The Economists You Probably Don’t Know—But Should

About this episode

The episode highlights lesser-known economists who have significantly influenced modern economic thought.

You know Adam Smith and Milton Friedman—but what about the economists whose ideas quietly kept the free market running? These overlooked thinkers shaped modern economic life, yet rarely receive the recognition they deserve. "Unsung Heroes of the Market: The 24 Underrated Economists You Need to Know," edited by Robert M. Whaples, shines a spotlight on these remarkable minds—from Julian Simon, who overturned doomsday thinking about natural resources by seeing human ingenuity as the ultimate resource to Thomas Sowell, whose cultural insights often fly under the radar. Written by leading scholars of liberty and economic policy, this collection invites readers to discover or rediscover the economists whose ideas laid the groundwork for today’s free society.

Topics covered

• economics
• free market
• overlooked economists
• liberty
• economic policy

Keywords

• economists
• free market
• Julian Simon
• Thomas Sowell
• economic policy
• liberty
• Robert M. Whaples

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Robert M. Whaples

Books & works: Unsung Heroes of the Market: The 24 Underrated Economists You Need to Know

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