M. Northup Buechner, Ph.D.

Business Professor’s New Book is Turning Heads and Earning Rave Reviews

Objective Economics: How Ayn Rand’s Philosophy Changes Everything about Economics, a new book by M. Northrup Buechner, Ph.D., is the result of more than two decades of hard work and determination by the long-time St. John’s faculty member.

“I worked 22 years on this book, and it absorbed my life throughout that time,” said Dr. Buechner, Associate Professor of Economics. “I haven’t taught summer school my entire career because of this book. I spent my vacations working on it.  I’m very, very happy to finally have it in print.”

A dedicated follower of famed novelist and philosopher Ayn Rand, Dr. Buechner has been a fixture in The Peter J. Tobin College of Business (TCB) for 42 years. While St. John’s has evolved during his tenure at the University, Dr. Buechner’s interest in the creator of Objectivism has been steadfast.

“I read The Fountainhead when I was 20 years old and I’ve been a passionate fan ever since,” said Dr. Buechner.  “I’ve spent my whole professional life trying to find out what the implications of her ideas are for economics. I can show that the economy will work very well on its own and without any kind of government involvement.”

Dr. Buechner was recently a featured speaker at an event hosted by The New York Objectivist Society, as well as an on-campus event hosted by the Tobin College. “My colleagues at St. John’s have been wonderful and very supportive,” said Dr. Buechner. “They congratulate me every chance they get.” Dr. Buechner has also been published in The New York Times, The Objectivist Forum and The Southern Economic Journal.

Faculty members from other universities have also given Dr. Buechner high marks for his new book, as evidenced by the glowing reviews they’ve given it. George Mangiero, Ph.D., of Iona College, said, “Once every decade or so a book is published that changes the way people view a topic, even if they consider themselves experts in that area. I believe that Dr. Buechner’s new text will be one of those rare books.”

Dr. Buechner is aware that some may disagree with his economic theories and his support of Rand’s idea, in particular. “My book is very different,” he said. “There’s hardly anything in that book that you would find in a typical economics text.”

During his tenure at St. John’s, Dr. Buechner has seen the University transform from a commuter school to a nationally-ranked institution. He has observed that while the student body of the University has changed during his tenure, their strong work ethic has remained a constant. “They are the most dedicated students in the world. A lot of them have jobs and other responsibilities outside of the classroom,” he said. “They just work, work, work – it takes a lot of commitment and ambition.”

Now that his book is published, Dr. Buechner has no plans of slowing down. “I’ve loved the 42 years that I’ve been here and I look forward to more,” he said. “Teaching gets me going.  I can be feeling tired and low and I’ll go in and teach a class and I come out feeling energized.”