The Next Generation of Austrian Economics: Essays in Honor of Joseph T. Salerno

After Joey Rothbard’s death, I flew to New York to organize the disposal of Murray and Joey’s goods according to their wills. Books and papers went to the Mises Institute, of course, where they are the center of our library and archives. But my strongest memory, aside from ineffable sadness, was the printed document on the small table next to Murray’s reading chair in the living room. It was Joe Salerno’s doctoral dissertation.

To me, that has always symbolized Murray’s relationship with Joe, whom he praised as a wonderful economist, and — perhaps almost as important in our times — as a brave fighter against error and sellout.

Joe has been a strong intellectual influence on the Mises Institute since our founding. How appropriate that he is also Murray’s successor as our academic vice president.

Joe influences so much. The Mises University, the Austrian Economics Research Conference, and the Summer Fellows Program are all under his aegis, and much the better for it. Not only is Joe an important scholar, he is a teacher of the sort we would all have loved to have had. No one could be more patient, rigorous, detailed, and loving. Forget Mr. Chips. We’ve got Joe Salerno.