Where Do Galbraith’s Ideas Come From?

Abstract

Let me say how pleased I am to see so many Galbraith scholars from around the world here today. If I may paraphrase John R Kennedy’s famous remark to a White House dinner honouring Nobel Laureates, ‘This is the most extraordinary collection of talent, of human intelligence, gathered in one place, with the possible exception of when John Kenneth Galbraith dined alone.’ I am deeply indebted to many of you in my own work, and I look forward to continuing the conversations several of you have already begun with me here. Finally, let me say how appropriate it is that we gather in Paris for this meeting. I can imagine no place better than the City of Lights, with its ancient heritage of intellectual rigour and engagement, style and rebellious — indeed revolutionary — élan for us to celebrate the world’s most famous living economist.