Eric Maskin

"Economic inequality often stems from information asymmetries."

"Incentive compatibility is both a constraint and an opportunity."

"What individuals want and what society needs are often misaligned."

"The best institutions align self-interest with the social good."

"Markets without rules are not free markets; they are lawless."

"Understanding human motivation is essential to economic theory."

"Rationality in economics is not about perfection; it's about consistency."

"The design of institutions determines the distribution of power."

"Efficiency and equity need not be in conflict with proper design."

"Every incentive scheme creates unintended consequences."

"Economic progress depends on solving information problems."

"The most elegant solutions are often the most overlooked."

"People respond to incentives, whether intentional or not."

"Theory informs practice, but practice also informs theory."

"Market failure often reflects design failure."

"Institutions evolve, but they can be deliberately improved."

"Negotiation is a form of mechanism design in disguise."

"The social contract is ultimately about aligning incentives."

"Economic models help us think clearly about complex tradeoffs."

"Power in markets comes from information, not just capital."

"Just outcomes require just mechanisms."

"Innovation in institutions is as important as technological innovation."

"The allocation of property rights determines economic outcomes."

"Strategic interaction is unavoidable in society."

"Bidding processes reveal true valuations that questionnaires cannot."

"Economics is about scarcity; mechanism design is about solutions to scarcity."

"The purpose of economic theory is to improve human welfare."

"Information revelation mechanisms serve justice."

"Incentive problems are incentive opportunities."

"Game theory shows us that our choices affect others' options."