Economic systems and structures Books

Book SynopsisTaxation, of one sort or another, can be traced back to the beginnings of civilization, indeed, it might be argued that taxes are the price of civilization. This set reprints classic articles on taxation such as Adam Smith''s Canons of Taxation, alongside more contemporary articles on modern developments. Taking into account the strong revisionist trend emergent in the study of economic issues, a new introduction by the editor puts the collected articles into context.

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Book SynopsisIn "Globalisation for the Common Good", the author argues that it is possible to achieve a balance between economically efficient production and an equitable distribution of the wealth in a sustainable environment, so that everybody who is willing to work can share in the benefits of globalization.

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Book SynopsisThis book argues that deeply embedded systems, which have generally been established for a very long time, require fundamental reform. They are principally threefold: the taxation system, the land tenure system, and the banking system. All three require root and branch reform.Table of ContentsIntroduction, Rent, Wages, Capital, Structure of Industry, Property, Taxation, Public Expenditure, Money Banking and Interest, Transport, Housing, Public Utilities, Retailing, Agriculture, Foreign Trade and Investment, Historical Outline, Economic Justice.

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Book SynopsisMainstream textbooks present economics as an objective science, free from value judgements. This book demonstrates this to be a myth one which serves to make such textbooks not only off-puttingly bland, but also dangerously misleading in their justification of the status quo and neglect of alternatives.In this much-needed companion volume to the popular Microeconomics Anti-Textbook, Tony Myatt reveals how the blind spots and methodological problems present in microeconomics continue to exert their influence in mainstream macroeconomics. From a flawed conception of the labour market, to a Pollyana view of the financial sector, macroeconomic principles as they are set out in conventional undergraduate textbooks consistently fail to set out a realistic, useful, or equitable framework for understanding the world.By summarising and then critically evaluating the major topics found in a typical macroeconomics textbook, the Anti-Textbook lays bare their sins of omission and commissionTrade ReviewIf I was still teaching undergraduates, I would definitely use this book! * Roger E. A. Farmer, Distinguished Professor Emeritus at UCLA, USA, and Professor at the University of Warwick, UK *I have waited nearly a decade for the sequel to one of my favorite academic books and it was worth the wait. Myatt has crafted an easy-to-read book that presents the mainstream view in a clear way on one page and then thoroughly debunks it on the next. His ability to be straightforward and brief is a breath of fresh air in Economics. I used his 'questions for your professor' sections when I was an undergrad and stunned my professors time and time again. I urge you all to do the same. * James Mathew Harris, Educator *Table of ContentsTables and figures Acknowledgements Preface: What is an “anti” textbook, and why do we need one? Part 1: INTRODUCTION Ch1 What is macroeconomics Ch2 Measurement, mismeasurement and omission Part 2: LONG RUN ECONOMIC GROWTH Ch3 Growth: what we know and what we don’t Ch4 Growth: happiness and inequality Ch5 The financial system: the belly of the beast Part 3: SHORT RUN FLUCTUATIONS Ch6 Short-run macro models: a revolution that misfired Ch7 Fiscal policy: why deficits and debt might not matter Ch8 Money and banking: crony capitalism and the corruption it breeds Ch9 Monetary policy: the fixation on inflation Ch10 Unemployment and inflation: the political economy of unemployment Part 4: CONCLUSION Ch11 Summing Up

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Book SynopsisThe world has long considered China a juggernaut of economic strength, but since the global financial crisis, the country''s economy has ballooned in size, complexity, and risk. Once dominated by four state-owned banks, the nation''s financial system is a tangle of shadow banking entities, informal financial institutions, and complex corporate funding arrangements that threaten growth, stability, and reform efforts. The country has accumulated so much debt so quickly that economists increasingly predict a financial crisis that could make ''Brexit'' or Greece''s economic ruin seem minor, and could undermine China''s ascent as a superpower. Earlier this year, President Xi Jinping issued an urgent call for reform that gives the country until 2020 to transform its economy - a vaguely-defined objective that most economists agree is unrealistic. Whether or not China will be responsible for the next global recession, as some experts forecast, the fate of its economy will have far-reaching Trade ReviewOne of the clearest and most thorough statements of an argument often made about the country: that its government has relied on constant stimulus to keep growth strong, an addiction that is bound to backfire. Second, he comes closer than any previous writer to covering the Chinese economy as Michael Lewis, the hugely popularauthor of The Big Short, might do. His analysis is informed but accessible, animated by anecdotes and characters, some colourful, some verging on tragic . . . McMahon is among the most compelling of the many analysts who conclude that China's economic miracle will end painfully * The Economist *An engaging economy lesson: human stories are at the heart of every chapter and he draws on his contacts to bring this well-researched analysis to life * Belfast Telegraph *McMahon tracks how the former juggernaut of growth allowed its economy to become mired in debt, and the dangers this poses for the rest of the world * Sunday Times *

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Book SynopsisWritten by prominent economist, Raymond Parsons, together with Ali Parry, this book offers a balanced and absorbing analysis of what various institutions and individuals have (and have not) done to eradicate the legacy of apartheid and bring South Africa to where it is today.

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Book SynopsisIn Capitalism: A Crime Story, Harry Glasbeek makes the case that if the rules and doctrines of liberal law were applied as they should be according to law's own pronouncements and methodology, corporate capitalism would be much harder to defend.

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Book SynopsisWhy are houses so expensive? Is our banking system going to collapse again? Should we be worried that robots are going to take all our jobs? And just what exactly is the economy anyway? Economists and politicians would have you believe it is a rarified topic best left to ‘the experts’. The experts are wrong. This book uncovers what people really mean when they talk about ‘the economy’, taking the word off its pedestal and showing that it’s just a lens for seeing the world around us. That, at its heart, economics is about you, and the society you’re a part of. Explaining key concepts in economics in relation to how they directly affect your life – from your money to your home, your workplace to your future – What is the Economy? drags the obscure world of economics kicking and screaming towards the everyday and equips you with clarity and understanding.Trade ReviewIf you ever wanted to know what economists talk about, or want to get a bit more understanding out of media coverage of economics and the economy, then this gem of a book will get you started! * Peter Antonioni, UCL, UK *What is the economy? What is economics? This excellent book seeks to give meaningful answers to the non-economist. This is no simple task. But we all have expertise at least in the parts of the economy that affect us directly. We also all need to understand something about the economy and economics if we are to make sense of our lives and participate in our democracy. Read and learn: economics is too important to be left to the economists. * Martin Wolf *We all live in an economy. Many of the things we do and many things that happen to us are to do with the economy. However, there is a gap between economic analyses and our everyday lived experiences. This book fills that gap. And it does that in a way that is systematic but light-footed, comprehensive but not overpowering, and principled but not sanctimonious. Let's all read it. * Ha-Joon Chang, University of Cambridge, UK *This clear and comprehensible book about economics is long overdue. * Brian Eno *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Preface (and a general warning) Chapter 1: How did we get here? Chapter 2: What is the economy? Chapter 3: What is an economy for? Chapter 4: You (and everybody else) Chapter 5: Your High Street Chapter 6: Your Home Chapter 7: Your Work Chapter 8: Your Money Chapter 9: Your Society Chapter 10: Your Government Chapter 11: Your World Chapter 12: The World Needs a New Language Bibliography and Further Reading

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Book SynopsisDuring the 1970s, owing to their oil 'rents', Algeria, Iraq and Libya all seemed engaged in a swift modernization process. Oil was the godsend that would enable these states to catch up economically. Algeria was a Mediterranean dragon,A" Libya an emirateA" and Iraq the rising military powerA" of the Arab world. From a political perspective, progressive socialism suggested that profound changes were underway: women's liberation, urbanization, education for all, longer life expectancy and so on. A few decades later, the disillusion is a cruel one. The sense of wealth led these countries to undertake political, economic and military experiments that would lead to impasses with disastrous consequences that they are still trying to overcome. How did it all happen? Can these countries dispense with far-reaching reforms? Can the EU export its norms and values and protect its gas supply? The present work offers the first global approach to the subject.Trade Review'Martinez offers fresh insight and analysis on the issue of the 'resource curse' and its impact on economic development.' * Choice *'A compact, readable analysis, full of insight, of three Arab states seldom examined as a whole. Highly accessible, his book is of value to specialists, graduate students and undergraduates alike. The CERI Comparative Politics and International Studies Series, which supports translations of noteworthy social science works emanating from French researchers at Sciences Po, is also to be congratulated for bringing this book to an English-speaking audience.' * International Affairs *'A cogent, intelligent analysis of the perils and pitfalls of hydrocarbon wealth in these troubled states, adding much fuel to the "oil curse" debate and examining the structures that are seemingly its result.' * Christopher Davidson, author of After the Sheikhs: the Coming Collapse of the Gulf Monarchies *'Martinez has produced a compact, readable analysis, full of insight, of three Arab states seldom examined as a whole. Highly accessible, his book is of value to specialists, graduate students and undergraduates alike. The CERI Comparative Politics and International Studies Series is to be congratulated for bringing this book to an English-speaking audience.' * Ronald Bruce St John, International Affairs *'Luis Martinez has produced yet another fascinating and thought provoking book on political dilemmas in the Middle East. His analysis of how oil-rich authoritarian regimes can survive socio-economic and political crisis by turning the national rent into a personal asset sheds some new light on the future of authoritarianism in the region. That the key to regime longevity in Algeria, Libya and Iraq should be selective economic mismanagement is an argument that Martinez makes with great authority. This work undoubtedly provides anyone interested in political change in the Middle East with a brilliant new perspective on the challenges for democratic reform in the region.' * Frederic Volpi, Director, Institute of Middle East and Central Asia Studies, University of St Andrews, and author of Political Islam Observed *'Amid the uncertainty and upheaval unleashed by the events that have come to be described as the Arab Spring, it is important not to lose sight of the structures underlying the economic, political and social failures that have led to these events and continue to threaten the sustainability of many states in the MENA region. Martinez's book provides a refreshing analysis of the debilitating role that hydrocarbon rent has played in three major MENA oil and gas producing countries that have in the past twenty years gone through different forms and phases of instability. By grouping Algeria, Libya and Iraq together, his study draws useful contrasts for understanding the nuances of political violence, authoritarianism and failed state building - all key features of the transition currently underway in the region.' * Dr Hakim Darbouche, Oxford Institute for Energy Studies. *

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Book SynopsisA discussion of transition in Jordan between 1990-2000, showing it to be a multi-faceted process, in which each facet interacts with the other, forming a coherent interdependent system. Economic transition has been a consequence of Jordan's isolation from its markets in Iraq and the Gulf in the 1990s, but is also inherent in its participation in attempts to foster peace as a key factor in regional stability. This is the preferred option of King 'Abdullah II (who succeeded the long-reigning King Hussain in 2000), and reflects the country's geostrategic options towards the United States and Europe. The Middle East peace process itself was the culmination of strategic choices made by King 'Abdullah I, even as Israel was being created, but it also reflects the domestic political situation in seeking to overcome demographic and cultural ruptures. Yet the domestic political situation is also contingent on the generational change in attitudes within the elite that followed King Hussain's death, and it remains to be seen to what extent political liberalization is a genuine option or whether it remains subservient to the older imperatives of the neo-patrimonial state. It is also not clear whether King 'Abdullah's enthusiasm for Jordan's future within a globalized world will become a reality. Significant change within Jordan depends on the outcome of the Palestine/Israel conflict and the new relationships that it can forge with the wider world - particularly with Europe, which will eventually become the dominant guarantor of regional stability because of its economic role within the Mediterranean and the wider Middle East.Table of ContentsJordan in transition; walking the tightrope - Jordanian foreign policy, 1990-2000; transformations in Jordan's national security perceptions; the effects of domestic forces on Jordan's democratization; comparing political liberalization in Jordan, Egypt and Tunisia; the role of law and monarchical liberalization; civil society and participation in Jordan; embedded authoritarianism; the role of opposition in Jordan; the problem of local governance; the effect of demographic change on political domination; transformation in the Palestinian refugee camps; tribalism in Kerak; the strengthening of the "nation"; the economy in the 1990s; the political economy of reform.

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Book SynopsisAs China’s economy, global influence and interactions with other countries grow, its diplomatic strategy is attracting more and more interest internationally. This book aims to answer the following questions:What kind of development path has China chosen? What does China’s development mean to the world? What ideas and theories guide China’s diplomacy? What diplomatic policies does China pursue? How will China’s rise impact neighbouring countries? Will China break away from the traditional pattern of ‘a rising power always seeking hegemony’? Will developing countries benefit from China’s development? How does China define its international role and its participation in multilateral governance? How does China conduct public diplomacy?One of the key goals of China’s foreign policy is to develop mutually beneficial trade deals. The first and largest FTA (free trade agreement) China established with other countries was the ASEAN+1 FTA concluded in January 2010, which was also ASEAN’s first FTA with a foreign country. China ASEAN trade exceeded US$400bn in 2013, US$470bn in 2018 and is expected to reach US$1 trillion by 2020.While this book expounds the orthodox China view on its place in the world, its relations with other countries and its diplomatic strategy of peaceful cooperation and mutual benefit, it concedes that despite all parties’ best efforts, sometimes territorial disputes can’t be quickly or easily resolved. In such cases, China takes the pragmatic view that it’s OK for some problems to be put on hold pending future resolution, and the book explores many of the key problem areas in some detail such as the North Korean nuclear issue, the disputed China-India border and sovereignty over islands and territorial waters in the South China Sea.In terms of land and maritime border issues, the authors concede that whereas only two of 14 land borders with neighbouring countries remain unresolved (with India and Bhutan), to date China has yet to agree maritime borders with any of the eight countries with which it shares maritime borders.

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