--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Economics never was a dismal science. I…" description: "\"Economics never was a dismal science. I should be a realistic science.\" — Paul Samuelson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a1/paul-samuelson-9078_dismal_economics-never-was-a-dismal-science-i-s_2500533.png" --- # Economics never was a dismal science. I should be a… ![“Economics never was a dismal science. I should be a realistic science.” quote by Paul Samuelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a1/paul-samuelson-9078_dismal_economics-never-was-a-dismal-science-i-s_2500533.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a1/paul-samuelson-9078_dismal_economics-never-was-a-dismal-science-i-s_2500533.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a1/paul-samuelson-9078_dismal_economics-never-was-a-dismal-science-i-s_2500533.png) > “Economics never was a dismal science. I should be a realistic science.” [Paul Samuelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-samuelson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Economics should be grounded in reality, not just pessimistic theory. **In simple terms:** Economics needs realistic basis. Key Takeaway Seek practical, data‑driven economic analysis. Themes economics realism science Mood analytical critical Type academic practical When to use this quote - policy making - business strategy - academic research Key Concepts methodology empiricism Questions to Reflect On - What data would make economics more realistic? - How to balance theory and practice? A Different Perspective Idealistic models may oversimplify complex markets. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dismal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dismal/) [Dismal Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dismal-science-790004/) [Economics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economics/) [Economics Dismal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economics-dismal-849716/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Realistic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realistic/) [Realistic Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realistic-science-1055761/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Science Realistic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science-realistic-1055760/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) ## Related quotes > [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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [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 has been called the dismal science. Once you get to understand it, you may not find it so dismal, but you don't find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-chretien/economics-has-been-called-the-dismal-science-once-you-get-to/) [Jean Chretien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-chretien/) > [“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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [“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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-maher/) > [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 Paul Samuelson > [Companies are not charitable enterprises: They hire workers to make profits. In the United States, this logic still works. In Europe, it hardly does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-samuelson/companies-are-not-charitable-enterprises-they-hire-workers-to-make/) [Paul Samuelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-samuelson/) > [We are like highly trained athletes, who never run a race.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-samuelson/we-are-like-highly-trained-athletes-who-never-run-a-race/) [Paul Samuelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-samuelson/) > [ When the economy was going up, \[Milton Friedman and I\] both gave the same advice, and when the economy was going down, we gave… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-samuelson/when-the-economy-was-going-up-milton-friedman-and-i-both-gave-the/) [Paul Samuelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-samuelson/) > [Our ideal society finds it essential to put a rent on land as a way of maximizing the total consumption available to the society.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-samuelson/our-ideal-society-finds-it-essential-to-put-a-rent-on-land-as-a-way/) [Paul Samuelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-samuelson/) > [That's what I would like to do until the end of time, to go on scribbling my articles on the third floor of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-samuelson/that-s-what-i-would-like-to-do-until-the-end-of-time-to-go-on/) [Paul Samuelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-samuelson/) > [Contrary to what many skeptics had earlier believed, the Soviet economy is proof that a socialist command economy can function and even thrive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-samuelson/contrary-to-what-many-skeptics-had-earlier-believed-the-soviet/) [Paul Samuelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-samuelson/) > [To prove that Wall Street is an early omen of movements still to come in GNP, commentators quote economic studies alleging that market downturns…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-samuelson/to-prove-that-wall-street-is-an-early-omen-of-movements-still-to-come/) [Paul Samuelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-samuelson/) > [Even if this advice to portfolio decision makers to drop dead is good advice, it obviously is not counsel that will be eagerly followed.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-samuelson/even-if-this-advice-to-portfolio-decision-makers-to-drop-dead-is-good/) [Paul Samuelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-samuelson/) > [Perhaps there really are managers who can outperform the market consistently - logic would suggest that they exist. But they are remarkably well-hidden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-samuelson/perhaps-there-really-are-managers-who-can-outperform-the-market/) [Paul Samuelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-samuelson/) > [Globalization presumes sustained economic growth. Otherwise, the process loses its economic benefits and political support.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-samuelson/globalization-presumes-sustained-economic-growth-otherwise-the/) [Paul Samuelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-samuelson/) > [In every mutual fund prospectus, in every sales promotional folder, and in every mutual fund advertisement (albeit in print almost too small to read),…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-samuelson/in-every-mutual-fund-prospectus-in-every-sales-promotional-folder-and/) [Paul Samuelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-samuelson/) > [I don't care who writes a nation's laws-or crafts its advanced treaties-if I can write its economics textbooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-samuelson/i-don-t-care-who-writes-a-nation-s-laws-or-crafts-its-advanced/) [Paul Samuelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-samuelson/) > [It isn't that greed's increased. What's increased is the realization that you've got a free field to reach out for what you'd like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-samuelson/it-isn-t-that-greed-s-increased-what-s-increased-is-the-realization/) [Paul Samuelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-samuelson/) > [Forsake search for needles that are so very small in haystacks that are so very large.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-samuelson/forsake-search-for-needles-that-are-so-very-small-in-haystacks-that/) [Paul Samuelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-samuelson/) > [The problem is no longer that with every pair of hands that comes into the world there comes a hungry stomach. Rather it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-samuelson/the-problem-is-no-longer-that-with-every-pair-of-hands-that-comes/) [Paul Samuelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-samuelson/) [Explore all 75 Paul Samuelson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-samuelson/) ## 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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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 ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dismal/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Economics never was a dismal science. 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