economist university professor writer
He studied economics at the University of Amsterdam. Later in 1954 he completed his studies in economics. Again twenty years later in 1973, he published his Doctor of Philosophy thesis entitled "Spelregels voor Economen" ("Rules for Economists").
This methodological treatise attracted much attention and was honored in 1978 with Kluwer Price. After studying economics in Amsterdam, Klant worked as statistician at the National Office for Construction Material in Amsterdam. Just after the Second World War Klant left for South Africa, where he worked as statistician for eight years in Pretoria.
Back in the Netherlands, he worked at the research centre of the Nederlandse Handelsmaatschappij, later Algemene Bank Nederland. In 1966 he became a lecturer and since 1975, he has been a professor of political economy at the University of Amsterdam.
From 1966 until 1975 Klant was director of SEO Economic Research as successor of Jacobus Franciscus Haccoû. In 1947 Klant was awarded the Lucy B. en C.W. van der Hoogtprijs by the Maatschappij der Nederlandse Letterkunde for his novel De geboorte van January Klaassen from 1946.
Further in his life Klant always kept in though with the humanities: as chairman of the Fonds van de Letteren, and as of De Bezige Bij publishing company. In the same year, he and Theodore Aloysius Stevers were also awarded the Pierson Penning.
She was among other thing treasurer for the Wij vrouwen eisen.
In Pretoria on 24 January 1948 Joop Klant married Anna Joana (Jacqueline) Faljan Vlielander Hein (born 1911).
His sister Sabeth Klant was prominent advocate in the second wave of feminism.
Klant was one of the founding members of the department for "History and Methodology of Economic Science", now the "History & Methodology of Economics" (HME) group. She was member of the Hein family, daughter of Benjamin Marius Faijan Vlielander Hein (1887-1959) and Anna Josenhans (1889-1961).
