MANCUR OLSON: PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS

Abstract

For this short essay, I have been given the brief of sharing my personal recollections of Mancur Olson. Therefore, my focus is almost entirely personal, and not intellectual. Many scholars are much more qualified than I am to exposit the latter. My comparative advantage is that I knew Mancur well as a close colleague for over 20 years. Now I am the Mancur Olson Professor of Economics at the University of Maryland, a professorship supported by the many contributions of the individuals who were deeply affected by Mancur.