I have written a note on Bernard Maris for The Conversation. My title was taken from an article he had written in 1999: “What are economists for? To make people laugh”. This is part of what I wrote:

“There is no doubting that our economic visions were vastly different – he was a great admirer of John Maynard Keynes, to whom he dedicated a book, Keynes ou l’économiste citoyen. But the soul of our societies is that we are able to discuss our own views with each other in a spirit of good will, and with the aim of finding the truth, as best we can find it.

“At the conference I attended in July, I was in a roomful of individuals, like Maris, who are on the opposite side on matters I hold very dear. But the conference was one of the most enjoyable I have ever been to, filled with interesting people saying interesting things, and a paper of my own has been solicited and will be published later this year.”

It was in this spirit that he lived. My hope is that he will have died in the spirit of Hugh Latimer, who said, as he was being led to the stake with is fellow martyr, Nicholas Ridley, at Oxford in 1555.

Play the man, Master Ridley; we shall this day light such a candle, by God’s grace, as I trust shall never be put out.

The candles shown are tributes left in front of the Charlie Hebdo offices in Paris.