Who was the economist whose ideas provided a theoretical justification of the New Deal?

1. Henry Morgenthau

2. Harold Ickes

3. Milton Friedman

4. Arthur Laffer

5. John Maynard Keynes

Out of all of them the only economists are Jogn Maynard Keynes and Arthur Laffer.

Keynes is right

Friedman is an economist
Laffer came up with the "trickle down" theory of economics
Morenthau was a financier and Ickes was also expert

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Deal#Keynesian_and_monetarist_interpretations

I was confused !! Thank you so much <3

#5 is the one, Keynes

The economist whose ideas provided a theoretical justification for the New Deal is John Maynard Keynes. To arrive at this answer, let's explore the other options provided:

1. Henry Morgenthau: Henry Morgenthau was an American statesman and businessman who served as the Secretary of the Treasury under President Franklin D. Roosevelt during the New Deal. While he played a crucial role in implementing the New Deal policies, he was not an economist.

2. Harold Ickes: Harold Ickes was another member of President Roosevelt's administration, serving as the Secretary of the Interior. Like Morgenthau, Ickes was not an economist but played an instrumental role in supporting New Deal policies.

3. Milton Friedman: Milton Friedman was an American economist who had significant influence in later decades, particularly for his advocacy of free markets and monetarism. However, he did not provide a theoretical justification for the New Deal.

4. Arthur Laffer: Arthur Laffer is an American economist known for the "Laffer curve," which illustrates the relationship between tax rates and government revenue. While Laffer's ideas gained attention during the Reagan era, he did not provide a theoretical justification for the New Deal.

Out of the options provided, John Maynard Keynes is the correct answer. Keynesian economics, developed by Keynes, formed the theoretical basis for many of the policies implemented during the New Deal. His ideas emphasized government intervention and spending to stimulate economic growth during times of recession or depression.