In the history of economic thought, who is generally credited with introducing and using the term macro economics to distinguish it from micro economics?

Introduction / Context:
Modern economics is divided into two broad branches: micro economics, which studies individual units such as households and firms, and macro economics, which studies the economy as a whole. The terminology itself has a history. This question asks about the economist who first introduced and used the words micro economics and macro economics in a systematic way in economic analysis.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• We are asked about the origin of the term macro economics.
• The options list well known economists such as Keynes, Ragnar Frisch, Ragnar Nurkse and Knight.
• We assume a standard history of economic thought.

Concept / Approach:
While John Maynard Keynes played a huge role in developing macroeconomic theory through his work on employment, interest and money, he did not invent the label macro economics. The term is generally credited to the Norwegian economist Ragnar Frisch, who introduced the distinction between micro and macro in the early twentieth century. Frisch later shared the first Nobel Prize in economics for his work on econometrics.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that Keynes is associated with the birth of modern macroeconomic theory but not necessarily with coining the term.Step 2: Remember that Ragnar Frisch worked on econometrics and classification of economic analysis.Step 3: Historical notes indicate that Frisch introduced the terms micro economics and macro economics to describe different levels of analysis.Step 4: Ragnar Nurkse and Prof Knight made important contributions but are not linked directly to this terminology.Step 5: Conclude that Ragnar Frisch is the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative Check:
Standard histories of economic thought and introductions to macro economics mention that the credits for coining the terms micro economics and macro economics go to Ragnar Frisch. Keynes work, although foundational, is usually described as macroeconomic analysis but the word itself is attributed to Frisch. This consistent attribution across textbooks confirms that Ragnar Frisch is the accepted answer for exam purposes.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
J. M. Keynes is wrong in this context because he developed many macroeconomic ideas but did not originate the terminology. Ragnar Nurkse is known mainly for his work on development economics and the theory of balanced growth. Prof Knight contributed to the theory of risk and uncertainty. None of these economists are cited in textbooks as the ones who coined the words micro economics and macro economics, so they do not fit the specific question.

Common Pitfalls:
Many students automatically choose Keynes because they strongly associate him with macro economics. This is understandable but historically inaccurate in terms of terminology. To avoid this error, remember that the person who names a concept is not always the one who makes it famous. Keeping a small separate memory note that Ragnar Frisch coined these terms while Keynes built the core macro theory helps answer such questions correctly.

Final Answer:
The term macro economics is generally credited to Ragnar Frisch, who introduced the label to distinguish it from micro economics.