Robert Solow

The purpose of economic research is not to confirm our prejudices, but to challenge them.

The economy is a complex adaptive system, not a simple mechanical one.

The most important thing about economic growth is that it should be inclusive, not exclusive.

The role of economists is not to tell people what to do, but to help them understand the consequences of their choices.

The greatest danger to the economy is not a lack of resources, but a lack of imagination.

The only way to solve the world's economic problems is through international cooperation.

The most important thing about economic policy is that it should be flexible, not rigid.

The economy is not a zero-sum game; it's a positive-sum game.

The purpose of economic models is to simplify reality, not to replicate it.

The most important thing about economic development is that it should be sustainable, not destructive.

The only way to achieve prosperity is through hard work, innovation, and cooperation.

The basic idea is that the accumulation of capital cannot permanently raise the rate of productivity growth, because the capital-output ratio would rise continually, which is implausible.

Economics is extremely useful as a form of employment for economists.

The world can be consistent with the simple model only if the rate of population growth is zero.

I have the sense that while mathematical training is an indispensable asset, the best economists also possess a broader human culture and are able to take the long view, in the tradition of Adam Smith.

Growth accounting is a shoddy bit of goods.

The golden age of growth theory is over.

Capital is not that important in the long run.

Economists are like medieval doctors: they bleed the patient and then claim it's better.

The rate of return on everything is low.