Unsung Heroes of the Market: The 24 Underrated Economists You Need to Know

Author/Contributor(s):	Whaples, Robert M.; Coyne, Christopher J.; Robson, Gregory J.; Thomas, Diana W.
Publisher:	Independent Institute
Date:	5/19/2026
Binding:	Hardcover
Condition:	NEW

You’ve heard of Adam Smith and Milton Friedman. But the economists whose quiet brilliance has kept the free market running? You don’t see them on book covers—until now.

Edited by Robert M. Whaples, Co-Editor and Managing Editor of the acclaimed academic journal The Independent Review, Unsung Heroes of the Market: The 24 Underrated Economists You Need to Know reveals a cast of overlooked thinkers who shaped the economic foundations of the modern world—yet remain largely absent from mainstream conversations. From Friedrich A. Lutz, forgotten architect of monetary thought and trenchant social critic, to the underexamined cultural insights of Thomas Sowell (whose most provocative work often flies under the radar), these essays illuminate the minds behind the market.

Written by leading scholars of liberty and economic policy, this collection invites readers to rediscover the forgotten economists whose ideas continue to power the engine of today’s free society. It’s a must-read for anyone ready to elevate their economic understanding … and challenge what they think they know.