Mark Skousen - The Making of Modern Economics: The Lives and Ideas of the Great Thinkers

No ones work is entirely his own and in the case of this work, I want to especially thank two writers for their influence on my writing: first, John Chamberlain for his pioneering book The Roots of Capitalism , and inspiring account of economic ideas; and second, my uncle, W. Cleon Skousen, who transformed my thinking about Adam Smith and his profound doctrines of the invisible hand and natural liberty. I wish I could achieve the felicity of expression of these two authors.

In writing a history of ideas, it is always vital to seek the counsel of wise authorities. In addition to the above, I wish to thank the following, who helped with the first edition: Harry Becker (University of Chicago), Mark Blaug (University of Amsterdam), Don Boudreaux (George Mason University), William Breit (Trinity University), Eamonn Butler (Adam Smith Institute), Bruce Caldwell (University of North Carolina), David Colander (Middlebury College), Peter Drucker (Claremont College), Richard Ebeling (Trinity College), Ken Elzinga (University of Virginia), Milton Friedman (Hoover Institution), Roger Garrison (Auburn University), Robert Heilbroner (New School for Social Research), Robert Higgs (Independent Institute), Jess Huerta de Soto (Complutense University), Steven Kates (Australian Chamber of Commerce), Greg Mankiw (Harvard University), Murray Rothbard (University of Nevada at Las Vegas), Paul A. Samuelson (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), Robert Skideslsky, Erich Streissler (University of Vienna), Richard Swedberg (University of Stockholm), Ken Taylor (Rollins College), and Larry Wimmer (Brigham Young University). I also appreciate the extra efforts of the staff at the Olin Library at Rollins College, especially Pat, Patti, and Patricia.

For the second edition, I thank especially Jeremy Siegel (Wharton School), Roger Garrison (Auburn University), the late Milton Friedman, and Rob Bradley. Lynn Taylor, Mike Sharpe, and Elizabeth Granda at M.E.Sharpe have shown unwavering support in publishing a new edition. Thanks also to the meticulous efforts of the production group, including Angela Piliouras and copyeditor Debra E.