Seven Intellectual Ventures

Abstract

In August 2005, nearly fifty years after I set my mind to aspire to become an economist, I headed for Marrakesh, Morocco, to attend the International Economic Association World Congress. (The International Economic Association (IEA) was organized as a nongovernmental organization in 1950 at the urging of UNESCO. It is a federation of associations representing economists in various nations, with over sixty member associations. The Japanese association is the Science Council of Japan. See http://www.iea-world.org) When I arrived at the hotel, who should walk toward me but then President of the Association, Professor Janos Kornai , and his wife. He greeted me with the words, “I have good news! You’ve been selected President by the executive committee.” He added, “You won by just one vote.”