--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Economics has been called the dismal…" description: "\"Economics has been called the dismal science. Once you get to understand it, you may not find it so dismal, but you don't find it much of a science eit..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e6/jean-chretien-13716_dismal_economics-has-been-called-the-dismal-sci_2157527.png" --- # Economics has been called the dismal science. Once you get… ![“Economics has been called the dismal science. Once you get to understand it, you may not find it so dismal, but you don't find it much of a science either.” quote by Jean Chretien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e6/jean-chretien-13716_dismal_economics-has-been-called-the-dismal-sci_2157527.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e6/jean-chretien-13716_dismal_economics-has-been-called-the-dismal-sci_2157527.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e6/jean-chretien-13716_dismal_economics-has-been-called-the-dismal-sci_2157527.png) > “Economics has been called the dismal science. Once you get to understand it, you may not find it so dismal, but you don't find it much of a science either.” [Jean Chretien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-chretien/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Economics often seems bleak, yet its practical insights can be valuable despite methodological limits. **In simple terms:** Economics isn’t always gloomy or fully scientific. Key Takeaway Seek practical understanding beyond labels. Themes economics science perception Mood analytical skeptical Type academic critical When to use this quote - policy analysis - personal finance - academic study Key Concepts Methodology epistemology Questions to Reflect On - What aspects of economics feel scientific to you? - How does perception affect learning? A Different Perspective Complexity may resist simple classification. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Economics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economics/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) ## Related quotes > [Truly environmentalism has displaced economics as the dismal science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-f-hayward/truly-environmentalism-has-displaced-economics-as-the-dismal-science/) [Steven F. Hayward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-f-hayward/) > [Coining "Dismal Science" as a nickname for Political Economy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/coining-dismal-science-as-a-nickname-for-political-economy/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [persons, with big wigs many of them and austere aspect, whom I take to be Professors of the Dismal Science… Coining “Dismal Science” as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/persons-with-big-wigs-many-of-them-and-austere-aspect-whom-i-take-to/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [Economics never was a dismal science. I should be a realistic science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-samuelson/economics-never-was-a-dismal-science-i-should-be-a-realistic-science/) [Paul Samuelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-samuelson/) > [Respectable Professors of the Dismal Science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/respectable-professors-of-the-dismal-science/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [What we might call, by way of eminence, the Dismal Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/what-we-might-call-by-way-of-eminence-the-dismal-science/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [“Economics is not a gay science. It is a dreary, desolate, and indeed quite abject and distressing one; what we might call, by way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/economics-is-not-a-gay-science-it-is-a-dreary-desolate-and-indeed/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [We shouldn't measure everything in terms of GDP figures or economics. There is something called quality of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-farage/we-shouldn-t-measure-everything-in-terms-of-gdp-figures-or-economics/) [Nigel Farage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-farage/) > [The main achievement of economics is that it has provided a theory of peaceful human cooperation. This is why the harbingers of violent conflict…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/the-main-achievement-of-economics-is-that-it-has-provided-a-theory-of/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [Economics is uncertain because its fundamental subject matter is not money but human action. That's why economics is not the dismal science, it's no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-baggini/economics-is-uncertain-because-its-fundamental-subject-matter-is-not/) [Julian Baggini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-baggini/) > [Social Science, is not a 'gay science' but rueful, which finds the secret of this universe in 'supply and demand' and reduces the duty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/social-science-is-not-a-gay-science-but-rueful-which-finds-the-secret/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [Economics never was a dismal science. It should be a realistic science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-samuelson/economics-never-was-a-dismal-science-it-should-be-a-realistic-science/) [Paul Samuelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-samuelson/) > [Professors of the Dismal Science, I perceive the length of your tether is now pretty well run; and I must request you to talk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/professors-of-the-dismal-science-i-perceive-the-length-of-your-tether/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [A part of me looks at life from a dismal perspective, not unlike Woody Allen and Larry David. But I don't want to look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corbin-bernsen/a-part-of-me-looks-at-life-from-a-dismal-perspective-not-unlike-woody/) [Corbin Bernsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corbin-bernsen/) > [The fact is that the New Deal was, overall, a dismal failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-levin/the-fact-is-that-the-new-deal-was-overall-a-dismal-failure/) [Mark Levin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-levin/) ## More by Jean Chretien > [President Bush is a friend of mine. He's not a moron at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-chretien/president-bush-is-a-friend-of-mine-he-s-not-a-moron-at-all/) [Jean Chretien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-chretien/) > [It is not the government's purpose to make a profit the way a company does, because a company doesn't have to give a damn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-chretien/it-is-not-the-government-s-purpose-to-make-a-profit-the-way-a-company/) [Jean Chretien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-chretien/) > [Trudeau valued performance above image. He Knew he could give me a shovel if there was a mess to clean up, and he kept…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-chretien/trudeau-valued-performance-above-image-he-knew-he-could-give-me-a/) [Jean Chretien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-chretien/) > [I was proud to have been the anti-establishment candidate after more than twenty years in politics, a small town guy fighting for the ordinary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-chretien/i-was-proud-to-have-been-the-anti-establishment-candidate-after-more/) [Jean Chretien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-chretien/) > [To be frank, politics is about wanting power, getting it, exercising it, and keeping it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-chretien/to-be-frank-politics-is-about-wanting-power-getting-it-exercising-it/) [Jean Chretien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-chretien/) > [God gave me a physical defect, I've accepted that since I was a kid. When I was a kid people were laughing at me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-chretien/god-gave-me-a-physical-defect-i-ve-accepted-that-since-i-was-a-kid/) [Jean Chretien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-chretien/) > [But I accepted that because God gave me other qualities and I’m grateful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-chretien/but-i-accepted-that-because-god-gave-me-other-qualities-and-i-m/) [Jean Chretien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-chretien/) > [There is nothing more nervous than a million dollars - it moves very fast, and it doesn't speak any language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-chretien/there-is-nothing-more-nervous-than-a-million-dollars-it-moves-very/) [Jean Chretien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-chretien/) > [Some information has to remain in the privy of the office of the Prime Minister and the ministers for the proper administration of government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-chretien/some-information-has-to-remain-in-the-privy-of-the-office-of-the/) [Jean Chretien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-chretien/) > [There's no such thing as a genius in politics, or at least I have never met one. There are only human beings, some better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-chretien/there-s-no-such-thing-as-a-genius-in-politics-or-at-least-i-have/) [Jean Chretien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-chretien/) > [The two of us had come a long way together from our humble beginnings and the basement apartment that had been our first home…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-chretien/the-two-of-us-had-come-a-long-way-together-from-our-humble-beginnings/) [Jean Chretien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-chretien/) > [I was stricken by news and television pictures coming from the United States this morning. It is impossible to fully comprehend the evil that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-chretien/i-was-stricken-by-news-and-television-pictures-coming-from-the-united/) [Jean Chretien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-chretien/) > [Our old - fashioned system is better than any new - fangled voting machine. Not only is it guaranteed to work, but there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-chretien/our-old-fashioned-system-is-better-than-any-new-fangled-voting/) [Jean Chretien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-chretien/) > [Deficit reduction is not an end in itself. It is the means to an end. Canadians must now decide what kind of country they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-chretien/deficit-reduction-is-not-an-end-in-itself-it-is-the-means-to-an-end/) [Jean Chretien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-chretien/) > [A successful politician must not only be able to read the mood of the public, he must have the skill to get the public…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-chretien/a-successful-politician-must-not-only-be-able-to-read-the-mood-of-the/) [Jean Chretien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-chretien/) [Explore all 49 Jean Chretien quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-chretien/) ## More Dismal quotes > [Truly environmentalism has displaced economics as the dismal science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-f-hayward/truly-environmentalism-has-displaced-economics-as-the-dismal-science/) [Steven F. Hayward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-f-hayward/) > [The fact is that the New Deal was, overall, a dismal failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-levin/the-fact-is-that-the-new-deal-was-overall-a-dismal-failure/) [Mark Levin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-levin/) > [A part of me looks at life from a dismal perspective, not unlike Woody Allen and Larry David. But I don't want to look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corbin-bernsen/a-part-of-me-looks-at-life-from-a-dismal-perspective-not-unlike-woody/) [Corbin Bernsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corbin-bernsen/) > [“A dismal omen: ...this morning a woman handed me a dollar bill that was translucent from age, as soft and warm as living tissue.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-maher/a-dismal-omen-this-morning-a-woman-handed-me-a-dollar-bill-that-was/) Kathleen Maher > [We certainly have at present the dismal situation that the most imaginative men are directed by a group, the top managers, who are among…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-goodman/we-certainly-have-at-present-the-dismal-situation-that-the-most/) [Paul Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-goodman/) > [Easter is not limited to the passion and death of Christ; it also includes the dismal tragedy of life unlived by the many, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leunig/easter-is-not-limited-to-the-passion-and-death-of-christ-it-also/) [Michael Leunig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leunig/) > [I believe the poor fierce-eyed child had figured out that with a mere fifty dollars in her purse she might somehow reach Broadway or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-nabokov/i-believe-the-poor-fierce-eyed-child-had-figured-out-that-with-a-mere/) [Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-nabokov/) > [“What, in nature," Kit asked, "is the most beautiful thing you've seen? Or the most terrible?" "The Dismals," Giles answered promptly. "A beautiful aberration…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sena-jeter-naslund/what-in-nature-kit-asked-is-the-most-beautiful-thing-you-ve-seen-or/) [Sena Jeter Naslund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sena-jeter-naslund/) > [I don't want to go out hunting for dismal topics to write about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-tobin-anderson/i-don-t-want-to-go-out-hunting-for-dismal-topics-to-write-about/) [Matthew Tobin Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-tobin-anderson/) > [When things are really dismal, you can laugh, or you can cave in completely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/when-things-are-really-dismal-you-can-laugh-or-you-can-cave-in/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [If I were only allowed to read or enjoy art or listen to music made by people whose opinions and beliefs were the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/if-i-were-only-allowed-to-read-or-enjoy-art-or-listen-to-music-made/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [I am wrapped in dismal thinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-am-wrapped-in-dismal-thinking/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Mike DeWine has been a dismal failure as Ohio's top cop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-cordray/mike-dewine-has-been-a-dismal-failure-as-ohio-s-top-cop/) [Richard Cordray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-cordray/) > [I have never seen a situation so dismal that a policeman couldn't make it worse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brendan-behan/i-have-never-seen-a-situation-so-dismal-that-a-policeman-couldn-t/) [Brendan Behan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brendan-behan/) > [“Economics is not a gay science. It is a dreary, desolate, and indeed quite abject and distressing one; what we might call, by way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/economics-is-not-a-gay-science-it-is-a-dreary-desolate-and-indeed/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) Browse all 42 Dismal quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Economics has been called the dismal science. 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