Step-by-step explanation:
John Maynard Keynes, an influential economist of the early 20th century, opposed imposing harsh reparations on Germany after World War I. His opposition was based on several key arguments.
First, Keynes believed that imposing such harsh penalties would be economically devastating to Germany and would ultimately undermine the stability of Europe as a whole. He argued that the German economy was already weakened by the war and the subsequent Treaty of Versailles, and that further economic hardship would lead to political instability, which in turn could lead to another war.
Second, Keynes believed that the imposition of reparations was not just impractical, but also unjust. He argued that the war had been fought by all of the major European powers, and that it was unfair to single out Germany for punishment. Moreover, he believed that the amount of the reparations demanded was excessive and unrealistic, and that the burden of paying them would fall unfairly on future generations of Germans.
Finally, Keynes also believed that the imposition of reparations would do little to address the underlying causes of the war. He argued that the war had been caused by a complex set of political, economic, and social factors, and that simply punishing Germany would not address these underlying issues. Instead, he believed that a more comprehensive and cooperative approach was needed to address the root causes of the conflict.
In summary, Keynes opposed imposing reparations on Germany because he believed it would be economically devastating, unjust, and ultimately ineffective in addressing the root causes of the war.