2219 quotes by economists for you to enjoy

Yes, horoscopes still persist in popular newspapers, but they are there only for the severely scientifically challenged, or for entertainment; the idea that the stars determine our fate has lost all intellectual currency. Robert J. Shiller

Entertainment Fate Lost Stars Our Determine Only Idea Still Scientifically Intellectual Yes Persist Currency Newspapers Popular Challenged

This is the paradox of thrift: belt-tightening causes people to lose their jobs, because other people are not buying what they produce, so their debt burden rises rather than falls. Robert J. Shiller

People Burden Lose Other Jobs Paradox Rises Thrift Rather Because Causes Falls Debt Than Produce Buying

In a bubble, eventually people start saying, 'Wait a minute... these prices are way too high! What is anyone buying anymore? What could they possibly be thinking?' And then there's a correction and a bursting. Robert J. Shiller

The central predictions of the quantity theory are that, in the long run, money growth should be neutral in its effects on the growth rate of production and should affect the inflation rate on a one-for-one basis. Robert Lucas, Jr.

Money Inflation Long Run Rate Neutral Long Run Quantity Affect Effects Central Predictions Should Production Theory Growth Growth Rate Basis

I was born in 1937, in Yakima, Washington, the oldest child of Robert Emerson Lucas and Jane Templeton Lucas. My sister Jenepher was born in 1939 and my brother Peter in 1940. My parents had moved to Yakima from Seattle to open a small restaurant, The Lucas Ice Creamery. Robert Lucas, Jr.

The public is looking for free lunches, and the political competition for votes makes the politicians offer them free lunches. Robert Mundell

Competition Political Free Looking Politicians Votes Makes Offer Public Them

I decided to go to the London School of Economics to write my thesis for MIT, under James Meade, Nobelist with Bertil Ohlin in 1977. Robert Mundell

School Economics London Write MIT Go James Decided Thesis

In my early days, I wrote my dissertation for MIT at the London School of Economics, really under James Meade, but my dissertation was five chapters on the theory of capital movement, but it didn't mention money. Robert Mundell

Money School Economics Dissertation Chapters London Mention Days Wrote MIT Five Movement James Capital Really Theory Early Early Days

The whole idea of having a free trade area when you have gyrating exchange rates doesn't make sense at all. It just spoils the effect of any kind of free trade agreement. Robert Mundell

You Free Sense Kind Rates Having Area Exchange Free Trade Spoils Idea Make Trade Effect Any Just Whole Agreement

It's a lethal thing to suddenly raise taxes. Robert Mundell

Taxes Suddenly Lethal Thing Raise

I have never believed that central banks should have rigid inflation targeting. That is not a good thing to stabilize. There is nothing in economic theory to back this. Robert Mundell

Good Inflation Nothing Back Rigid Economic Good Thing Never Economic Theory Targeting Stabilize Banks Central Should Theory Believed Thing

The benefits from a world currency would be enormous. Robert Mundell

World Benefits Enormous Would Would-Be Currency

Freedom is the one value conservatives place above all others, yet time and again, their ideal of freedom ignores the growing imbalance of power in our society that's eroding the freedoms of most people. Robert Reich

Time Freedom People Value Power Society Imbalance Conservatives Others Our Above Ideal Freedoms Most Place Again Ignores Growing

Sugary drinks are blamed for increasing the rates of chronic disease and obesity in America. Yet efforts to reduce their consumption through taxes or other measures have gone nowhere. The beverage industry has spent millions defeating them. Robert Reich

Gone Other Increasing Chronic Spent Obesity Rates Blamed Drinks Through Consumption Beverage Industry Reduce America Efforts Disease Them Taxes Measures Nowhere Defeating Millions

We don't have to sit by and watch our meritocracy be replaced by a permanent aristocracy, and our democracy be undermined by dynastic wealth. Robert Reich

Democracy Wealth Sit Our Aristocracy Undermined Permanent Replaced Watch

Obviously, personal responsibility is important. But there's no evidence that people who are poor are less ambitious than anyone else. In fact, many work long hours at backbreaking jobs. Robert Reich

Work People Responsibility Long Important Else Evidence Jobs Fact Long Hours Hours Obviously Ambitious Than Personal In Fact Anyone Anyone Else Personal Responsibility Poor Less Who Many

As public schools deteriorate, the upper-middle class and wealthy send their kids to private ones. As public pools and playgrounds decay, the better-off buy memberships in private tennis and swimming clubs. As public hospitals decline, the well-off pay premium rates for private care. Robert Reich

America is one of few advanced nations that allow direct advertising of prescription drugs. Robert Reich

Few Direct Allow Advanced Advertising America Nations Prescription Prescription Drugs

As we segregate by income into different communities, schools in lower-income areas have fewer resources than ever. Robert Reich

Resources Area Schools Than Fewer Different Communities Income Ever

Quotes by Economists