Thomas Wilson (23 June 1916 – 27 July 2001) was a 20th-century British economist, who spoke out strongly against the introduction of the

poll tax A poll tax, also known as head tax or capitation, is a tax levied as a fixed sum on every liable individual (typically every adult), without reference to income or resources. Head taxes were important sources of revenue for many governments fr ...

in Britain.

Life

He was born in

Belfast Belfast ( , ; from ga, Béal Feirste , meaning 'mouth of the sand-bank ford') is the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan on the east coast. It is the 12th-largest city in the United Kingdo ...

on 23 June 1916, the son of John Bright Wilson, an

Ulster Protestant Ulster Protestants ( ga, Protastúnaigh Ultach) are an ethnoreligious group in the Irish province of Ulster, where they make up about 43.5% of the population. Most Ulster Protestants are descendants of settlers who arrived from Britain in the ...

and was educated at the Methodist College in Belfast. He then studied History at

Queen's College, Belfast , mottoeng = For so much, what shall we give back? , top_free_label = , top_free = , top_free_label1 = , top_free1 = , top_free_label2 = , top_free2 = , established = , closed = , type = Public research university , parent = ...

before winning a place at

Oxford University Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...

where he specialised in

Economics Economics () is the social science that studies the Production (economics), production, distribution (economics), distribution, and Consumption (economics), consumption of goods and services. Economics focuses on the behaviour and intera ...

graduating MA. Then obtained a doctorate (PhD) at the

University of London The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in post-nominals) is a federal public research university located in London, England, United Kingdom. The university was established by royal charter in 1836 as a degree ...

under

Evan Durbin Evan Frank Mottram Durbin (1 March 1906 – 3 September 1948) was a British economist and Labour Party politician, whose writings combined a belief in central economic planning with a conviction that the price mechanism of markets was indispen ...

and

Nicholas Kaldor Nicholas Kaldor, Baron Kaldor (12 May 1908 – 30 September 1986), born Káldor Miklós, was a Cambridge economist in the post-war period. He developed the "compensation" criteria called Kaldor–Hicks efficiency for welfare comparisons (1939), d ...

. Although a socialist and communist-sympathiser, his observations on the Russian delegates at the World Youth Congress of 1938 in

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

led him to conclude the system as a tyranny. In the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

he worked first for the Ministry of Economic Warfare and Aircraft Production in

Whitehall Whitehall is a road and area in the City of Westminster, Central London. The road forms the first part of the A roads in Zone 3 of the Great Britain numbering scheme, A3212 road from Trafalgar Square to Chelsea, London, Chelsea. It is the main ...

, then became an advisor to

Winston Churchill Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (30 November 187424 January 1965) was a British statesman, soldier, and writer who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom twice, from 1940 to 1945 Winston Churchill in the Second World War, dur ...

's statistics branch under

Lord Cherwell Frederick Alexander Lindemann, 1st Viscount Cherwell, ( ; 5 April 18863 July 1957) was a British physicist who was prime scientific adviser to Winston Churchill in World War II. Lindemann was a brilliant intellectual, who cut through bureauc ...

. Desiring more active duties in 1944 he was given leave to join the Merchant Navy and escorted the Mulberry Harbour to

Arromanches Arromanches-les-Bains (; or simply Arromanches) is a commune in the Calvados department in the Normandy region of north-western France. The inhabitants of the commune are known as ''Arromanchais'' or ''Arromanchaises''. Geography Arromanches-les ...

. He was appointed an OBE in the 1945 Prime Minister's Resignation Honours. From 1946 to 1958 he was a Fellow of Economics at University College, Oxford, in succession to

Harold Wilson James Harold Wilson, Baron Wilson of Rievaulx, (11 March 1916 – 24 May 1995) was a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom twice, from October 1964 to June 1970, and again from March 1974 to April 1976. He ...

. From 1958 to 1982 he held the Adam Smith Chair in Economy at

Glasgow University , image = UofG Coat of Arms.png , image_size = 150px , caption = Coat of arms Flag , latin_name = Universitas Glasguensis , motto = la, Via, Veritas, Vita , ...

. From 1963 to 1964 and from 1970 to 1983 he was economic advisor to the

Secretary of State for Scotland The secretary of state for Scotland ( gd, Rùnaire Stàite na h-Alba; sco, Secretar o State fir Scotland), also referred to as the Scottish secretary, is a Secretary of State (United Kingdom), secretary of state in the Government of the Unit ...

(ironically to both Tory and Labour). In 1964/65 he was economic advisor to the Northern Ireland government creating the "Wilson Plan". In 1980 he was elected a Fellow of the

Royal Society of Edinburgh The Royal Society of Edinburgh is Scotland's national academy of science and letters. It is a registered charity that operates on a wholly independent and non-partisan basis and provides public benefit throughout Scotland. It was established i ...

. His proposers were

Fraser Noble Sir Thomas Alexander Fraser Noble (29 April 1918 – 21 August 2003) was a Scottish academic. He was former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Leicester and then Principal of the University of Aberdeen. Early life He was born in Cromdale in ...

Thomas Brumby Johnston Thomas Brumby Johnston FRSE FRGS FSA (1814-1897) was a 19th-century Scottish geographer, cartographer, antiquary and pioneer photographer. In later life he served as the official Geographer to Queen Victoria. Life Johnston was born in Pert ...

Anthony Elliot Ritchie Anthony Elliot Ritchie FRSE FRCPE LLD (30 March 1915–14 September 1997) was a 20th-century Scottish physiologist and educator. Life Ritchie was born at 20 Upper Gray Street, Edinburgh on 30 March 1915, the only son of Jessie Jane Elliot and ...

, Neil Campbell and

Douglas Grant Douglas Grant (1885 – 4 December 1951) was an Aboriginal Australian soldier, draughtsman, public servant, journalist, public speaker, and factory worker. During World War I, he was captured by the German army and held as a prisoner of war at ...

. In 1984 he was invited to be an official assessor on the

proposals by

Margaret Thatcher Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher (; 13 October 19258 April 2013) was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990 and Leader of the Conservative Party (UK), Leader of the Conservative Party from 1975 to 1990. S ...

. Much to the government's dismay, he was strongly opposed to the concept, but rather than follow his educated opinion he was instead replaced by more sympathetic "experts". He died at his cottage in

Kilmahog Kilmahog ( gd, Cille MoChùig: Cell of St. Chug) is a hamlet situated half a mile to the west of Callander, Scotland. Toponym Kilmahog is supposedly derived from the Scottish Gaelic, Cille MoChùig, meaning cell of Chug (a church dedicated to S ...

near

Callander Callander (; gd, Calasraid) is a small town in the council area of Stirling, Scotland, situated on the River Teith. The town is located in the historic county of Perthshire and is a popular tourist stop to and from the Highlands. The town ser ...

on 27 July 2001. He is buried in the old churchyard at

Balquhidder Balquhidder (; gd, Both Chuidir or ) is a small village in Perthshire located north-west of Callander. It is administered by the Stirling council area of Scotland and is overlooked by the dramatic mountain terrain of the 'Braes of Balquhidde ...

Family

In 1943 he married Dorothy Joan Parry (d.1998). She developed

multiple sclerosis Multiple (cerebral) sclerosis (MS), also known as encephalomyelitis disseminata or disseminated sclerosis, is the most common demyelinating disease, in which the insulating covers of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord are damaged. This d ...

. They had a son and two daughters.

Publications

*''Fluctuations in Income and Employment'' (1941) * * * *''Ulster: Conflict and Consent'' (1989) *''Churchill and the Prof'' (1995)

References

External links

* 1916 births 2001 deaths Writers from Belfast Alumni of the University of Oxford Academics of the University of Glasgow British economists Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh Fellows of University College, Oxford Fellows of the British Academy {{UK-economist-stub