Alan Greenspan, the influential economist who led the US Federal Reserve through five terms under four presidents and became one of the most consequential figures in modern American economic policymaking, died Monday at the age of 100.
His wife, NBC News Chief Washington Correspondent and Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent Andrea Mitchell, announced his death in a statement.
“Alan passed away at our home this morning at the age of 100 from complications of Parkinson’s Disease,” Mitchell said, according to NBC News .
Cold War to digital economy: Greenspan's Fed legacy
Greenspan's tenure at the Federal Reserve spanned pivotal moments in US economic history, from the closing years of the Cold War to the rise of the digital economy. During his leadership, the United States experienced one of its longest periods of economic expansion, with growth running from 1991 to 2001.
At the same time, Greenspan remained a divisive figure in economic circles. He faced criticism over decisions that detractors argued contributed to the conditions that led to the global financial crisis of 2007-08, including his support for deregulation in the financial sector.
In her statement, Mitchell described her husband as a towering public figure whose influence crossed political lines.
“He was a giant of a man who helped shape the U.S. economy for decades under presidents of both parties, but was always honest in acknowledging his mistakes,” she said.
Reflecting on their personal life together, Mitchell added: “To me he was my husband, who shaped my life from our very first date in 1984. He had ‘irrational exuberance’ for baseball, the Washington Commanders, tennis, golf and music, especially jazz.”
“He will be remembered for his brilliance and his kindness. Being his life partner was the joy of my life,” she said, per NBC news .
Alan Greenspan: Mapping America's pivotal economist's life
Born on March 6, 1926, in New York City's Washington Heights neighborhood, Greenspan displayed an aptitude for mathematics from an early age. He also pursued music, attending the Juilliard School and performing jazz saxophone and clarinet in a band.
He later studied economics at New York University, where he earned a bachelor's degree in 1948 and a master's degree in 1950. He subsequently began doctoral studies at Columbia University under economist Arthur F. Burns, who would later become chairman of the Federal Reserve.
In the early 1950s, Greenspan became associated with novelist Ayn Rand, author of "Atlas Shrugged." Rand's objectivist philosophy, rooted in self-interest and laissez-faire capitalism, went on to influence generations of conservatives and libertarians. According to NBC News, Greenspan embraced elements of those ideas and paid tribute to Rand in his 2007 memoir.
Greenspan and Mitchell had been married for 29 years.
