In a world where for pedagogic and other purposes a very large number of economists is required, an arrangement which discourages many of them from John Kenneth Galbraith More Quotes by John Kenneth Galbraith More Quotes From John Kenneth Galbraith I begin with the renaming of the system. It used to be capitalism. But that evokes [Karl] Marx and [John] Rockefeller. So now we speak of the market system. That is a nice bland expression, which forgets those off-color references. John Kenneth Galbraith nice color expression I'm certainly going to support Al Gore because, on the whole, he's the more sensible figure and you vote not for the perfect but for the best. Coupled with that is a special situation. John Kenneth Galbraith support special perfect I've become accustomed to supporting politicians who are more conservative than I am. This is not entirely a surprise. John Kenneth Galbraith conservative surprise politician Ralph [ Nader] is an old friend of mine, and he does a useful job in displaying a position. John Kenneth Galbraith old-friends doe jobs I accept the global complex and global trade more than do some of my liberal colleagues because I consider this a wise alternative to national tension and conflict. John Kenneth Galbraith conflict alternatives wise The notion that you would initiate a new product without preparing the way by persuasion and advertising and salesmanship is fantastic. It's an integral part of the system. John Kenneth Galbraith persuasion advertising way We're all subject to the daily pressures of consumer persuasion. John Kenneth Galbraith persuasion consumers pressure The power of the corporate bureaucracy - the power of technostructure (a term that did not take off) - is something to which I still adhere. John Kenneth Galbraith bureaucracy term stills I talked about the consolidation of power in the hands of the corporate bureaucracy, as distinct from the stockholders. To this view, I still strongly adhere. John Kenneth Galbraith bureaucracy views hands There is an enormous thrust in our time to have a simple answer. And that simple answer is that all depends on Alan Greenspan and the Federal Reserve. And Alan, who is an old acquaintance of mine, is a marvelous performer in the impression he gives of enormously great perception. John Kenneth Galbraith perception simple giving I was in charge of price controls in World War II and had a ceiling on overall prices. Everybody who was subject to general maximum price regulation wanted an exception and went to Congress to persuade a Congressman, or a group of people on the Hill, that I was being a menace to their industry. John Kenneth Galbraith war people world We talk of the enormous virtues of work, but it turns out that that is mostly for the poor. If you're rich enough or if you're a college professor, the virtue lies in leisure and the use you make of your leisure time. John Kenneth Galbraith leisure college lying I would put primary emphasis on a good standard of living equitably distributed. It can't be equal, but one that eliminates the terrible cruelty of poverty. John Kenneth Galbraith emphasis standards poverty The years of the Great Depression were a superb time for economists because people not knowing what could be done or what should be done would always assume that maybe an economist had the answer. If you were just a lawyer in Washington, you were nobody. But if you were an economist, you might have the answer. John Kenneth Galbraith knowing people years There's no question that in my lifetime, the contrast between what I called private affluence and public squalor has become very much greater. John Kenneth Galbraith squalor affluence lifetime From the spring of 1941, I controlled all prices in the United States. You could lower a price without my permission, but you couldn't raise a price without my permission or that of my staff. John Kenneth Galbraith united-states permission spring The salary of the chief executive of the large corporations is not an award for achievement. It is frequently in the nature of a warm gesture by the individual to himself. John Kenneth Galbraith If all else fails, immortality can always be assured by spectacular error. John Kenneth Galbraith An important antidote to American democracy is American gerontocracy. The positions of eminence and authority in Congress are allotted in accordance with length of service, regardless of quality. Superficial observers have long criticized the United States for making a fetish of youth. This is unfair. Uniquely among modern organs of public and private administration, its national legislature rewards senility. John Kenneth Galbraith Few people at the beginning of the ninteenth century needed an adman to tell them what they wanted. John Kenneth Galbraith
![Ralph [ Nader] is an old friend of mine, and he does a useful job... by John Kenneth Galbraith](https://whatsmyquote.com/images/quote-medium-quote-e2a5f47c28ce846ed45915359e398602.jpg)
