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Summer 2015

ISSN 0890-913X

Volume 30, Number 2

Categories: Summer 2015 | Economic history

James Buchanan as Intellectual Entrepreneur

Alex Tabarrok, George Mason University

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TheJournalofPrivateEnterprise30(2),2015,111–115JamesBuchananasIntellectualEntrepreneur∗AlexTabarrokGeorgeMasonUniversity______________________________________________________AbstractJamesM.Buchananledtherevolutionthatdethronedthebenevolentdictatorassumption.Revolutions,however,arerarelytheproductofideasalone.Theytakeplanning,strategy,funding,andacadreoflike-mindedindividualswhoattractotherstothecause.Inleadingtherevolution,Buchananhadtobemorethanascholar;healsohadtobeanintellectualentrepreneur.______________________________________________________JELCodes:B31,Z10Keywords:JamesM.Buchanan,RonaldCoase,publicchoice,historyofideasI.IntroductionJamesBuchananwasafountainheadofideas,ashistwentyvolumecollectedworksdemonstrate.ButthereisanothersidetoBuchanan’scontributionsthatislessapparent.Buchananwasmorethanascholar,morethananideaman.Hewasalsoanintellectualentrepreneurwholedaworldwidemovement.Weliketobelievethatgoodideasdefeatbadideas,thatthecreamrisestothetop,thattruthwinsoutintheend,butasJohnStuartMill(1859)stated,“Menarenotmorezealousfortruththantheyoftenareforerror.”Indeed,errormayattractmorezealots,sinceerrorcanbenditselftoflatter,andthetruthdoesnotbend.Buchananunderstoodrightfromthebeginningthatforgoodideastowinrequiresamovement,andamovementisnotbuiltonideasalone,butalsoonstudents,onconferences,onoutreach,onmedia,andonmoney.Hewaslegendaryinbeingwillingtoreadandgivedetailedcommentsonpapers.Heworkedwithhisstudentsandforhisstudents.Hewrotelettersontheirbehalf,heattendedconferences,henetworked,andheservedoneditorialboards.Heraisedmoney.Indeed,thelasttimeIsawJimwasjustafewweeks∗Thispaperisaneditedversionofspeechgivenat“JamesM.Buchanan:ACelebrationofAchievement,”September28–29,2013,GeorgeMasonUniversity,Arlington,VA.111

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Title	James Buchanan as Intellectual Entrepreneur
Authors/Creators:	Alex Tabarrok, George Mason University
Year:	2015
Volume:	30
Number:	2
Pages:	111 - 115
Publisher:	The Association of Private Enterprise Education
ISSN:	0890-913X
Document Type:	Articles
Keywords:	James M. Buchanan, Ronald Coase, public choice, history of ideas

Citation:
Tabarrok, Alex / 2015. "James Buchanan as Intellectual Entrepreneur." The Journal of Private Enterprise, 30(2): 111-115.