Joan Robinson Quotes About Economists

Quotes about: Economists

• The purpose of studying economics is not to acquire a set of ready-made answers to economic questions, but to learn how to avoid being deceived by economists.

  Joan Robinson

  Learning, Answers, Deceit

  "Marx, Marshall and Keynes" (1955)

• I do not regard the Keynesian revolution as a great intellectual triumph. On the contrary, it was a tragedy because it came so late. Hitler had already found out how to cure unemployment before Keynes had finished explaining why it occured.

  Joan Robinson

  Intellectual, Tragedy, Revolution

  American Economic Association, Joan Robinson (1972). “The Second Crisis of Economic Theory: And Other Selected Papers from the American Economic Meeting, December 27-29, 1971”

• Economic theorists should not make such a production about taking a rabbit out of a hat after having put the rabbit into the hat in full view of the audience.

  Joan Robinson

  Views, Hats, Rabbits

• It is the business of economists, not to tell us what to do, but show why what we are doing anyway is in accord with proper principles.

  Joan Robinson

  Business, Principles, Economist

  Joan Robinson (1962). “Economic philosophy”, p.21, Transaction Publishers

• The point of studying economics is so as not to be fooled by economists.

  Joan Robinson

  Study, Economics, Economist

• The fundamental differences between Marxian and traditional orthodox economics are, first, that the orthodox economists accept the capitalist system as part of the eternal order of Nature, while Marx regards it as a passing phase in the transition from the feudal economy of the past to the socialist economy of the future.

  Joan Robinson

  Nature, Money, Work

  Joan Robinson (1967). “Essay on Marxian Economics”, p.1, Springer

• The first essential for economists ... is to ... combat, not foster, the ideology which pretends that values which can be measured in terms of money are the only ones that ought to count.

  Joan Robinson

  Essentials, Firsts, Economics

  Joan Robinson (2017). “Economic Philosophy”, p.95, Routledge

• Capitalism with near-full employment was an impressive spectacle. But a growth in wealth is not at all the same thing as reducing poverty. A universal paean was raised in praise of growth. Growth was going to solve all problems. No need to bother about poverty. Growth will lift up the bottom and poverty will disappear without any need to pay attention to it. The economists, who should have known better, fell in with the same cry.

  Joan Robinson

  Should Have, Growth, Needs

  Joan Robinson (2014). “Contributions to Modern Economics”, p.9, Academic Press

• facebook
• twitter
• googleplus
• email
• linkedin

• facebook
• twitter
• googleplus
• email
• linkedin