Charles Issawi Quotes

United States, Economist
1916 – December, 8, 2000.

Charles Issawi was a prominent academic economist and historian of the Middle East at Columbia University and Princeton University in the United States. Roger Owen, the A. J. Meyer Professor of Middle East History at Harvard, stated that Issawi, "was the father of the study of the modern economic history of the Middle East."

Also known as Historian

The total amount of evil in any system remains constant. Hence, any diminution in one direction - for instance, a reduction in poverty or unemployment - is accompanied by an increase in another, e.g., crime or air pollution.

Charles Issawi
- Evil
- System
- Constant
A shortcut is the longest distance between two points.

Charles Issawi
- Distance
- Points
- Shortcut

Path of Progress: A shortcut is the longest distance between two points.

Charles Issawi
- Progress
- Distance
- Points
Second Law of Committo-Dynamics: The less you enjoy serving on committees, the more likely you are to be pressed to do so.

Charles Issawi
- Law
- Enjoy
- More
Factor of Error: Experts in advanced countries underestimate by a factor of 2 to 4 the ability of people in underdeveloped countries to do anything technical. (Examples: Japanese on warplanes, Russians on the bomb, Iranians on refineries, etc.)

Charles Issawi
Most people do not go to the dentist until they have a toothache; most societies do not reform abuses until the victims begin to make life uncomfortable for others.

Charles Issawi
Cynics: Cynics are right nine times out of ten; what undoes them is their belief that they are right ten times out of ten.

Charles Issawi
- Right
- Cynics
- Undoes
Most things get steadily worse.

Charles Issawi
- Things
- Get
- Worse

Last Words of Advice: If you pay your taxes and don't get into debt and go to bed early and never answer the telephone, no harm can befall you.

Charles Issawi
- Taxes
- Bed
- Debt
Petroleum, Law of: Where there are Muslims, there is oil; the converse is not true.

Charles Issawi
- Law
- Oil
- Muslims