King James Bible Translation Companies: A Great Committee

Robin Hanson posed a question on his blog: what great committees accomplished great things as committees? He shared GPT Pro's response, which began with the King James Bible translation companies.

The King James Bible was produced by 47 scholars organized into six companies at Westminster, Oxford, and Cambridge, with review by a seventh committee. This is perhaps the purest literary example of a committee achieving something lasting.

Hanson's query invites reflection on how collaborative structures can drive lasting impact. In markets, similar committee-based efforts often set standards, shape regulation, and guide product development. The Federal Open Market Committee, the SEC's advisory panels, and even exchange working groups all operate on the same premise: a group of experts, properly convened, can produce work that outlasts any individual.

The King James translation took seven years. The result shaped the English language for centuries. It is a reminder that committees, when given clear purpose and disciplined process, are not just bureaucracy – they can be instruments of enduring achievement.