Bill Phillips' article on the eponymous curve (chapter 25) was first published in 1958, the year in which he was appointed to a chair in economics at the LSE. This article ensured his reputation internationally, and marked the high point of his phenomenal progress at the School: obtaining the degree of B.Sc. (Econ.) in Sociology in 1949 (with a ‘pass’ grade), inventing the Phillips Machine, being awarded a doctorate in economics in 1954, and being appointed to a chair of economics in 1958; all within less than a decade. It is, incidentally, a reflection of the way things have changed that it is inconceivable that anyone could have had a similarly phenomenal academic career at the LSE forty years later: rules, regulations and more impersonal academic administration do not allow for such a special case as Bill undoubtedly was. A Bill Phillips today would not necessarily even be exposed to a single course in economics if he were to do the B.Sc. majoring in Sociology.

The Phillips Curve paper was submitted for publication in Economica in the second half of 1958. I was acting as editor of the journal. A digression on the editorial organisation of the journal is in order here.

Economica has always had an editorial board. At the time it was composed of all the professors of economics and professors in the neighbouring departments in the neighbouring departments of accounting, economic history and statistics. One of the economics professors was designated ‘acting editor’.