Ferdinand Lundberg

Ferdinand Lundberg (April 30, 1902 – March 1, 1995) was an American journalist and historian known for his frequent and potent criticism of American financial and political institutions. His work has been credited as an influence on Robert Caro, Ralph Nader and others.

Early life and education Ferdinand Edgar Lundberg, of Swedish and Norwegian parentage, was born in Chicago, Illinois, and received his B.A. and M.A. degrees from Columbia University. From 1927 to 1934 he reported for the New York Herald Tribune. Several of his dozen-or-so books on these topics were best-sellers. Betty Friedan, meanwhile, wrote The Feminine Mystique as a rebuttal to Lundberg's and Marynia F. Farnham's book, Modern Woman: The Lost Sex, taking its title from a phrase used by Lundberg in his book. According to the music critic Robert Christgau, the O'Jays' song "Rich Get Richer" (from the 1975 album Survival) was based on Lundberg's writing.

In addition to his journalistic writing, Lundberg also spent 16 years as an adjunct professor of social philosophy at New York University. He was also an editor for the Century Foundation.

Personal life Lundberg was married to Elizabeth Young, with whom he had two sons. At the end of his life he lived in Chappaqua, New York.

Works

Imperial Hearst: A social biography (1936)

See also America's 60 Families. Who Controls Industry? (1938) Modern Woman: The Lost Sex (1947) The Treason of the People (1954) The coming world transformation (1963) The Rich and the Super-Rich (1968) The Rockefeller Syndrome (1968) Cracks in the Constitution (1980) The Myth of Democracy (1989) Politicians and Other Scoundrels (1992) The Natural Depravity of Mankind (1994)