Frank W. Fetter (1977, pp. 77, 78) observed that “the story [about Lenin’s remarks]
has circulated among economists, journalists, businessmen, politicians and bankers” since then. Fetter doubted, however, that Keynes was really quoting Lenin.
After extensive inquiries, Fetter reported that no such statement could be found in
Lenin’s published writings and that the “first attribution in English, and probably
in any language,” was by Keynes. Fetter suggested that Keynes had heard the story
at the Paris peace conference of 1919,

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