To those more educated than I: What is the "purest" school of economic thought?

Question

Hi all. Recently I've been trying to learn economics. However, as this is mostly personal study, I want to make sure that I've been reading sound theories and I've been building an academic foundation that I'll be able to build upon without having to unlearn bad theories--malinvestments, if you will...:-)

That said, could someone be so kind as to tell me if there is a "purest" school (Chicago, Keynesian, Austrian etc)? Or is it just a matter of opinion. I just want to make sure that I don't go down a hazardous path that will take a long time to recover from. Thanks!

oh fyi-- I started with Hazlitt's Economics in One Lesson, which definitely hooked me. From there I've gone through some Mises, Rothbard, and I just started a book by George Reisman. Obviously these are great (mostly libertarian) thinkers, but are they..."orthodox"?

thanks again

Answer 1

Learn three laws:

1. Law of Conservation

2. Law of Equilibrium

3. Law of Mass Action of chemical reactions

You will master economics.  

Answer 2

I think you will be better off reading up on all the many differing thoughts.

I would read some basic economics studies first, like you have, then perhaps some comparative economic thoughts, to get the basic of differing schools of thought. Then read into more detail on the differing schools.

Answer 3

Small government is good government.