In 1937 when an economic downturn called the "roosevelt recession" hit the nation, roosevelt turned to the deficit spending theories of this british economist to solve his economic problems.

John Maynard Keynes

 the Keynesian economic principles articulated in the economist book the means to prosperity served to inform Roosevelt method of tackling the economy a great deal. The economist had sent a copy of his book to the new democratic president as soon as he was elected president.