ABSTRACT
Several recent studies in the history, philosophy, and sociology of science have demonstrated the central, if subtle and complex, role of the publication process in the communication, scrutiny, and acceptance of new ideas [Polanyi, 1958; Kuhn, 1962; Hagstrom, 1965], yet comparatively little attention has hitherto been paid to this aspect of the development of economics. This is somewhat surprising, for economists, like other members of the academic community, are well aware of the sinister implications of the warning ‘publish or perish’ and their discipline, like others, has been profoundly affected by the explosion of scientific knowledge.1
