Hans Singer

Hans Singer is best known for co-developing the Prebisch–Singer hypothesis alongside economist Raúl Prebisch. This influential economic theory posits that the terms of trade for primary commodity exporters tend to decline over time. He spent a large portion of his career working as a development economist with the United Nations.

The Prebisch-Singer hypothesis, co-developed by Hans Singer and Raúl Prebisch, holds that the terms of trade for primary commodity exporters tend to deteriorate over time. This means developing countries relying on raw materials lose out economically compared to those manufacturing finished goods. Singer developed this critical economic theory during his long career.

Hans Singer, a German-British development economist, spent much of his professional career working with the United Nations. During his time there, he researched global inequalities and commodity trade. It was through this institutional work that he helped formulate his famous economic hypothesis.

Hans Singer was a German-British economist who lived from 1910 to 2006. He had a remarkably long career that spanned decades of service at the United Nations. During his lifetime, he became one of the foundational figures in the field of development economics.