Measuring giants and dwarfs: Assessing the quality of economists

The emergence of ideas in economic science is dominated by scientists situated in the US. The brain drain to the US after de Second World War gave economic scientists who stayed behind a chance to obtain a monopoly position in determining the development of economics in their home country. These facts are illustrated by a citations study of economic science in the Netherlands. Especially one man, the Nobel laureate Jan Tinbergen, has left an indelible mark on the way Dutch economic science has developed. The development of Dutch economics shows strong path-dependence.