Synopses & Reviews
In his bestselling 23 Things They Don't Tell You About Capitalism, Cambridge economist Ha-Joon Chang brilliantly debunked many of the predominant myths of neoclassical economics. Now, in an entertaining and accessible primer, he explains how the global economy actually works—in real-world terms. Writing with irreverent wit, a deep knowledge of history, and a disregard for conventional economic pieties, Chang offers insights that will never be found in the textbooks.
Unlike many economists, who present only one view of their discipline, Chang introduces a wide range of economic theories, from classical to Keynesian, revealing how each has its strengths and weaknesses, and why there is no one way to explain economic behavior. Instead, by ignoring the received wisdom and exposing the myriad forces that shape our financial world, Chang gives us the tools we need to understand our increasingly global and interconnected world often driven by economics. From the future of the Euro, inequality in China, or the condition of the American manufacturing industry here in the United States—Economics: The Users Guide is a concise and expertly crafted guide to economic fundamentals that offers a clear and accurate picture of the global economy and how and why it affects our daily lives.
Review
“Chang, befitting his position as an economics professor at Cambridge University, is engagingly thoughtful and opinionated at a much lower decibel level. ‘The “truths” peddled by free-market ideologues are based on lazy assumptions and blinkered visions, he charges.” —Time on 23 Things They Don't Tell You About Capitalism
“Chang presents an enlightening précis of modern economic thought—and all the places its gone wrong, urging us to act in order to completely rebuild the world economy: ‘This will [make] some readers uncomfortable . . .[;] it is time to get uncomfortable.” —Publishers Weekly on 23 Things They Don't Tell You About Capitalism
Review
"The dismal science rendered undismally, even spryly...lively, intelligent, and readily accessible." --Kirkus Reviews "This excellent economics primer is written “in plain terms” for a college-educated reader; it follows efforts by some academics to seek a readership market beyond the classroom." --Booklist "A practical guide that shows the importance of the subject as a worldview and how it fits into everyday life." --Library Journal
Synopsis
From the internationally bestselling author and prizewinning economist—a highly original guide to the global economy.
About the Author
Ha-Joon Chang teaches in the Faculty of Economics at Cambridge University. His books include the international bestseller Bad Samaritans: The Myth of Free Trade and the Secret History of Capitalism, Kicking Away the Ladder, winner of the 2003 Myrdal Prize, and 23 Things They Dont Tell You About Capitalism. In 2005, Chang was awarded the Leontief Prize for Advancing the Frontiers of Economic Thought.