Who are the most respected economists today?

Asked by: Rigoberto Hintz  |  Last update: February 25, 2026
Score: 4.2/5 (59 votes)

The "best" economists today depend on the criteria (research impact, public influence, forecasting), but top-ranked figures consistently include Daron Acemoglu, Andrei Shleifer, Joseph E. Stiglitz, and James J. Heckman by citation metrics, while prominent public figures include Nobel laureates like Esther Duflo, Abhijit Banerjee, and commentators like Paul Krugman, alongside influential voices like Tyler Cowen, Adam Tooze, and Ha-Joon Chang known for accessible ideas or development economics.

Who are the most influential economists today?

  • World 1 National. Joseph E. Stiglitz. ...
  • World 2 National. James J. Heckman. ...
  • World 3 National. Andrei Shleifer. Harvard University, United States. ...
  • World 4 National. Daron Acemoglu. ...
  • World 1 National. Jean Tirole. ...
  • World 5 National. David B. ...
  • World 6 National. Asli Demirguc-Kunt. ...
  • World 7 National. Edward L.

Who is the world's most respected economist?

Top ten most influential economists

  • Adam Smith (1723–1790) You may recognise Adam Smith on the back of your £20 note. ...
  • Alfred Marshall (1842–1924) ...
  • Millicent Fawcett (1847–1929) ...
  • John Maynard Keynes (1883–1946) ...
  • Milton Friedman (1912–2006) ...
  • W. ...
  • Warren Buffett (1930–) ...
  • Elinor Ostrom (1933–2012)

Who are the big 3 in economics?

The "Big Three" in economics, as popularized by Mark Skousen's book, are Adam Smith, the father of modern capitalism and laissez-faire; Karl Marx, the revolutionary theorist of communism; and John Maynard Keynes, the architect of government intervention and welfare states, whose contrasting ideas shaped economic thought and policy for centuries. These three figures represent fundamental, often opposing, approaches to understanding and managing economies, influencing debates on free markets, socialism, and government's role. 

Who are credible economists?

There is a long, long list of credible economists--you can't list them all. This is especially true in that many economists tend to specialize in one area--for example, in labor economics you'll often see David Autor, Ioana Marinescu, Acemoglu, Lawrence Katz, and many others.

5 of the Most Influential Economists in 5 Minutes

28 related questions found

Who are the four fathers of economics?

Until Joseph J. Spengler's 1964 work "Economic Thought of Islam: Ibn Khaldun", Adam Smith (1723–1790) was considered the "Father of Economics". Spengler highlighted the work of Arab scholar Ibn Khaldun (1332–1406) of Tunisia, though what influence Khaldun had in the West is unclear.

Who is the greatest American economist?

1 – Milton Friedman

Milton Friedman was one of the most important economic thinkers of the 20th century. Widely considered to be the figurehead for laissez-faire economic policy, he argued for free-market monetarism: the belief that the total supply of money in the economy is the key determinant of economic growth.

Is the economist left or right biased?

The editorial stance of The Economist primarily revolves around classical, social, and most notably economic liberalism. It has supported radical centrism, favouring policies and governments that maintain centrist politics.

Who was Obama's economist?

Jason Furman. Jason Furman (born August 18, 1970) is an American economist and professor at the Harvard Kennedy School. and a nonresident senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics. On June 10, 2013, Furman was named by President Barack Obama as chair of the Council of Economic Advisers (CEA).

Who is the economist under Biden?

Shear described Bernstein as a progressive and "a strong advocate for workers". In February 2023, President Joe Biden nominated Bernstein to serve as Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers. He was confirmed to be chair on June 13, 2023. He was ceremonially sworn in by Vice President Kamala Harris on July 10, 2023.

Who is the goat economist?

Spoiler alert: Cowen doesn't actually pick a single GOAT. Instead, he picks three who are the greatest in some ways: Friedman, Mill, and Smith. My reading—based on what he says about each, and his criteria listed above—is that Friedman is most deserving of Cowen's crown. But he wrote the book, not me.

Has an economist ever won a Nobel Prize?

The Laureates of the Prize in economics, physics and chemistry appeared together at an event of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in 2013. The first prize in economics was awarded in 1969 to Ragnar Frisch and Jan Tinbergen "for having developed and applied dynamic models for the analysis of economic processes".

Who is the most respected economist in the world?

Who Is the Most Influential Economist in History? The Scottish writer, thinker, and philosopher Adam Smith is frequently cited as the most influential economist in history.

Who has the best economy right now?

1. United States. The US has held the position of the world's strongest economy since 1871, after surpassing the UK at the time. The US dollar (USD) is one of the strongest currencies in the world and the most popular currency to trade overall.

Who is the famous female economist?

Carmen Reinhart (1955)

Carmen Reinhart is perhaps the most influential living female macroeconomist. After training at Colombia University, she has worked as chief economist at Bear Sterns, at the International Monetary Fund, and the Harvard Kennedy School.

Does Bill Gates read The Economist?

Gates also reads the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, and the Economist cover-to-cover, according to an interview with Fox Business.

Is CNN considered left-leaning or right leaning?

CNN has often been subjected to criticism from conservative media and other organizations for having a perceived left-wing bias; conversely, it has also been criticized for false balance in support of conservative positions.

What is the typical economist salary?

Average base salary

The average salary for a economist is $119,315 per year in the United States. 169 salaries taken from job postings on Indeed in the past 36 months (updated January 2, 2026).

Who are the three great economists?

"The Big Three in Economics" traces the turbulent lives and battle of ideas of the three most influential economists in world history: Adam Smith, representing laissez faire; Karl Marx, reflecting the radical socialist model; and John Maynard Keynes, symbolizing big government and the welfare state.

Who are the top economists today?

  • Gary Becker. Gary Becker (b. ...
  • Barbara Bergmann. Barbara Bergmann (b. ...
  • Hernando de Soto. Hernando de Soto (b. ...
  • Ernst Fehr. Ernst Fehr (b. ...
  • Francis Fukuyama. Francis Fukuyama (b. ...
  • Alan Greenspan. Alan Greenspan (b. ...
  • Daniel Kahneman. Daniel Kahneman (b. ...
  • Lawrence Robert Klein. Lawrence Robert Klein (b.

Who is the godfather of economics?

Why Is Adam Smith Called the Father of Economics? Adam Smith is called the "father of economics" because of his theories on capitalism, free markets, and supply and demand.

What did Marx think of Adam Smith?

Marx continually applauded the comprehensiveness of Smith's stupendous work. Both Marx and Smith were engaged in a Faustian attempt to gain an over- view of the development and mechanisms of the modern world, to lay bare the structure of the present society, and to chart its future course.

Who is called the mother of economics?

Amartya Sen: the Mother Teresa of economics? What causes famines? In 1981, Amartya Sen - India's first Nobel laureate in economics - offered a radical answer: not food scarcity, but inequality in food distribution.

What are the three laws of economics?

Adam Smith's 3 laws of economics are Law of demand and Supply, Law of Self Interest and Law of Competition. As per these laws, to meet the demand in a market economy, sufficient goods would be produced at the lowest price, and better products would be produced at lower prices due to competition.