Joan Robinson

Economics British 1903 – 1983 99 quotes

A prominent Post-Keynesian economist who contributed to theories of imperfect competition and capital accumulation.

Quotes by Joan Robinson

The purpose of economic policy is to make the world a better place, not to prove a theory.

Economic Philosophy 1962

The most important thing in economics is to ask the right questions.

Economic Philosophy 1962

The only thing that is constant in economics is change.

Freedom and Necessity: An Introduction to the Study of Society 1970

The task of economics is to explain how the economy works, not to justify it.

Economic Philosophy 1962

The most important thing to remember about economics is that it is a social science, not a natural science.

Economic Philosophy 1962

The purpose of economic education is to teach people to think for themselves, not to indoctrinate them with a particular ideology.

Economic Philosophy 1962

The only way to make progress in economics is to challenge existing ideas.

Economic Philosophy 1962

The most important thing in economics is to be humble.

Economic Philosophy 1962

The purpose of economic research is to discover new knowledge, not to confirm old prejudices.

Economic Philosophy 1962

The only way to understand the economy is to look at it from different perspectives.

Economic Philosophy 1962

The greatest challenge in economics is to bridge the gap between theory and reality.

Economic Philosophy 1962

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

Economic Philosophy 1962

The most important thing in economics is to be open-minded.

Economic Philosophy 1962

The only way to make economics relevant is to connect it to the real world.

Economic Philosophy 1962

The purpose of economic analysis is to illuminate, not to obscure.

Economic Philosophy 1962

The most important thing in economics is to be critical.

Economic Philosophy 1962

The only way to understand economic history is to understand economic theory.

Freedom and Necessity: An Introduction to the Study of Society 1970

The purpose of economics is to help us understand the choices we face.

Economic Philosophy 1962

The most important thing in economics is to be honest about what we don't know.

Economic Philosophy 1962

The only way to make economics useful is to make it relevant to policy.

Economic Philosophy 1962