Some People Who Have Shaped Economics

"The University [of Chicago] is the best investment I ever made in my life." -- John D. Rockefeller

Consider the following people and selected activities:

• Lewis Brown founded the American Enterprise Institute, in 1938.
• Jasper Crane cofounded the Foundation for Economic Education, in 1946.
• Leonard Read cofounded the Foundation for Economic Education, in 1946.
• Harold Luhnow, even before 1947, directed spending for the Volker Fund.
• Sir Antony Fisher funded the Institute for Economic Affairs, around 1956.
• Lord Ralph Harris, first general director of the Institute for Economic Affairs.
• Arthur Seldon, first editorial director of the Institute for Economic Affairs.
• F. A. Harper founded the Institute for Humane Studies, in 1961.
• Charles Koch funded the development of the Virginia school, notably including James Buchanan's work.
• Edwin Feuler, founded the Heritage Foundation, in 1973.
• Edward H. Crane founded the Cato Institute, in 1977.
• Eamonn Butler cofounded the Adam Smith Institute, in 1978.
• Madsen Pirie cofounded the Adam Smith Institute, in 1978.

I've written on the influence of fundings sources on the development of economics before. A developing body of scholarly literature explores the impact of the above list of people. The above list is not complete. For example, John Blundell seems to be an important fellow in the world hinted at above.

I think funding sources have been concentrated on the right. I suppose you can try to make a list not so concentrated on the right. George Soros and the Institute for New Economic Thinking, John Reed of Citicorp and Santa Fe Institute, John Podesta and theCenter for American Progress (CAP) would all be in the list. I do not know where funding for the Economic Policy Institute comes from. It seems to me a distinction exists between investigating ideas and trying to publicize conclusions you already believe.