The 10 Greatest Economists of all time in no order

[ag]

Yeah, Hayek was not an actual economist. Political theorist/philosopher is a more accurate description.

Pretty sure Ricardo deserves a spot in the top 10.

Hayek is a respected figure in the economics profession. Von Mises, of those on this list, would be more of a problem. Along with Marx, he shares the dubious distinction of starting a religious cult. But, at least, Marxism has been influential.

[ag]

Adam Smith
Karl Marx
John Maynard Keynes
Milton Friedman
Frederick Hayek
Jean-Baptiste Say
Carl Menger
Joseph Schumpeter
Paul Samuelson
Ludwig Von Mises

Honorable Mentions:
David Ricardo
Thomas Malthus
The econometrics guy

Hm. Have you already turned 130, or are you only in your 120s?

"The econometrics guy" could describe quite a few very different people

[ag]

ag, what would be your Top 10 of economists with (the bulk of) their career post-WW2?

Well, this would, necessarily, be subjective and will betray my field biases. And economics is too big to put it all into 10 names.  But, I guess, no list would be alive without Ken Arrow (and Debreu and McKenzie ) - but, of course, Arrow has to be there). Von Neumann was not an economist, but how can we ever forget Oscar Morgenstern (the REAL Austrian ). Maskin/Myerson and Hurwicz got the Nobel for a very solid reason.  So did Aumann. Lucas and Sargent in Macro, I guess. Do not know much about metrics, but how can one miss McFadden?

 

[ag]

Fair enough, but let's face it, the reasons the right considers him a great economist have little to do with his serious economic research, and everything to do with his hackish rants against the inherent evil of redistribution.

The Austrian School is generally opposed to econometric research because of modeling error, but also because few Austrians prefer econometric research. Economics is a behavioral field. Austrians tend to look inside of themselves to better understand human behavior.

The right likes Austrians because neoliberals taught conservatives that Austrians were anti-Keynesian.

I hope you realize that the manner in which you use the words "econometric research" has not been current for well over 50 years now. Would you mind, actually, using the language at least some people alive now could understand?

[ag]

To suggest that Hayek is respected by anybody other than extreme right wing halfwits is foolish.

Not true at all. He did have important insights, and he was a respected member of the economics profession.

[ag]

Yeah, Hayek was not an actual economist. Political theorist/philosopher is a more accurate description.

Pretty sure Ricardo deserves a spot in the top 10.

Hayek is a respected figure in the economics profession. Von Mises, of those on this list, would be more of a problem. Along with Marx, he shares the dubious distinction of starting a religious cult. But, at least, Marxism has been influential.

Who respects Hayek?

Trust me: many people

[ag]

Fair enough, but let's face it, the reasons the right considers him a great economist have little to do with his serious economic research, and everything to do with his hackish rants against the inherent evil of redistribution.

The insight about the informational problems of the central planning has been very influential. And, in fact, the development of the mechanism design can be viewed as a response to it.

[ag]

Amartya Sen
John Maynard Keynes
Robert Solow
Paul Samuelson
Milton Friedman
Gary Becker
Hyman Minsky
Kenneth Arrow
Thomas Piketty
Elinor Ostrom

7 out of 10 names definitely belong. Minsky is an interesting choice. Why? Ostrom has not been as influential. As for Piketty.... wait a few years But Keynes, Arrow, Sen, Solow, Samuelson, Friedman, Becker - very nice list indeed.

[ag]

I hope you realize that the manner in which you use the words "econometric research" has not been current for well over 50 years now. Would you mind, actually, using the language at least some people alive now could understand?

When did statistical empiricism become an outdated definition of econometrics?

Well, I guess you are right. If you phrase it that way, it has never been definition of econometrics