April 29, 2006 marked the end of an era – it was the day that John Kenneth (Ken) Galbraith died. This was a great loss. Galbraith was a hugely influential figure in shaping and influencing the course of events and intellectual debate over the long twentieth century. Nevertheless, many of the tributes and obituaries that followed identified him principally with a vision of the postwar economy dominated by large bureaucratic corporations, unfettered by the demands of consumers and financiers alike – something unthinkable today. In the days that followed his death, little serious reflection was given to Galbraith's lasting contributions to, and place in, the study of economics. The purpose of this book is to seek to fill this gap and offer an accessible introduction to Galbraith and his ideas, and present some suggestions for further research and analysis in the Galbraithian tradition.

This book draws on previous writings that have been brought together to facilitate Galbraithian scholarship. I have sought to reduce duplication and adopt a more coherent approach to Galbraith's economics, seeking to achieve four principal objectives. First, I have sought to provide an introductory and sympathetic discussion of the salient theoretical contributions of J. K. Galbraith.