVIEW
1972; 62 (3): 466-472
View details for Web of Science ID A1972O174200025
- The Effects of Taxes on the Supply of Labor: With Special Reference to Income Maintenance Programs National Tax Association Papers and Proceedings 1971
- The Effects of Taxes on the Supply of Labor: With Special Reference to Income Maintenance Programs National Tax Association Papers and Proceedings 1971
- The Negative Income Tax and the Supply of Work Effort National Tax Journal 1967