Orthodox economists retaliate against critics while never being held accountable themselves
Evidence
James Galbraith, “Who Are These Economists, Anyway?” p. 95. I should note that this passage had been written long before the crisis, in 2000. It is indicative that no one had stepped forward to reprimand any of the bad behavior documented in the last footnote, but as soon as Galbraith actually outed the general intolerance within the orthodox economics profession, then he himself was immediately reprimanded. See Hedoin, “Towards a Paradigm Shift in Economics?” This audacious evasion of accountability in the economics profession is the Great Unmentionable in any gathering of the faithful. — Philip Mirowski, Never Let a Serious Crisis Go to Waste, 2032
Categorization
- XREF: This connects to the broader ‘thought collective’ theme of the book — the self-policing, reputation-based enforcement within the orthodox economics community that prevents defection. — connects to: Professional exclusion of heterodox economists makes neoclassical orthodoxy self-reinforcing — Philip Mirowski, Never Let a Serious Crisis Go to Waste, 824; Empirical failure does not dislodge orthodox economists from their theory — Philip Mirowski, Never Let a Serious Crisis Go to Waste, 722; Mainstream economists defended theory by scapegoating Greenspan-style market fundamentalism — Philip Mirowski, Never Let a Serious Crisis Go to Waste, 700 (+1 more)
- SEED: Could become an essay on ‘the economics profession’s Great Unmentionable’: how the discipline’s intolerance of internal critique functions as an accountability shield beneath its self-image of open scientific debate.
Broader Connections
- Professional exclusion of heterodox economists makes neoclassical orthodoxy self-reinforcing
#corroborates(0.85) — Philip Mirowski, Never Let a Serious Crisis Go to Waste, 824 - Empirical failure does not dislodge orthodox economists from their theory
#corroborates(0.82) — Philip Mirowski, Never Let a Serious Crisis Go to Waste, 722 - Mainstream economists defended theory by scapegoating Greenspan-style market fundamentalism
#exemplifies(0.78) — Philip Mirowski, Never Let a Serious Crisis Go to Waste, 700