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Page 27

pect of my existence. . . . I like to understand. . . . I wasted a large part of my youth regurgitating certain ideas. Then I discovered that one can learn a great deal more through action than through contemplation. So I became an active thinker where my thinking played an important role in deciding what actions to take and my actions play an important role in improving my thinking. This two-way interaction between thinking and action became the hallmark of my philosophy and the hallmark of my life."46

In addition to his books on his financial theories, Soros has written two about philanthropic endeavors—Opening the Soviet System and Underwriting Democracy. He also has received honorary doctoral degrees from the New School for Social Research, the University of Oxford, Budapest University of Economics, and Yale University.

Net Performance (%) Quantum Fund NV

1969

29.40

1970

17.50

1971

20.30

1972

42.20

1973

8.40

1974

17.50

1975

27.60

1976

61.90

1977

31.20

1978

55.10

1979

59.10

1980

102.60

1981

22.90

1982

56.90

1983

24.90

1984

9.40

1985

122.20

1986

42.10

1987

14.10

1988

10.10

1989

31.60

1990

29.60

1991

53.40

1992

68.60

1993

63.20

1994

3.90

1995

39.00

1996

1.50

1997

17.10

1998

12.40

1999

35.00

2000*

–15.50

Compound average annual return

32.12

*The Quantum Fund was renamed the Quantum Endowment Fund on June 30, 2000.

Attempts to Institutionalize

Soros has made several attempts at institutionalizing his firm. In early 1998, analysts were assigned areas to cover for the first time. Prior to this, they followed

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