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With respect to the "greatest economist." 
 
First, what are the criteria?  Influence on subsequent work?  
Frequency of citation, approving, disapproving, or both?   
Inventiveness? Insight?  Correctness? Mastery of theory?   
Empirically relevant?  [Certainly not all economists who have been  
influenced by and who have cited Karl Marx have thought he was  
correct in his analysis. Should we have a contest for the economist  
who has done the most damage? Would that make that person the  
worst economist?] Intelligence? From my biased point of view I  
would pick John Rae, whose insights, according to Schumpeter,  
could have been [I would say were] the basis of a much improved  
WEALTH OF NATIONS, or Thorstein Veblen as the most  
intelligent. Should the criterion be the extent to which they  
influenced public policy?  I would judge that Marshall's text has  
been the most influential in the academy.  So many subsequent  
texts have been revisions of it.  But, in the matter of influence on  
public policy would not Adam Smith, J.M. Keynes, and even Milton  
Friedman have been more influential in public policy?    
 
Robin Neill 
 
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