The Power of Economists within the State

Abstract

The final chapter revisits the overarching argument about the varying power of economists within the state and its impact on the adoption of market-conforming policies. It points out that although economists often played a central role in tax reform processes, their influence depended crucially on the institutionalization of economic knowledge within the state in the postwar period. The chapter also considers what general lessons can be drawn from this analysis and discusses the future prospects for the role of economists in public policy making. Although many studies stress the resilience of economists as providers of market-oriented policies, this conclusion also points to some potential sources of change.