the source

From the very beginning of this blog, I’ve had the same main quote in the sidebar:

It is no crime to be ignorant of economics, which is, after all, a specialized discipline and one that most people consider to be a ‘dismal science.’ But it is totally irresponsible to have a loud and vociferous opinion on economic subjects while remaining in this state of ignorance.”

- Murray Rothbard

Only recently did I realize that I couldn’t cite the source.

I think I must have first encountered it in Making Economic Sense, but I can’t find it.

Today’s daily at Mises.org is the original source: January 1, 1970 (meaning it was written in late ’69). It gives us some interesting surrounding context:

It is no accident that it was precisely the economists in the Communist countries who led the rush away from communism, socialism, and central planning, and toward free markets. It is no crime to be ignorant of economics, which is, after all, a specialized discipline and one that most people consider to be a “dismal science.” But it is totally irresponsible to have a loud and vociferous opinion on economic subjects while remaining in this state of ignorance. Yet this sort of aggressive ignorance is inherent in the creed of anarcho-communism.