So, Jagdish Bhagwati, an eminent economist, writes a piece on the myths and costs of protectionism. In the comments we get:
Professor Bhagwati is an economist, of course, and his views should therefore be taken with a very large pinch of salt.
That is, we shouldn’t listen to an economist talking about economics because….he’s an economist.
This is also good:
Jagdish Bhagwati has academic tenure, and therefore a job for life, with zero risk of being replaced by some academic from the third world who is prepared to do the job for a fraction of what he’s paid.
The Good Professor of course being one of those academics from the third world.
4 responses so far ↓
1 Martin // Jul 6, 2010 at 8:37 am
Tim,
I have rarely seen a CiF thread in which the aricle’s author is so comeprehensively ripped a new one by the commentors. Bhagwati’s point of origin is not the issue – it is the terms of his employment at the time of writing.
2 Philip Walker // Jul 6, 2010 at 9:57 am
Did you catch Bhagwati very subtly suggesting that Krugman is not a ‘serious scholar’? Genius.
3 dearieme // Jul 6, 2010 at 11:56 am
“The Good Professor of course being one of those academics from the third world.” So in accepting tenure he’s pulling up the ladder, is he?
4 Christie Malry // Jul 6, 2010 at 11:09 pm
And he managed to do an entire interview on Newsnight tonight with his eyes shut.
http://twitpic.com/231460
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