Intellectuals

Academic economists, like all scientists, exchange ideas and persuade each other in both formal and informal arenas. The informal process is inherently difficult to document. However, Friedman clearly devoted a significant amount of time and effort to persuading politicians, the general public and economists. For example, in the 1950s and 1960s few British economists exerted as much professional and political influence as Lionel Robbins. After the defeat of the 1945–51 Labour government, Robbins played an important role in formulating British macroeconomic and educational policy (Brittan 1964, 190–1).