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Book SynopsisThis book presents a radically different argument for what has caused, and likely will continue to cause, the collapse of emerging market economies. Pettis combines the insights of economic history, economic theory, and finance theory into a comprehensive model for understanding sovereign liability management and the causes of financial crises. He examines recent financial crises in emerging market countries along with the history of international lending since the 1820s to argue that the process of international lending is driven primarily by external events and not by local politics and/or economic policies. He draws out the corporate finance implications of this approach to argue that most of the current analyses of the recent financial crises suffered by Latin America, Asia, and Russia have largely missed the point. He then develops a sovereign finance model, analogous to corporate finance, to understand the capital structure needs of emerging market countries. Using this model, heTrade ReviewA source of new and enlightening perspectives for a wide range of the subjects of financial analysis and policy making for emerging financial markets. * The Financial Regulator *A cogent and compelling essay on the dynamics of emerging market crises ... Pettis's book offers invaluable insights into the dynamics of emerging market crises and provides important lessons for emerging market policy makers, investors, rating agencies, international institutions and anyone interested in emerging market finance. Moreover he has succeeded in delivering a punchy and highly readable volume * The Business Economist *The Volatility Machine provides a welcome departure from the sterile academic debate on the subject of financial crisis. Economists may quibble ... but would be wise not to ignore [Pettis's] insights into how they can exacerbate external risks. * Institutional Investor *Table of ContentsIntroduction Part I. The Structure of Financial Crises 1: Capital Structure and Policy Collapse: The Financial Crisis of the Late 1990s 2: Market Structure Issues Part II. Global Liquidity and Capital Flows 3: Why Does Ric-Country Capital Flow to Poor Countries? 4: 180 Years of Liquidity Expansion and International Lending 5: The Contraction of International Lending Part III. The Corporate Finance of Crises 6: The Theory of Capital Structure and Financial Risk 7: The Capital Structure Trap 8: Toward a Theory of Sovereign Capital Structure Management 9: Debt Restructurings within a Corporate Finance Framework Part IV. Conclusion 10: Conclusion: The New Financial Architecture Appendix: The Option Characteristics of Sovereign Debt Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisFew social scientific concepts have gathered so much attention and so many followers in such a short period of time as the concept of social capital. The purpose of this authoritative volume is to review the foundations for this fast growing field.The selected articles embed the concept in core theoretical work in economics, political science, sociology, development theory, and philosophy. Topics include: contemporary conceptual and philosophical foundations; forms of social capital; and the relation of social capital to both development and democracy.This collection will provide an insightful reference source to students and researchers alike.Trade Review'Ostrom and Ahn do us the great service of bringing together a varied, rich array of central works on social capital, many of which have been relatively inaccessible. The idea of social capital is still very much a work in progress, as these contributions from a broad array of disciplines demonstrate. Having this collection available will help focus further development of that idea.' -- Russell Hardin, New York University and Stanford University, US'As theoretical paradigms develop, there comes a time when they need careful synthesis, deep reflection and wise criticism. It is now that time for the arguments regarding social capital. Political scientists are fortunate that a scholar as pre-eminent as Elinor Ostrom, and her able student T.K. Ahn, have taken the lead in undertaking this task. They have pulled together a fine collection of essays and added an insightful and pedagogically sound overview. The collection is likely to find its place in the book bags of all scholars concerned with the contributions of this literature to our discipline.' -- Joe Oppenheimer, University of Maryland, College Park, USTable of ContentsContents: Acknowledgements Introduction Elinor Ostrom and T.K. Ahn PART I FORERUNNERS 1. Alexis de Tocqueville ([1840] 1945), ‘Of the Use Which the Americans Make of Public Associations in Civil Life’, ‘Of the Relation between Public Associations and the Newspapers’, ‘Relation of Civil to Political Associations’, and ‘How the Americans Combat Individualism by the Principle of Self-Interest Rightly Understood’ 2. Lyda Judson Hanifan (1920), ‘Social Capital – Its Development and Use’ 3. Theodore W. Schultz (1961), ‘Investment in Human Capital’ 4. Jane Jacobs (1961), ‘The Uses of City Neighborhoods’ PART II CONTEMPORARY CONCEPTUAL AND PHILOSOPHICAL FOUNDATIONS 5. Mark S. Granovetter (1973), ‘The Strength of Weak Ties’ 6. Mark Granovetter (1985), ‘Economic Action and Social Structure: The Problem of Embeddedness’ 7. James S. Coleman (1987), ‘Norms as Social Capital’ 8. James S. Coleman (1988), ‘Social Capital in the Creation of Human Capital’ 9. Vincent Ostrom (1980), ‘Artisanship and Artifact’ PART III FORMS OF SOCIAL CAPITAL 10. Ronald S. Burt (1992), excerpt from ‘The Social Structure of Competition’ 11. Robert D. Putnam, Robert Leonardi and Raffaella Y. Nanetti (1993), ‘Social Capital and Institutional Success’ 12. Elinor Ostrom (1992), ‘Institutions as Rules-in-Use’ 13. Diego Gambetta (2000), ‘Can We Trust Trust?’ 14. Francis Fukuyama (2000), Social Capital and Civil Society 15. Partha Dasgupta (2002), ‘Social Capital and Economic Performance: Analytics’ [Revised and abridged version of: Partha Dasgupta (2000), ‘Economic Progress and the Idea of Social Capital’ PART IV SOCIAL CAPITAL AND DEVELOPMENT 16. Michael Woolcock (1998), ‘Social Capital and Economic Development: Toward a Theoretical Synthesis and Policy Framework’ 17. Francis Fukuyama (1995), ‘Social Capital and the Global Economy’ 18. Michael Woolcock and Deepa Narayan (2000), ‘Social Capital: Implications for Development Theory, Research, and Policy’ 19. Paul Collier and Jan Willem Gunning (1999), ‘Explaining African Economic Performance’ 20. Stephen Knack and Philip Keefer (1997), ‘Does Social Capital Have an Economic Payoff? A Cross-Country Investigation’ PART V SOCIAL CAPITAL AND DEMOCRACY 21. Robert D. Putnam (1993), ‘The Prosperous Community: Social Capital and Public Life’ 22. Robert D. Putnam (1995), ‘Tuning In, Tuning Out: The Strange Disappearance of Social Capital in America’ 23. John Brehm and Wendy Rahn (1997), ‘Individual-Level Evidence for the Causes and Consequences of Social Capital’ Name Index

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Book SynopsisWhat does economics have to do with law? Offering a defense of the economic view of law, this book clarifies the relationship between law and economics.Trade Review"An interesting and lively introduction to the economic analysis of law... It lays out the principles and values of economic analysis of law, and then proceeds to illustrate and defend that approach in a lively and competent manner. It may not convince every reader that economics provide the key to understanding law, but it makes the case competently and energetically."--Joseph L. Smith, The Law and Politics Book Review "A thoroughly entertaining, creative, and provocative addition to the law and economics literature."--Choice "David Friedman is lively, cheerful, and a bit of a tease... Friedman's book is, in the best sense of the word, extremely dense... At the same time, he is cautious and does not try to prove too much. The evidence he provides is impressive and impressively presented."--John Griffith, Times Literary Supplement "[Friedman] explains what economics has to do with law and why it matters... Applying economics to law matters because it yields efficient outcomes. In a world of finite resources and a world in which the political process controls the distribution scheme, increasing the size of the societal pie will increase the size of the slice we all can expect."--Dennis J. Callahan, The Federal LawyerTable of ContentsIntroduction 3 1. What Does Economics Have to Do with Law? 8 2. Efficiency and All that 18 3. What's Wrong with the World, Part 1 28 4. What's Wrong with the World, Part 2 36 5. Defining and Enforcing Rights: Property, Liability, and Spaghetti 47 6. Of Burning Houses and Exploding Coke Bottles 63 7. Coin Flips and Car Crashes: Ex Post versus Ex Ante 74 8. Gaines, Bargains, Bluffs, and Other Really Hard Stuff 84 9. As Much as Your Life Is Worth 95 Intermezzo. The American Legal System in Brief 103 10. Mine, Throe, and Ours: The Economics of Property Law 112 11. Clouds and Barbed Wire: The Economics of Intellectual Property 128 12. The Economics of Contract 145 13. Marriage, Sex, and Babies 171 14. Tort Law 189 15. Criminal Law 223 16. Antitrust 244 17. Other Paths 263 18. The Crime/Tort Puzzle 281 19. Is the Common Law Efficient? 297 Epilogue 309 Index 319

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Book SynopsisElgar Advanced Introductions are stimulating and thoughtful introductions to major fields in the social sciences and law, expertly written by the world's leading scholars. This Advanced Introduction presents a focused narrative about political decision-making based on the work that has defined public choice as a discipline. Randall G. Holcombe emphasizes the theoretical foundations of Public Choice, examining the way that voter preferences are aggregated through democratic decision-making, the way that political exchange leads to the production of public policy, and the way that the constitutional framework within which political activity takes place is designed. He provides a concise discussion of the main models of Public Choice in an engaging manner, giving readers a foundation for understanding the theoretical and empirical work in the field. Each chapter ends with a Notes section that discusses the research on which the chapter is based, with an emphasis on the pioneering work that has shaped the development of Public Choice.Undergraduate and graduate level students in economics, political science and public administration will find this introduction an essential resource for understanding political decision making. Instructors in those fields will find this book a useful and affordable text and an indispensable resource for teaching Public Choice.Trade Review'In this slim volume, Randall Holcombe takes the reader masterfully on an informative journey through the main regions of public choice theory. Among the topics this fine volume covers are voting theory, presidential vs. parliamentary systems, interest groups, bureaucracy, political entrepreneurship, and constitutional political economy. Someone who works through this book will be solidly prepared to venture into the higher reaches of public choice theory.' --Richard E. Wagner, George Mason University'Robert Kennedy said that ''Some men see things as they are, and ask why. I dream of things that never were, and ask why not.'' This is a book for both kinds of people. Holcombe provides a hard-headed analysis of how government and politics actually works, and careful analysis of why the dreams for optimal outcomes, whether coming from the formal models of supposedly sophisticated economists, (based on ''as if'' assumptions that exclude politics), or those coming from idealist ''reformers'' (stemming from their utopian visions), end up shattered by harsh behavioral and institutional realities. Written in a completely non-technical fashion, and covering topics like rational ignorance, rent-seeking and regulatory capture, this book works beautifully either as a complement to traditional introductory economics courses, or to introductory courses in political science.' --Bernard Grofman, University of California, Irvine'The author has extensive personal connections to all the aspects of public choice, and has produced a masterful volume. The insights of public choice are varied, but its explanatory power is consistent. Holcombe manages to weave together an interesting and informed commentary on the many strands of public choice scholarship in a way that will be useful even to experts, while providing an overview that a determined newcomer will be able to pick up immediately.' --Michael Munger, Duke UniversityTable of ContentsContents: Part I: Introduction 1. Public Choice and Public Policy Part II: Aggregating Voter Preferences 2. The Politics of Left and Right 3. Institutions: Proportional vs. Plurality; Parliamentary vs. Presidential 4. Political Strategy: Turnout and the Distribution of Preferences 5. Multidimensional Issue Space 6. Why Do People Vote? Rational Ignorance, Expressive Voting, Rational Irrationality Part III: Designing Public Policy 7. Transaction Costs and Political Exchange 8. Political Markets: Interest Groups, Rent-Seeking, and Regulatory Capture 9. Bureaucracy 10. Political Organization: Districts, Committees, and Institutional Design 11. Political Entrepreneurship Part IV: Constitutional Design 12. Constitutional and Post-Constitutional Decision-Making 13. Interest Groups and Constitutional Evolution 14. Checks and Balances: Elites and Masses Index

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Book SynopsisAs the first comprehensive treatment of Classical economics from a modern Austrian perspective, this important history of nineteenth century economic thought discusses the key members of each school and reassesses their work. Professor Rothbard's approach offers new perspectives on both Ricardo and Say and their followers. The author suggests that Ricardianism declined after 1820 and was only revived with the work of John Stuart Mill. The book also resurrects the important Anglo-Irish school of thought at Trinity College, Dublin under Archbishop Richard Whately. Later chapters focus on the roots of Karl Marx and the nature of his doctrines, and laissez-faire thought in France including the work of Frederic Bastiat. Also included is a comprehensive treatment of the bullionist versus anti-bullionist and the Currency versus banking School controversies in the first half of the nineteenth century, and their influence outside Great Britain.Tracing economic thought from Smith to Marx, this book is notable for its inclusion of all the important figures in each school of thought and for assessing their theories in religious, political, philosophical and historical context. Economic Thought before Adam Smith, the first volume of Professor Rothbard's history of economic thought from an Austrian perspective, is also available.Trade Review'Rothbard's two-volume history of economic thought will inspire much fruitful discussion . . . Works that combine so much scholarship, clarity, freshness, and courage have become rare in economics.' -- Paul Heyne, The Independent Review'. . . the magnitude of Rothbard's achievement was such that his legacy is assured; his contribution to the cause of liberty in America will not only endure but continue to grow in stature. As an economist, he succeeded in firmly establishing the Austrian school of economics in America, expanding and refining the legacy of his own mentor, the great Ludwig von Mises.' -- Justin Raimondo, Chronicles'. . . an extraordinarily lively and provocative book. The world would be a poorer place without this stimulating and combative book. . .' -- D. P. O'Brien, The Manchester School'. . . it provides an extremely wide-ranging treatment of the periods and topics it covers. . . . this is a controversial book, written from a clear-cut standpoint. . . . an extremely exciting, even brilliant book.' -- Roger E. Backhouse, History of Economic Thought'To say that Murray Rothbard wrote with a polemical flair is an understatement of astonishing proportions. . . . The volumes are beautifully produced by Edward Elgar and anyone interested in Rothbard's thought, the history of economic liberalism, and the history of economic thought in general, will want these volumes in their personal collection. An Austrian Perspective on the History of Economic Thought is vintage Rothbard, which means that the volumes are very readable, always unique in interpretation. . . . In short Rothbard's An Austrian Perspective on the History of Economic Thought is a major contribution to the history of economic thought in general, and to Austrian economics in particular, and it deserves a wide circulation. It ranks with the contributions to intellectual history - not as a textbook of the wrong opinions of dead men, but as an original theoretical work whose intellectual story, if listened to, would surely overturn the received wisdom of our day and lead to a major recasting of the disciplines of economics and of political economy.' -- Peter J. Boettke, Economic Affairs'Murray Rothbard's two volumes are a monument of twentieth century scholarship.' -- David Gordon, The Mises Review'Rothbard's treatise makes a good case for the study of economic thought and provides a good introduction to Austrian economics by showing its links with earlier thinkers. . . friend and foe alike will benefit from Rothbard's atypical approach. His discussions of every thinker are enriched with insights on philosophy, history, religion, political movements, and the philosophy of science. The two volumes are jam-packed with information and research ideas.' -- Mark Thornton, Southern Economic JournalTable of ContentsContents: 1. J.B. Say: The French Tradition in Smithian Clothing 2. Jeremy Bentham: The Utilitarian as Big Brother 3. James Mill, Ricardo and the Ricardian System 4. The Decline of the Ricardian System, 1820–48 5. Monetary and Banking Thought, I: The Early Bullionist Controversy 6. Monetary and Banking Thought, II: The Bullion Report and the Return to Gold 7. Monetary and Banking Thought, III: The Struggle Over the Currency School 8. John Stuart Mill and the Reimposition of Ricardian Economics 9. Roots of Marxism: Messianic Communism 10. Marx’s Vision of Communism 11. Alienation, Unity and Dialectic 12. The Marxian System, I: Historical Materialism and the Class Struggle 13. The Marxian System, II: The Economics of Capitalism and its Inevitable Demise 14. After Mill: Bastiat and the French Laissez-Faire Tradition Bibliographical Essay

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Book SynopsisIn this series of essays, Ayn Rand presents her stand on the persecution of big business, the causes of war, the default of conservatism, and the evils of altruism.The foundations of capitalism are being battered by a flood of altruism, which is the cause of the modern world's collapse. This is the view of Ayn Rand, a view so radically opposed to prevailing attitudes that it constitutes a major philosophic revolution. Here is a challenging new look at modern society by one of the most provocative intellectuals on the American scene.   This edition includes two articles by Ayn Rand that did not appear in the hardcover edition: “The Wreckage of the Consensus,” which presents the Objectivists’ views on Vietnam and the draft; and “Requiem for Man,” an answer to the Papal encyclical Progresso Populorum.

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Book SynopsisIn 1876, Carl Menger, then a young professor at the University of Vienna, was asked to teach the principles of political economy to Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria, the 17 year old only son of Emperor Francis Joseph, who was to die tragically before he could inherit the throne.Rudolf's recently discovered Notebooks of these lectures, corrected by Menger, are a fascinating record of what the founder of the Austrian marginalist school thought worth teaching to the heir presumptive of a great power. Without referring to his own theories, Menger delivered a course on the economics of Adam Smith - as presented in the mainstream German textbooks of the time - in such a way that the Notebooks can be viewed as a key document on classical economic liberalism, pure and unadulterated. They cast new light on Menger's own theoretical discoveries, his view of government and his interpretation of classical economics. In this important volume Rudolf's Notebooks are published for the first time both in German and an English translation. The editor's detailed introduction provides the historical and intellectual background to the Notebooks as well as a thorough analysis of classical economics and its treatment by Menger. The text is fully annotated in German and English with its surprising sources traced passage by passage.Trade Review'This book will be of interest on a number of different levels. Most simply, it is a fascinating historical record of a pedagogical experience. . . . the Notebooks present the historian of economic thought, and those interested in the Austrian school in particular, with a number of intriguing, even frustrating puzzles.' -- Peter Lewin, History of Economic Ideas'. . . in all this volume provides a useful addition to our understanding of Carl Menger. The translation is very readable and the index is good. The Streisslers are to be commended for performing a real service to the scholarly community in editing and publishing this book.' -- Karen I. Vaughn, Journal of the History of Economic Thought

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Book SynopsisNewsweek hailed Paul Krugman as "a superstar among economists" and went on to praise Peddling Prosperity as "the best primer around on recent U.S. economic history." Others joined the chorus.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Important and elegantly written."--Jason Zweig, Wall Street Journal "The End of Theory holds some important lessons for financial markets today... According to Bookstaber, it's time to stop tweaking a 150-year-old model that seems to be getting worse, not better, at predicting crises, and embrace something totally new. Finally, and perhaps most usefully, he challenges the economics profession itself, where too many experts still have way too much faith in their own mathematical infallibility."--Rana Faroohar, Financial Times "The analysis is top-notch, and anyone who wants to understand the workings of the financial system will benefit from reading this book."--The EconomistTable of ContentsI: Introduction 1 1 Crises and Sunspots 3 2 Being Human 14 II: The Four Horsemen 23 3 Social Interactions and Computational Irreducibility 25 4 The Individual and the Human Wave: Emergent Phenomena 34 5 Context and Ergodicity 40 6 Human Experience and Radical Uncertainty 50 7 Heuristics: How to Act Like a Human 65 III: Paradigm Past And Future 79 8 Economics in Crisis 81 9 Agent-Based Models 94 10 Agents in the Complexity Spectrum 108 IV: Agent-Based Models For Financial Crises 125 11 The Structure of the Financial System: Agents and the Environment 127 12 Liquidity and Crashes 144 13 The 2008 Crisis with an Agent-Based View 157 V: The End Of Theory 169 14 Is It a Number or a Story? Model as Narrative 171 15 Conclusion 185 Acknowledgments 191 Notes 193 References 211 Index 221

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewAbrams’s book is the best, most insightful and comprehensive analysis of the modern-day efforts to manage schools like businesses. It is beautifully written and documented with careful research. -- Diane Ravitch, author of The Death and Life of the Great American School SystemAbrams describes eloquently the disconnect between the optimism underlying for-profit companies’ efforts to improve urban education and the realities that their schools faced. He also describes the history of KIPP charters, their accomplishments, and the limits of the KIPP model as a strategy for improving the life chances of urban children growing up in low-income families. -- Richard J. Murnane, co-author of Restoring OpportunityLucid, thorough, and balanced, Education and the Commercial Mindset is a riveting analysis of current education policy and how we got here. It will serve as an invaluable resource for policymakers involved in urban school reform. -- David Rogers, author of 110 Livingston StreetAbrams provides a comprehensive and insightful analysis of the private sector’s foray into public education. His analysis of Edison Schools, an educational management organization, demonstrates why private sector practices may easily be applied to purchasing scheduling software or contracting bus service, but why they cannot be easily applied to the management of schools where the purpose and process of education is much more complex and opaque. He also examines charter school organizations, the use of publicly funded vouchers for students to attend private schools in Chile and Sweden, and the application of business practices to schools in Finland. Altogether, Abrams makes a compelling case on the limits of private sector practices in public education. -- Russell W. Rumberger, author of Dropping OutGrounded in meticulous research in Finland and Sweden as well as the United States, Education and the Commercial Mindset is a bracing assessment of contemporary education reform and its consequences. -- Pasi Sahlberg, author of Finnish LessonsGiven the near-complete absence of public information and debate about the stealth effort to privatize public schools, this is the right time for the appearance of [this book]. Samuel E. Abrams, a veteran teacher and administrator, has written an elegant analysis of the workings of market forces in education in his book Education and the Commercial Mindset. -- Diane Ravitch * New York Review of Books *[An] outstanding book. -- Carol Burris * Washington Post *In Education and the Commercial Mindset, Abrams provides a detailed, informative and insightful account of the rise and fall of The Edison Project, as a case study of for-profit schools…Abrams demonstrates that for-profit schools have no incentives to consider long term educational or social goals. Obsessed with achievement metrics that might persuade consumers to purchase their product, they often exclude students with cognitive, emotional or behavioral problems. Or with failing grades…Running schools like businesses won’t solve the problem, Samuel Abrams makes clear. -- Glenn C. Altschuler * Huffington Post *In 1962, Raymond Callahan’s classic text Education and the Cult of Efficiency argued that the goal of efficient operations had become a first order priority in public education. Callahan’s work is now joined by a new definitive account, the brilliant book Education and the Commercial Mindset by Samuel E. Abrams...His arguments are exceptionally balanced, meticulously researched, and rooted in a deep understanding of the historical, cultural, and social antecedents of the widespread use of business practices and norms in education...Abrams has provided a thoughtful, critical, and rigorous explanation of crucially important distinctions that will be invaluable to scholars, policymakers, administrators, and teachers alike. -- Megan Tompkins-Stange * Teachers College Record *Education and the Commercial Mindset provides the most detailed and comprehensive analysis of the school privatization movement to date. Students of American education will learn a great deal from it. -- Leo Casey * Dissent *This is a book that all supporters as well as opponents of school choice and educational privatization should read, because the hypotheses and findings are expressed so convincingly that they may serve as a field trial for testing one's own opinions. -- Tommaso Agasisti * Educational Researcher *Essential to understanding the new challenges facing American politics, with the future of the education system being a central issue…Abrams not only offers a historical overview of the education system crisis under the Reagan administration, but also a reminder of the failure of privatization attempts in the 1990s. * Progressive Post *In recent years, several books have been published that explore the corporate influence on public education. Few are as in depth and as evenhanded as Education and the Commercial Mindset. * American Educator *

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Book SynopsisNo economist has written more incisively and provocatively on financial crisis than Hyman Minsky. Minsky is best known for his claim that "stability is destabilizing" – that the seeds of the bust are sown in the boom. This financial instability hypothesis received renewed attention – and substantial confirmation – in the global financial crisis of 2008. Minsky's insights are not limited to moments of crisis; they grow out of a comprehensive and critical theory of financial capitalism. This book provides a systematic overview of Minsky's thought, covering his entire body of work. It shows how financial crises arise not as exceptions, but out of the normal operation of a financial capitalist system. It explains why Minsky's theories sit uncomfortably with economics and what efforts have been made to integrate them, and shows how Minsky's work can be incorporated into other fields of social thought. This book will be of interest to students and scholars in economics, political economy, finance, politics, and social theory, as well as to anyone with an interest in the financial system and its tendency toward crisis.Trade Review“Capitalism is essentially a financial system, said Minsky fifty years ago, and his thought laid the foundations for understanding how that system works. Reinterpreting Minsky for today, Neilson offers the best available introduction to Minsky’s thought for the modern reader.”Perry Mehrling, Boston University “Daniel H. Neilson’s book manages an extraordinary feat: the reader understands Minsky’s life and his system of thought in one book. You need to understand Minsky’s ideas to understand capitalism in the twenty-first century. This is the best book to help you do that.”Stephen Kinsella, University of LimerickTable of ContentsAcknowledgements 1 Introduction 2 Financial Capitalism 3 A Payments Theory of Finance 4 The Inadequacy of Economics 5 Making the Market 6 Last Resort 7 The Resilience of Economics 8 Minsky for All Moments References

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Book SynopsisIn Not Just for the Money Professor Frey challenges traditional economic theory and argues that people do not act in expectation of monetary gain alone, nor do they work solely because they are paid. Furthermore, the author claims that higher monetary compensation as well as regulations crowd-out motivation in important circumstances. Offering higher pay may make people less committed to their work and may reduce their performance. They thus behave in exactly the opposite way the fundamental price-effect of economics predicts.The first part of the book considers the Crowding-Out Effect and the Motivational Spill-Over Effect. The second part explores a large number of applications to constitutional questions, various policy issues and the organization of firms. The final part discusses the substantial consequences for policy making and economic theory.This path breaking book is bound to create controversy and debate. It will appeal not only to economists but to a wide range of social scientists who want to go beyond the traditional assumption of economic man.Trade Review'What he [Bruno Frey] offers is both challenging and pervasive in its relevance. He is ambitious enough to aspire to make economics less presumptive and less general, but - as he himself observes - earlier efforts to integrate psychology into economics have been noted while precious little effect on economics as a whole. His book is provocative and interesting and likely to yield some further empirical efforts to measure putative crowding-out effects, but scepticism and inertia are likely to be difficult barriers to overcome.'Table of ContentsContents: 1. Introduction Part I: The Crowding-Out Effect 2. Everyday Experiences 3. The Psychological Background 4. Integration into Economics 5. Motivational Spill-Over Effect Part II: Applications 6. A Strict or Lenient Constitution? 7. Environmental Policy 8. Siting Policy, or: the NIMBY-problem (with Felix Oberholzer-Gee) 9. Social and Organizational Policy 10. Work Motivation and Compensation Policy Part III Conclusions 11. Consequences for Economic Policy 12. Consequences for Economic Theory References Index

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Book SynopsisPolitical journalist Michael Tomasky tracks an exciting change among  progressive economists who are overturning decades of conservative dogma and offering an alternative version of capitalism that can serve broadly shared prosperity to all.Engaging, briskly paced ... On balance, history appears to be on Tomasky’s side. —The New York Times Book ReviewIn the first half of the twentieth century the Keynesian brand of economics, which saw government spending as a necessary spur to economic growth, prevailed. Then in the 1970s, conservatives fought back. Once they got people to believe a few simple ideas instead—that only the free market could produce growth, that taxes and regulation stifle growth—the battle was won. The era of conservative dogma, often called neoliberal economics, had begun. It ushered in increasing inequality, a shrinking middle class, and declining public investment. For fifty years, liberals have not

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Book SynopsisClosely examining how the news media reports economic and financial matters, this book equips students with solid methodological skills for reading and interpreting the news alongside a toolkit for best practice as an economic journalist. How to Read Economic News combines theory and practice to explore the discourse surrounding economics in the mass media and how this specialised form of reporting can be improved. Beginning by introducing major concepts such as financialised economic reporting, media amnesia and loss of trust, the book goes on to help students to interpret, understand and analyse existing news discourse and to identify subtle biases in news reports stemming from hegemonic belief systems. The final section puts this analytical knowledge into practice, providing students with methods for the critical production of news and covering such skills as identifying newsworthiness, story sourcing, achieving clarity, and using complex datasets in news stories. <Table of ContentsList of Figures List of Tables List of ContributorsChapter 1: Introduction – How to Read Economic NewsHenry SilkeFergal QuinnMaria Rieder Part I: Connecting economic theory, ideology and journalismChapter 2: Economic Imaginaries, Economics Theories And The Role Of Economic Journalism Hendrik TheineChapter 3: What can journalism learn from Heterodox EconomicsAndrea GrisoldChapter 4: Ideology, Economics and JournalismHenry SilkeChapter 5: Journalism Studies and Crises: Economic, Environmental and Political - Towards a political Economic Approach.Paschal PrestonPart II: Methodological approaches for evaluation of economy-related media outputChapter 6: Using Content Analysis to study Economic JournalismFergal QuinnMuireann PrendergastChapter 7: Analysing Economic News Sources: Who gets to speak? Henry SilkeChapter 8: Corpus Linguistics and Economic Media researchBrian ClancyElaine VaughanChapter 9: Breaking Down the Discourse, Exposing Power in Economic Journalism – Critical Discourse AnalysisMaria RiederHendrik TheineChapter 10: Deconstructing Economic Discourses on Broadcast NewsCiara GrahamBrendan O’RourkeChapter 11: Deconstructing Discourse: Applying Interview Research in the Economic NewsroomSophie KnowlesNadine StraußChapter 12: Researching Audiences: Understanding how economic news is receivedMike BerryPart III: News production: Best practices for investigating economic and business stories Chapter 13: Making sense of economic dataDonal PalcicDarragh FlanneryChapter 14: Economic news approachesAudrey GalvinBrian HurleyChapter 15: Where theory meets practice - tips for BETTER economic journalism Fergal QuinnMaria RiederHenry SilkeIndex

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Book SynopsisThe problem of rent is at the root of vital social concerns in the twenty-first century, ranging from the climate emergency and spiralling economic inequality to the repercussions of global economic crises. But while many of us may be familiar with rent (especially paying it), how should we really understand it? Examining both concrete contexts and complex concepts, in this book Joe Collins provides a comprehensive but concise survey of the theories and debates over rent and rentier capitalism. He examines global gentrification from São Paolo to Dublin, the tyranny of technology from Taipei to San Francisco, and the excesses of extractivism from Sekondi to Karratha. In doing so, he reveals how rent is fundamental to the current dominant form of capitalist social organization across the globe and how we can prevent the next generation from seeing our societies rent asunder. An essential resource for students and scholars alike, this groundbreaking book will be of interest to anyone working on capitalism, property, political economy, economic sociology and contemporary politics.Trade Review‘From twenty-first-century techno-patents to landlord sex scams, rentier capitalism tightens its grip on everyday life. In this short book, Joe Collins unpacks the multiple meanings of rent as these evolved through traditional economics to contemporary political economy. A lucid and compassionate account.’Ariel Salleh, Global University for Sustainability, Hong Kong ‘As rents become ever more important and rentiers become ever more powerful, this book provides an important theoretical underpinning to the idea of rent as a cause and consequence of monopoly. Contemporary capitalism cannot be understood without this.’Jayati Ghosh, University of Massachusetts AmherstTable of ContentsChapter 1 – What is rent? Chapter 2 – Rent theory in historical perspective Chapter 3 – Mainstream rent theory Chapter 4 – Rent theory in modern political economy Chapter 5 – Why is rent important today? Notes References

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Selected for Askblog’s Books of the year 2017"

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Book SynopsisFriedrich Hayek was one of the leading economists of the 20th century and the leading contemporary critic of Keynes. He did pioneering work on monetary theory and trade cycles, but achieved international fame through his 1944 critique of totalitarian socialism, The Road to Serfdom.He went on to map out the principles of a free society in a series of books including Law, Legislation and Liberty and became the leading proponent, along with Milton Friedman, of economic and political liberalism.Setting him in context as well as incorporating criticism since his death 20 years ago, this book explores several major areas of Hayek''s thought and argument:- why society is not something that can be rebuilt any way we want, but is the result of long-term cultural evolution, and what that means for political reform, morality and individual choice- the kind of laws that true freedom relies upon, and how freedom and its benefits are threatened by political confusions- how the market process really works: from maximising gains for everyone who participates, to competition as a discovery process- where boom and bust cycles come from and how privatising currencies could be the startling solution- how we actually interpret our world, and what this means for social sciences and politics- why socialism was a mistake, capitalism isn''t wasteful, and what economic organisation has to do with political destiny- the impossibility of social justice but the genuine hope offered by true economic freedom- what the real foundations of a free society look like.A breath of intellectual fresh air, this concise guide to Friedrich Hayek is a must for any reader or student interested in one of the most vital minds of the 20th century.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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Book SynopsisModern economics tantalizes historians, promising them a set of simple verbal and mathematical formulas to explain and even retrospectively predict historical actions and choices. Colin P. Elliott challenges economic historians to rethink the way they use economic theory. Building upon the approaches of Max Weber, R. G. Collingwood, Ludwig von Mises and others, Elliott reconceptualizes economic theories such as the quantity theory of money and Gresham''s law as heuristic constructs - constructs which help historians identify and understand the unique modes of thought and embedding contexts which characterized economic action in the Roman Empire. The book offers novel analyses of key events in Roman monetary history, from Augustus'' triumph over Mark Antony and Cleopatra, to third-century AD coinage debasements. Roman history has long been a battleground for polarizing methodological debates, but this book''s accessible style and conciliatory tone invites historians, economists, socioloTable of Contents1. On writing Roman economic history; 2. Embedding contexts of Roman money; 3. Evidence and theory; 4. Rationality, purposefulness and action; 5. The meanings of money quantity and quality; 6. Understanding money use and value.

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Book SynopsisPresents a unified theory of economic growth since the dawn of civilization. This title provides a comprehensive overview of the three phases of the development process. It analyzes the Malthusian theory and its empirical support. It examines theories of demographic transition and their empirical significance.Trade ReviewOne of Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles for 2011 "Galor is the founder of unified growth theory. The theory seeks to uncover the principal forces behind the world's transition from the subsistence livelihoods experienced by early antecessors to the exponential increases in living standards that came with the Industrial Revolution... This book is a must for anyone interested in economic growth."--Choice "Galor provides a mass of data and theory that may help to frame the role of education in creating economic sustainability."--Josephine Gatti, International Social Science Review "[T]he contribution to economic science provided by Oded Galor poses an intellectual challenge for more general macroeconomic models ... which still need to provide comprehensive and endogenous explanations regarding the radical changes that affected the world economy in the aftermath of the economic and financial crisis."--Gianfranco Di Vaio, Journal of European and Economic History "This volume must be highly recommended to anyone interested in economic growth and comparative development."--Christopher Bliss, European LegacyTable of ContentsPreface xv CHAPTER 1: Introduction 1 1.1 Toward a Unified Theory of Economic Growth 3 1.2 Origins of Global Disparity in Living Standards 6 1.2.1 Catalysts for the Engine of Transition from Stagnation to Growth 6 1.2.2 Persistence of Prehistorical Biogeographical Conditions 7 1.2.3 Convergence Clubs 8 CHAPTER 2: From Stagnation to Growth 9 2.1 The Malthusian Epoch 10 2.1.1 Stagnation of Income per Capita in the Long Run 11 2.1.2 Population Dynamism 12 2.1.3 Fertility and Mortality 14 2.1.4 Fluctuations in Income and Population 15 2.1.5 Technological Progress 16 2.1.6 Main Characteristics of the Epoch 17 2.2 The Post-Malthusian Regime 17 2.2.1 Take-off in Income per Capita 18 2.2.2 Spike in Population Growth 18 2.2.3 Fertility and Mortality 23 2.2.4 Industrialization and Urbanization 25 2.2.5 Globalization and the Pace of Industrialization 27 2.2.6 Central Features of the Regime 29 2.3 Industrialization and Human Capital Formation 30 2.3.1 Industrial Demand for Education 31 2.3.2 Land Concentration and Human Capital Formation 37 2.3.3 Land Reforms and Education Reforms 39 2.3.4 Political and Education Reforms 42 2.3.5 Human Capital Formation in Less Developed Economies 45 2.3.6 Main Insights 45 2.4 The Demographic Transition 46 2.4.1 Decline in Population Growth 46 2.4.2 Fertility Decline 49 2.4.3 Mortality Decline 51 2.4.4 Life Expectancy 52 2.4.5 Central Characteristics 54 2.5 The Modern Growth Regime 55 2.5.1 Rapid Industrialization and Human Capital Formation 55 2.5.2 Sustained Growth of Income per Capita 57 2.5.3 Divergence in Income and Population across the Globe 57 2.5.4 Insights for Comparative Development 64 2.6 Concluding Remarks 65 CHAPTER 3: The Malthusian Theory 67 3.1 The Basic Structure of the Model 68 3.1.1 Production 69 3.1.2 Preferences and Budget Constraints 69 3.1.3 Optimization 70 3.2 The Evolution of the Economy 70 3.2.1 Population Dynamics 70 3.2.2 The Time Path of Income per Worker 72 3.3 Testable Predictions 74 3.4 Empirical Framework 74 3.4.1 Empirical Strategy 74 3.4.2 The Data 77 3.4.3 The Neolithic Revolution and Technological Advancement 78 3.4.4 Basic Regression Model 79 3.5 Cross-Country Evidence 80 3.5.1 Population Density in 1500 CE 81 3.5.2 Population Density in Earlier Historical Periods 86 3.5.3 Income per Capita versus Population Density 92 3.5.4 Effect of Technological Sophistication 96 3.5.5 Robustness to Technology Diffusion and Geographical Features 103 3.5.6 Rejection of Alternative Theories 105 3.6 Concluding Remarks 108 3.7 Appendix 110 3.7.1 First-Stage Regressions 110 3.7.2 Variable Definitions and Sources 110 CHAPTER 4: Theories of the Demographic Transition 115 4.1 The Rise in Income per Capita 116 4.1.1 The Theory and Its Testable Predictions 116 4.1.2 The Evidence 118 4.2 The Decline in Infant and Child Mortality 120 4.2.1 The Central Hypothesis 120 4.2.2 Evidence 121 4.3 The Rise in Demand for Human Capital 123 4.3.1 The Theory 125 4.3.2 Evidence: Education and the Demographic Transition 127 4.3.3 Quantity-Quality Trade-off in the Modern Era 129 4.4 The Rise in Demand for Human Capital: Reinforcing Mechanisms 130 4.4.1 The Decline in Child Labor 131 4.4.2 The Rise in Life Expectancy 131 4.4.3 Evolution of Preferences for Offspring Quality 132 4.5 The Decline in the Gender Gap 132 4.5.1 The Theory and Its Testable Predictions 133 4.5.2 The Evidence 135 4.6 The Old-Age Security Hypothesis 136 4.7 Concluding Remarks 136 4.8 Appendix 138 4.8.1 Optimal Investment in Child Quality 138 4.8.2 Optimal Investment in Child Quantity 139 CHAPTER 5: Unified Growth Theory 140 5.1 The Fundamental Challenge 142 5.2 Incompatibility of Non-Unified Growth Theories 143 5.2.1 The Malthusian Theory 143 5.2.2 Theories of Modern Economic Growth 145 5.3 Central Building Blocks 146 5.3.1 The Malthusian Elements 147 5.3.2 Engines of Technological Progress 147 5.3.3 The Origin of Human Capital Formation 148 5.3.4 The Trigger of the Demographic Transition 148 5.4 The Basic Structure of the Model 149 5.4.1 Production of Final Output 149 5.4.2 Preferences and Budget Constraints 150 5.4.3 Production of Human Capital 151 5.4.4 Optimization 152 5.5 Evolution of Technology, Population, and Effective Resources 155 5.5.1 Technological Progress 155 5.5.2 Population 155 5.5.3 Effective Resources 156 5.6 The Dynamical System 156 5.6.1 The Dynamics of Technology and Education 157 5.6.2 Global Dynamics 161 5.7 From Malthusian Stagnation to Sustained Growth 164 5.8 Main Hypotheses 166 5.9 Complementary Mechanisms 170 5.9.1 Sources of Human Capital Formation 170 5.9.2 Triggers of the Demographic Transition 171 5.9.3 Engines of Technological Progress 172 5.9.4 The Transition from an Agricultural to an Industrial Economy 172 5.10 Calibrations of Unified Growth Theory 174 5.11 Concluding Remarks 177 5.12 Appendix: Optimal Investment in Child Quality 178 CHAPTER 6: Unified Growth Theory and Comparative Development 179 6.1 Country-Specific Characteristics and the Growth Process 182 6.1.1 Factors Contributing to Technological Progress 183 6.1.2 Reinforcing Elements in Human Capital Formation 185 6.1.3 The Dynamics of Technology and Education 187 6.2 Variation in Technological Progress and Comparative Development 189 6.3 Variation in Human Capital and Comparative Development 191 6.3.1 The Emergence of Human Capital--Promoting Institutions 193 6.3.2 Globalization and Divergence 198 6.4 Persistence of Deeply Rooted Biogeographical Factors 208 6.4.1 The Neolithic Revolution and Comparative Development 208 6.4.2 The Out-of-Africa Hypothesis and Comparative Development 217 6.5 Multiple Growth Regimes and Convergence Clubs 226 6.6 Concluding Remarks 229 CHAPTER 7: Human Evolution and the Process of Development 232 7.1 Natural Selection and the Origins of Economic Growth 233 7.2 Primary Ingredients 235 7.2.1 The Darwinian Elements 235 7.2.2 The Malthusian Components 237 7.2.3 Determinants of Technological Progress and Human Capital Formation 237 7.2.4 The Trigger of the Demographic Transition 238 7.3 The Basic Structure of the Model 238 7.3.1 Production of Final Output 239 7.3.2 Preferences and Budget Constraints 240 7.3.3 Production of Human Capital 241 7.3.4 Optimization 242 7.3.5 Distribution of Types and Human Capital Formation 246 7.3.6 Time Path of the Macroeconomic Variables 249 7.4 The Dynamical System 254 7.4.1 Conditional Dynamics of Technology and Education 254 7.4.2 Conditional Dynamics of Technology and Effective Resources 259 7.4.3 Conditional Steady-State Equilibria 260 7.4.4 Human Evolution and the Transition from Stagnation to Growth 261 7.5 Failed Take-off Attempts 265 7.6 Main Hypotheses and Their Empirical Assessment 266 7.7 Complementary Mechanisms 269 7.7.1 Evolution of Entrepreneurial Spirit and Economic Growth 270 7.7.2 Evolution of Life Expectancy and Economic Growth 273 7.8 Concluding Remarks 278 7.9 Appendix 279 7.9.1 Conditional Dynamics of Technology and Education 279 7.9.2 Conditional Dynamics of Technology and Effective Resources 280 CHAPTER 8: Concluding Remarks 285 References 289 Name Index 311 Subject Index 317

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"There is little doubt that Quiggin’s Economics in Two Lessons will be an instant classic and feature on university reading lists around the world. It should also be compulsory reading for policymakers and public commentators, who all too often lack a framework for thinking clearly about the costs and benefits of markets. The good news is that Quiggin has one—and he’s happy to share."---Richard Holden, Inside Story"This is a highly readable introduction to the intellectual framework of modern policy economics, with plenty of lively examples."---Diane Coyle, Enlightened Economist"His book would be a useful supplement to a principles of economics course, with the advantage of avoiding resort to any graphs or equations . . . . [It] provides an essential completion of the basic story . . . . It is essential reading for anyone interested in the practical side of economic policymaking."---Max B. Sawicky, Jacobin"The themes are complex, but the writing is clear, and the journey is rewarding." * BizEd *"Quiggin writes well and [this] book is full of useful erudite information."---Warwick Lightfoot, Financial World"Many economists consider ‘opp cost’ to be the single most important and fundamental concept in economics, and the discipline’s most useful contribution to the betterment of mankind. Indeed, that’s the view Professor John Quiggin, of the University of Queensland, takes in his book Economics in Two Lessons, which I recommend as the best book to introduce you to economics."---Ross Gittins, Sydney Morning Herald"Quiggin reckons with the incoherence of markets-only thinking in his masterful 2019 book Economics in Two Lessons, which explores the power, limitations and dangers of using markets to solve our problems in a thoughtful and clear way."---Cory Doctorow, Boing Boing

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Book SynopsisIntroduces Arrow's Impossibility Theorem and founded the field of social choice theory in economics and political science.Trade Review"Arrow's insightful comments on the issues underlying welfare economics are as fresh and relevant today as they were when they first appeared in 1951. They should be required reading for social scientists who concern themselves with public policy." (Douglass C. North, Washington University)"

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Book SynopsisIn this work a political scientist seeks to offer a jargon-free introduction to the market system, for all readers with or without a background in economics. He assesses the character, rules, advantages and shortcomings of the institution co-ordinating modern economic and social life.

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