Economics is extremely useful as a form of employment for economists." - J. K. Galbraith

JKG was one of the most eloquent economists of all times. He did not hesitate to call a spade a spade and made some truly prescient observations and he was years ahead of his time.

From the NYT Obit:

He argued that America had become so obsessed with overproducing consumer goods that it had increased the perils of both inflation and recession by creating an artificial demand for frivolous or useless products, by encouraging overextension of consumer credit and by emphasizing the private sector at the expense of the public sector.

Incidentally, he was also; ambassador to India; served as an informal advisor to the newly-formed Indian government; got on splendidly with Nehru (no surprises here); and was an avid collector of Indian Art.

More JKG Quotes:
In the choice between changing ones mind and proving there's no need to do so, most people get busy on the proof.

The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness.

One of my greatest pleasures in my writing has come from the thought that perhaps my work might annoy someone of comfortably pretentious position. Then comes the realization that such people rarely read.

All of the great leaders have had one characteristic in common: it was the willingness to confront unequivocally the major anxiety of their people in their time. This, and not much else, is the essence of leadership.