Stigler doubted that the public’s demand for economic science was significant.

Evidence

Stigler posed a provocative question: If markets generally work, then why should this not be the case for the marketplace of ideas? And if the marketplace of ideas works, then why should the public need a Milton Friedman? Or, for that matter, a George Stigler? It was a threatening question for an economist, and Stigler knew it. He had titled one article “Do Economists Matter?” Within it, Stigler insisted that the demand of the community of scholars for science was negligible: “[T]o a scientist educated hands make more melodious applause than ignorant hands, but too often the educated hands seem to be sat upon by educated asses.” — Dieter Plehwe, Quinn Slobodian & Philip Mirowski (eds.), Nine Lives of Neoliberalism, 146

Categorization

• SEED: Angle: the ‘marketplace of ideas’ metaphor taken literally leads to a self-undermining question for Chicago economists — if markets work, why do we need public intellectuals at all? Nice paradox to explore.
• XREF: connects to: Stigler held that society needs economic science but not economists’ popular writings.; Stigler saw economists as suppliers responding to buyers’ demand for ideas. — Dieter Plehwe, Quinn Slobodian & Philip Mirowski (eds.), Nine Lives of Neoliberalism, 148; Stigler questioned the very usefulness of intellectuals in a rational world. — Dieter Plehwe, Quinn Slobodian & Philip Mirowski (eds.), Nine Lives of Neoliberalism, 796 (+2 more)

Broader Connections

• Stigler questioned the very usefulness of intellectuals in a rational world. #corroborates (0.85) — Dieter Plehwe, Quinn Slobodian & Philip Mirowski (eds.), Nine Lives of Neoliberalism, 796
• Stigler believed intellectual popularity and influence worked against each other #corroborates (0.82) — Angus Burgin, The Great Persuasion, 437