The Global Economy in Turbulent Times

Acknowledgments

I am grateful to many people and institutions whose support and encouragement made this book possible. Each made it better, but none bears any blame for its flaws. First among all has to be the late Tun Ismail Ali (Governor, Bank Negara Malaysia: Malaysia’s Central Bank, 1962–1980), my mentor, a true gentleman and a dear friend, who impressed on me that there is beauty in saying something clearly and simply, and held me always to that high standard. I have gained enormously from his razor-sharp mind and particular attention to detail. His skepticism and constant questioning helped me build strong analytical skills and a certain meticulous care in precise drafting.

Indeed, no one really knows where our ideas come from. Supportive peer pressure and an academic environment are surely part of the answer. I remember with fondness my own teachers at Harvard, whose sensitivity to the tenderness of my skills nourished this growth over time. The very presence of Nobel laureates as early teachers, especially Professors Simon Kuznets, Wassily Leontief, and Kenneth Arrow, boosted my self-confidence, as did great textbook-name teachers, including Gottfried Harberler, John Kenneth Galbraith, Martin Feldstein, James Duesenberry, Richard Caves, Richard Cooper, Dale Jorgenson, Jerry Green, Hendrik Hauthakker, Stephen Marglin, Richard Musgrave, and of course, Alexander Gerschenkron, “the last man with all known knowledge.” Above all, a colleague and good friend with whom I started ...