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Book SynopsisPoverty is something we all want to see less of. So why does it prove so difficult to tackle? Can empathy help fix it?

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Book SynopsisPublic understanding of, and outcry over, the dire state of the climate and environment is greater than ever before. Parties across the political spectrum claim to be climate leaders, and overt denial is on the way out. Yet when it comes to slowing the course of the climate and nature crises, despite a growing number of pledges, policies and summits, little ever seems to change. Nature is being destroyed at an unprecedented rate. We remain on course for a catastrophic 3°C of warming. What's holding us back? In this searing and insightful critique, Adrienne Buller examines the fatal biases that have shaped the response of our governing institutions to climate and environmental breakdown, and asks: are the ‘solutions’ being proposed really solutions? Tracing the intricate connections between financial power, economic injustice and ecological crisis, she exposes the myopic economism and market-centric thinking presently undermining a future where all life can flourish. The book examines what is wrong with mainstream climate and environmental governance, from carbon pricing and offset markets to 'green growth', the commodification of nature and the growing influence of the finance industry on environmental policy. In doing so, it exposes the self-defeating logic of a response to these challenges based on creating new opportunities for profit, and a refusal to grapple with the inequalities and injustices that have created them. Both honest and optimistic, The Value of a Whale asks us – in the face of crisis – what we really value.This book is relevant to United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 11, Sustainable cities and communitiesTrade ReviewAs featured in The Guardian and The New Statesman.One of the Financial Times' 'best new books on climate and the environment'.One of WIRED's Best Books of 2022.Longlisted for the 2023 Bread and Roses Award.'Why do so many of the alleged solutions to climate crisis fail to deliver? In this tightly-argued, precise and deeply-researched book Adrienne Buller looks inside the heads of ‘green’ capitalists, exposing how non-solutions proliferate. Read this brilliant expose if you want to understand not only how some of the world’s most powerful people think and act but also how their solutions differ from what is really needed to secure a safe and abundant future for everyone.'Amelia Horgan, author of Lost in Work'This is a witty, lucid and beautifully written critique of that contradiction-in-terms, ‘green capitalism’. It explains why, despite the farcical diminuendo of climate denialism, so little has changed. Its searching inquiry into the puritanical reduction of all living matter to economic value, which underpins most government responses to ecological catastrophe, incisively debunks one of the most dangerous illusions going. This is the book we have long needed.'Richard Seymour, author of The Twittering Machine'A wonderfully readable attack on the worldview that argues for adding a dollar value to nature in order to save it. An accessible account of a new phase of capitalism that we all need to understand.'Professor Simon Lewis, author of The Human Planet'At last! A wonderfully refreshing antidote to the notion that market forces can solve the climate and nature crises, and the deadly assumption that every idea must be evaluated in terms of markets, finance, property or profit. Elegant, incisive and fierce, Buller systematically takes apart the false solutions that dominate mainstream analysis, from carbon offsets to the commodification of nature, and gives us the tools to challenge their dominance and to broaden our understanding of what’s both possible and necessary.'Caroline Lucas MP'Buller offers essential context for understanding how economic dogmas and market-driven statecraft have warped our understanding of and responses to the climate crisis—or lack thereof. Crucially, she also presents a practical roadmap for course-correction. The Value of a Whale is an accessible and expertly curated guide to the increasingly slick, green face of capitalism in the 21st century. This book should be required reading for everyone from climate activists to policymakers and concerned citizens looking to salvage our collective prospects for a liveable future.'Kate Aronoff, author of Overheated'This is a book for anyone troubled by our lack of progress on the climate crisis, from young activists to hard-headed CEOs and investors that face losing control of companies as the climate breaks down. In her persuasive analysis of net zero policies that narrowly prioritise efficiency, market pricing and offsetting - and with unusual clarity and scrupulous integrity - Buller comes to unsettling conclusions. Read this before it is too late.' Ann Pettifor, author of The Case for the Green New Deal 'The Value of a Whale is an urgent and honest intervention, casting a magnifying glass over the institutions, insider groupthink, and non-solutions distracting and deflecting from the radical ideas and compassion we need to secure a safe planetary future. For too long, our response to ecological crisis has been steered by mainstream economic thinking that is not fit for purpose, to the exclusion of other vital perspectives. As Buller compellingly argues, we are long overdue a reset.'Farhana Yamin, Visiting Professor at UAK, Associate Fellow, Chatham House'A sorely needed corrective in an era of climate politics dominated by dollars and models. Adrienne Buller's The Value of a Whale is critical reading for the important task of prying the future out of the hands of corporations and technocrats.'Olúfemi O. Táíwò, author of Elite Capture and Reconsidering Reparations'As an argument, The Value of a Whale is utterly convincing, and thoroughly damning of the institutional and cultural forces it targets. Its factual analysis identifies and eviscerates the flawed assumptions and cynical illusions behind the recent turn to “sustainable finance.” Buller highlights the inefficacy and injustice of carbon markets and other hand-waving schemes to offset biodiversity loss and ecological impacts.'Chad A. Hines, Ancillary Review of Books 'The book provides a passionate and convincing critique of conventional environmental solutionism, and it ought to inspire greater scrutiny of what is being done in the name of saving the planet.'Chris Aylett, International Affairs, Volume 98, Issue 6'In this well-researched book, Buller forensically sets out the case against some common non-solutions – or certainly solutions that are leaned on too heavily.'Jeremy Williams, The Earthbound Report 'The seriousness of climate change cannot be over-stated. Yet after decades of UK policy-makers paying lip service to pro-environment policies, sadly it does seem that the next Prime Minister will be, at best, indifferent to climate change, and at worst, openly hostile to the notion that we must transform our economy to address it. Adrienne Buller’s outstanding book, however, perhaps helps us to understand why that might be the case.'Craig Berry, The Political Economy Blog'By synthesizing complicated interactions between the world of finance and the world of climate policy, Buller makes an important contribution to the public discourse.'Thomas Peterson, The Arts Fuse'Buller’s work challenges us to rethink the viability of the current system and prioritise the planet’s health and the well-being of all its inhabitants. In that sense, we must act now to protect the planet’s key biomes such as the Amazon before we reach a tipping point. This requires both a radical transformation of our economic systems and a radical rethinking of our ways of life on this planet. As a Brazilian rethinker committed to this cause both in research and advocacy, I find Buller’s message particularly resonant as a call to action to start building a world in which it is not only safe to live but also worth living in.'João Pedro Braga, Rethinking Economics'Maps and sharply criticizes the logics that characterize green capitalism and that block a real solution to the climate crisis.'Politiken'Dispelling the idea that economic value can be placed on nature in the name of protecting it, or indeed, using nature "sustainably", The Value of a Whale is an incredibly worthwhile read.' @whatsophieisreading -- .Table of ContentsIntroduction: What’s the value of a whale?1 Gatekeepers: Economics and the collapse of possibility2 Sirens: Distraction and dispossession in carbon markets3 Titans: Assets, power and the construction of green capitalism4 Alchemists: What’s green is gold5 Time travellers: Escaping ecological debt6 Ghosts: Valuing a disappearing worldConclusion: Between the devil and the deep blue sea: Should we accept green capitalist solutions?Index

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Book SynopsisHow can we reduce inequalities? How can we make work get better recognition and better pay?Philippe Askenazy in this new book shows that the current share of wealth is far from natural; it results from rising rents and their capture by the actors best endowed in the economic game. In this race for rents, the world of work is the big loser: while many workers feed capital rents by increased productivity and worsened working conditions, they are stigmatized as unproductive and their earnings stagnate. By proposing a new description of the capital-work relationship, calling for a remobilization of the world of work, and particularly poorly paid employees, Askenazy shows that there is a more radical alternative to neoliberalism beyond simply redistribution.Trade ReviewThe latest book by Philippe Askenazy is extraordinarily refreshing and innovative and deserves a wide international readership. Askenazy shows convincingly that is above all the relationship of forces and the legal and institutional system in which these relations are expressed that determine the share of wealth. The descriptions of the possible emergence of a new, participatory trade unionism are particularly successful: by describing the innovative mobilisations of subway drivers in New York, London or Paris, of American nurses, not to speak of cleaning workers in the luxury hotels in Paris's 'golden triangle' or bus drivers in Silicon Valley, Askenazy gives one hope again and shows that several futures are possible in the framework of the existing globalisation that is underway. -- Thomas Piketty

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Book Synopsis'Provocative and detailed ... Excellent' The Telegraph'Shocking and meticulous' Danny Dorling'An eye-opening revelation ... a must-read' Joel BakanTHE TELEGRAPH BEST BOOKS OF 2024British politicians love to vaunt the benefits of the UK's supposed special relationship' with the US. But are we really America's economic partner or its colony?Vassal State lays bare the extent to which US corporations own and control Britain's economy: how American business chiefs decide what we're paid, what we buy, and how we buy it. US companies have carved up Britain between them, siphoning off enormous profits, buying up our most lucrative firms and assets, and extracting huge rents from UK PLC all while paying little or no tax. Meanwhile, policymakers, from Whitehall mandarins to NHS chiefs, shape their decisions to suit the whims of our American corporate overlords. Based on his 40 years of business experience, devastating new research, and interviews with the major players, Angus Hanton exposes why Britain has become the poor transatlantic relation and what we can do to change it.

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Book SynopsisAn explosive exposé of the man who devoted his career to shackling democracy — and succeeded. Libertarian billionaires are using their wealth and power to drastically curtail the US democratic process, disempowering ordinary citizens whilst entrenching the influence of corporations as never before. In Democracy in Chains, award-winning historian Nancy MacLean reveals how the ideas of Nobel Prize-winning political economist James McGill Buchanan have been used to undermine the power of voters in a country whose Constitution is founded on the principle ‘We the people’. Now, with Mike Pence as Vice President, this chilling movement has a loyalist in the White House, as well as supporters in the House, the Senate, a majority of state governments, and the courts. Democracy in Chains is a timely, important book, which should be read by anybody interested in the future of democracy.Trade Review‘It’s the missing chapter: a key to understanding the politics of the past half century. To read Nancy MacLean’s new book, Democracy in Chains is to see what was previously invisible.’ -- George Monbiot * The Guardian *'It’s happening: the subversion of our democratic system from within. How did the political right do it? Nancy MacLean tells the long-overlooked story of the political economist who developed the playbook for the Koch brothers. James McGill Buchanan merged states rights’ thinking with free market principles and helped to fashion the inherently elitist ideology of today’s Republican Party. Professor MacLean’s meticulous research and shrewd insights make this a must-read for all who believe in government ‘by the people.' -- Nancy Isenberg, author of White Trash: the 400-year untold history of class in America'This book is mesmerising. Rarely have I encountered a work that speaks to such significant issues, with evidence rooted in conclusive new sources. In clear prose, MacLean reveals how a public once committed to social responsibility and egalitarian values became persuaded that only an unregulated free market could protect ‘liberty’ and ‘choice.’ Because of this, our once cherished democracy is now subject to attack. Everyone who wants to understand today’s confrontational politics should read this important book, now.' -- Alice Kessler-Harris, author of In Pursuit of Equity: women, men, and the quest for economic citizenship in twentieth-century America‘How did we get to where we are today? How did corporations come to possess ‘rights?’ How did democracy come to be defined as selfish individualism? Or money as free speech? Nancy MacLean’s Democracy in Chains provides the answers. It is essential reading in order to understand the ideas that billionaires use to justify their control of our political institutions. I can’t imagine a more timely or urgent book.’ -- Greg Grandin, author of Fordlandia (finalist for the Pulitzer Prize) and The Empire of Necessity (winner of the Bancroft Prize)‘[MacLean] creates a chilling portrait of an arrogant, uncompromising, and unforgiving man … [she] offers a cogent yet disturbing analysis of libertarians' current efforts to rewrite the social contract and manipulate citizens' beliefs … An unsettling exposé of the depth and breadth of the libertarian agenda.’ * Kirkus Reviews *‘MacLean constructs an erudite, searing portrait of how the late political economist James McGill Buchanan (1919 - 2013) and his deep-pocketed conservative allies have reshaped — and undermined — American democracy … A thoroughly researched and gripping narrative, she exposes how Buchanan’s strategies shaped trends in government in favour of ‘corporate dominance’ and against the welfare state … She has delivered another deeply important book … Her work here is a feat of American intellectual and political history.’ STARRED REVIEW * Publisher's Weekly *‘For those who think the Tea Party, Freedom Caucus, and the alt-right are recent constructs, MacLean provides an extensive history lesson that traces the genesis of the right wing back to post-WWII doctrines … A worthy companion to Jane Mayer’s Dark Money, MacLean’s intense and extensive examination of the right-wing’s rise to power is perhaps the best explanation to date of the roots of the political divide that threatens to irrevocably alter American government.’ STARRED REVIEW * Booklist *‘A remarkable new book which argues that the radical right revolution engineered by Charles and his brother David is not just about accruing political and economic power, but about restricting democracy itself.’ * The New Republic *‘[A] vibrant intellectual history of the radical right … [MacLean] has dug deep into her material — not just Buchanan’s voluminous, unsorted papers, but other archives, too — and she has made powerful and disturbing use of it all … The behind-the-scenes days and works of Buchanan show how much deliberation and persistence — in the face of formidable opposition — underlie the anti-governing politics ascendant today. What we think of as dysfunction is the result of years of strategic effort.’ * The Atlantic *‘This sixty-year campaign to make libertarianism mainstream and eventually take the government itself is at the heart of Democracy in Chains … [MacLean] takes the time to meticulously trace how we got here … If you're worried about what all this means for America's future, you should be … And if someone you know isn't convinced, you have just the book to hand them.’ * NPR *‘[A] riveting, unsettling account of 'Tennessee country boy' James McGill Buchanan, key architect of today's radical right.’ * O, The Oprah Magazine *‘Clear and compelling … timely.’ * The Sunday Post *‘A remarkable book … Democracy in Chains is a revelation, as politics and as history.’ * Jacobin *‘Democracy in Chains should be read by every thinking person in the United States. It is disturbing, revealing, and vitally important.’ * new york journal of books *‘Nancy MacLean has done us a true and timely service.’ * New Internationalist *‘This book’s importance cannot be underestimated … powerful and disturbing.’ -- Antony Loewenstein * Weekend Australian *‘Explosive and controversial.’ * Canberra Times *‘Democracy in Chains leaves me with hope: Perhaps as books like MacLean’s continue to shine a light on important truths, Americans will begin to realise they need to pay more attention and not succumb to the cynical view that known liars make the best leaders.’ * New York Times Book Review *‘[T]his book is a superb contribution to our understanding of the rise of libertarian notion and right-wing political power in the US.’ -- Bill McKibbern * TLS *‘Nancy MacLean’s Democracy In Chains is a work of the utmost importance and makes a unique and outstanding contribution in understanding America, in both historic and contemporary terms. It forces us to engage with and think deeply about the use and abuse of power.’ * Economic and Labour Relations Review *

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Book SynopsisA LANDMARK WORK OF POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY. A GLOBAL BESTSELLER. STILL AS RELEVANT TODAY. With the fall of Berlin Wall in 1989 the threat of the Cold War which had dominated the second half of the twentieth century vanished. And with it the West looked to the future with optimism but renewed uncertainty. The End of History and the Last Man was the first book to offer a picture of what the new century would look like. Boldly outlining the challenges and problems to face modern liberal democracies, Francis Fukuyama examined what had just happened and predicted what was coming next. Now updated with a new afterword, Fukuyama shows how the central issue today remains the same. Have any political and economic models arisen that could challenge liberal democracy as the best way of organizing human societies? He remains unconvinced. Tackling religious fundamentalism, politics, scientific progress, ethical codes and war, The End of History anTrade ReviewAwesome . . . a landmark . . . profoundly realistic and important . . . supremely timely and cogent * Washington Post *Clearly written, immensely ambitious * New York Times *Clever, important, teeming with original ideas * Mail on Sunday *We are indebted to Fukuyama for such an ambitious work of political philosophy * Foreign Affairs *

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Book SynopsisThis textbook explains the notion of monetary union, highlighting the key concepts, procedures, and challenges involved. The book is organized in three parts. In the first part, the reader learns about monetary issues, like definitions and typology of monetary unions, rationale of monetary unions, monetary policy, monetary institutional matters. The second part is devoted to fiscal matters and the interplay between fiscal and monetary policies, such as deficits, transfers, public debt sustainability issues, fiscal policy, policy mix. The last part focuses on other distinct but related issues, necessary to complete the union: banking and fiscal unions, structural adjustments in a monetary union. It ends with a chapter on the fate of monetary unions: how they develop, mature and sometimes dissolve.The book addresses students at undergraduate and graduate level, interested in a better understanding of international macroeconomics and monetary unions, as well as policy-makers, practitioners and economists in central banks, ministries of economics, economic institutions and banks. Table of Contents​Monetary Issues: Monetary Unions: Between International Trade and National Sovereignty.- Why a Monetary Union?- Monetary Policy in a Monetary Union: Lessons from Simple Models.- Institutions and Monetary Policy.- Fiscal Issues: Government Deficits, Transfers and Debt.- Fiscal Policies in a Monetary Union.- The Policy Mix.- Toward an Ever Closer Union: Structural Adjustments and Reforms.- Fiscal Union.- Banking Union.- The Fate of a Monetary Union.- General Conclusion.

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Book SynopsisA New York Times Bestseller!2019 was the last great year for the world economy.For generations, everything has been getting faster, better, and cheaper. Finally, we reached the point that almost anything you could ever want could be sent to your home within days - even hours - of when you decided you wanted it.America made that happen, but now America has lost interest in keeping it going.Globe-spanning supply chains are only possible with the protection of the U.S. Navy. The American dollar underpins internationalized energy and financial markets. Complex, innovative industries were created to satisfy American consumers. American security policy forced warring nations to lay down their arms. Billions of people have been fed and educated as the American-led trade system spread across the globe.All of this was artificial. All this was temporary. All this is ending.In The End of the World is Just the Beginning, author and geopolitical strategist Peter Zeihan maps out the next world: a world where countries or regions will have no choice but to make their own goods, grow their own food, secure their own energy, fight their own battles, and do it all with populations that are both shrinking and aging.The list of countries that make it all work is smaller than you think. Which means everything about our interconnected world - from how we manufacture products, to how we grow food, to how we keep the lights on, to how we shuttle stuff about, to how we pay for it all - is about to change.A world ending. A world beginning. Zeihan brings readers along for an illuminating (and a bit terrifying) ride packed with foresight, wit, and his trademark irreverence. Trade Review“Peter Zeihan is the Nostradamus of the twenty-first century. Using geography as his analytical foundation, he’s able to explain why nations behave the way they do today, and predict with astounding accuracy how they’ll behave tomorrow. Nowhere will you find a more objective and logical examination of geopolitical currents. A masterful blend of economics, demographics, environmental factors, cultural propellers, and realpolitik. The world is changing, especially America’s role in it, and Peter navigates this journey with clarity, rigor, and wit. If your passion is politics, investing, energy, technology, international relations or just being interesting at parties, read Peter’s book.” — Jesse Watters “Peter Zeihan’s latest work projects a future that will challenge your assumptions on how the world works, what nations are best postured to prosper, and which are fragile. The world he envisions is fraught with danger as powers rise and ebb, but not without opportunity. A worthy read to flesh out your worldview.” — Major General Patrick Donahoe, commanding general, U.S. Army Maneuver Center of Excellence “I’ve never been so upbeat about the end of the world. Deeply researched, powerfully argued, and well written. Zeihan stitches together insights from economic geography, demography, and history to give us an original yet intuitive theory of geopolitics.” — Ian Bremmer, president of Eurasia Group “From time to time, we hear how ‘everything is going to change.’ None of us ever believe it. Now I do.” — Bill Owens, former governor of Colorado “Peter Zeihan has done it again! The End of the World Is Just the Beginning offers a glimpse of the future by looking to the past. The geopolitics and demography that gave us our ‘perfect moment’ in history is passing. What is in store for us and generations to come? Move Zeihan’s latest to the top of your stack and find out.” — Jack Carr, former Navy SEAL sniper and number one New York Times bestselling author of In the Blood “I found Peter Zeihan’s description of the future to be both plausible and provocative. Regardless of the details of how the next decades unfold, Zeihan’s book convinced me that it is at our own peril that we assume the future will look just like the present. Now more than ever, all our children—regardless of race—need to be equipped with a portable and flexible skill set that will enable them to adapt to circumstances and opportunities that we can’t even imagine right now.” — Robert L. Woodson Sr., founder and president of the Woodson Center, 1776 Unites, Voices of Black Mothers United

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Book SynopsisMuch of our life involves working, preparing for work, searching for work, or thinking and worrying about work. Whether paid or unpaid, free or coerced, full-time, part-time, or zero-hours, work defines us and helps shape our behavior both on and off the job. In this accessible book, leading labor economist Bruce Pietrykowski offers a highly engaging exploration of the history and contemporary organization of work under capitalism. His clear presentation of the theoretical debates is illustrated by real-world examples from across the globe and a skillful account of alternatives that point toward a post-capitalist future. Employing a progressive, worker-centered vision that goes beyond mainstream economics, he examines themes ranging from inequality, care work, and the gig economy to technological change and a universal basic income. His analysis emphasizes power, conflict, solidarity, and cooperation, interpreted through the lenses of class, race, gender, and place. This comprehensive and highly readable book will be of interest to students of economics, sociology, labor studies, and politics seeking to learn more about work and workers in the global economy, as well as interested general readers.Trade Review�This bright, readable, and radical overview of labor economics points a smart finger at the work that goes on behind and beyond capitalist employment.�Nancy Folbre, University of Massachusetts �This book provides a lucid and readable introduction to the political economy of work for students and non-economists. Drawing on Marxist, feminist, and Post-Keynesian schools of thought, and a wealth of historical examples, Pietrykowski provides a toolkit to break the intellectual fetters of mainstream economics. Starting with the question of what is special about labor, Pietrykowski's discussion covers labor-market inequality, work in the household, employer behavior, worker ownership, technological change, and much more.�Ian Greer, Cornell University�Bruce Pietrykowski has written a sharp and nuanced critique of mainstream perspectives in labor economics that will broaden readers' understanding of what constitutes �work� in the modern economy.�Journal of Labor and Society�Very insightful...the book functions as Cliff Notes...for the classics and gives interested readers a wealth of citations and material on contemporary debates.�Daniel James Joseph, Labour

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewExcellent, important, disarmingly down to earth . . . they seek to shed much-needed light upon the distortions that bad economics bring to public debates while methodically deconstructing their false assumptions. * Observer *Not all economists wear ties and think like bankers. In their wonderfully refreshing book, Banerjee and Duflo delve into impressive areas of new research questioning conventional views about issues ranging from trade to top income taxation and mobility, and offer their own powerful vision of how we can grapple with them. A must-read. -- Thomas Piketty, author of Capital in the Twenty-First CenturyCompelling, useful, relevant ... Banerjee and Duflo use extensive data to zoom out and show us a wider view of these human dynamics -- Bill GatesExcellent ... Few have grappled as energetically with the complexity of real life as Esther Duflo and Abhijit Banerjee, or got their boots as dirty in the process ... Readers will be captivated * The Economist *A canard-slaying, unconventional take on economics ... invigorating ... a treasure trove of facts and findings about the biggest economic issues of the day * The Times *A magnificent achievement, and the perfect book for our time. Banerjee and Duflo brilliantly illuminate the largest issues of the day, including immigration, trade, climate change, and inequality. -- Cass R. Sunstein, author of How Change HappensBanerjee and Duflo are masters of this terrain . . . Their book is as stimulating as it gets

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Book Synopsis'I could not recommend this more. If you're looking for a sense of optimism, a sense of political possibility, this book is very important' Owen JonesWhat would a fair and equal society actually look like?Imagine a world with no banks. No stock market. No tech giants. No billionaires.In Another Now world-famous economist, Yanis Varoufakis, shows us what such a world would look like. Far from being a fantasy, he describes how it could have come about - and might yet. But would we really want it?Varoufakis's boundary-breaking new book confounds expectations of what the good society would look like and confronts us with the greatest question: are we able to build a better society, despite our flaws.'A vision of a new society with new ways of thinking is possibly the most important thing an artist can offer at the moment' Brian EnoTrade ReviewCombining a provocative thought-experiment with a deeply original sci-fi narrative, this book is both visionary in its search for new possibilities and realistic in its embrace of the complexities of our human nature -- Alfonso Cuarón, Oscar-winning Director of Roma and GravityA landmark work ... A vision of a new society with new ways of thinking is possibly the most important thing an artist can offer at the moment -- Brian EnoI am enjoying Yanis Varoufakis's Another Now. The way we live is not inevitable -- Jeanette WintersonI could not recommend this more. If you're looking for a sense of optimism, a sense of political possibility, this book is very important -- Owen JonesFrom @yanisvaroufakis' sf novel ANOTHER NOW, the absolute best description of the scam of #InvestmentBanking I've ever read * Cory Doctorow on Twitter *There is something exciting, even invigorating, about envisioning this world alongside Varoufakis ... one finishes Another Now buzzing with a sense of possibility * The Monthly *Another Now is structurally, ideologically and linguistically an extraordinary work -- Zoe WilliamsI've absolutely loved reading [Another Now] ... the second I started reading it, it surprised and intrigued me -- Matthew Taylor, RSAAnother Now is not only a marvellously good read - it is a notable addition to the literature of social change * The Wire *The reason Varoufakis seems to have captured the imaginations of so many is that his words about the European crisis speak universal truths about democracy, capitalism and social policy * Guardian *One of my few heroes -- Slavoj ZizekThe most interesting man in the world * Business Insider *

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Book SynopsisIn 1517, Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the wall of Wittenberg church. He argued that the Church’s internally consistent but absurd doctrines had pickled into a dogmatic structure of untruth. It was time for a Reformation. Half a millennium later, Steve Keen argues that economics needs its own Reformation. In Debunking Economics, he eviscerated an intellectual church – neoclassical economics – that systematically ignores its own empirical untruths and logical fallacies, and yet is still mysteriously worshipped by its scholarly high priests. In this book, he presents his Reformation: a New Economics, which tackles serious issues that today's economic priesthood ignores, such as money, energy and ecological sustainability. It gives us hope that we can save our economies from collapse and the planet from ecological catastrophe. Performing this task with his usual panache and wit, Steve Keen’s new book is unmissable to anyone who has noticed that the economics Emperor is naked and would like him to put on some clothes.Trade ReviewOne of Martin Wolf's 'Best Books of 2021: Economics' in the Financial Times“It is written not to interpret economics, but to change it.”Financial Times“In this punchy and passionate book, Steve Keen deftly unravels the fundamentals of neoclassical economics – and then starts to weave together the mindset, models and maths of an economics that actually works. For any student of economic modelling who wants to help create tools that are fit for the twenty-first century, this is the handbook and call to action you have been waiting for.”Kate Raworth, author of Doughnut Economics“This is a brilliant book. It deals with a crucial subject, and it does so with precision, wit and accessible prose.”Dissident VoiceTable of Contents1 Why this manifesto? 2 Money matters 3 Our complex world 4 Economics, energy and the environment 5 The Neoclassical disease 6 Conclusion: Be the change Notes References

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Book SynopsisA SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER PRESENTER OF THE BBC RADIO 4 SERIES 'HOW TO STEAL A TRILLION' SHORTLISTED FOR THE ORWELL PRIZE 2019 SUNDAY TIMES BUSINESS BOOK OF THE YEAR AN ECONOMIST POLITICS AND CURRENT AFFAIRS BOOK OF THE YEAR A DAILY MAIL AND TIMES BOOK OF THE YEAR 'You cannot understand power, wealth and poverty without knowing about Moneyland.' Simon Kuper, New Statesman 2019: democracy is eating itself, inequality is skyrocketing, the system is breaking apart. Why? Because in 1962, some bankers in London had an idea that changed the world. That idea was called 'offshore'. It meant that, for the first time, thieves could dream big. They could take everything. Join investigative journalist Oliver Bullough on a journey into the hidden world of the new global kleptocrats. See the poor countries where public money is stolen and the rich ones where it is laundered and invested. Watch the crooks at work and at play, and meet their respectable, white-collar enablers. Learn how the new system works and begin to see how we can tackle it.Trade ReviewEye-opening and essential ... Bullough has provided a model for how to tell a gripping and comprehensible story about a complex and crucial subject. You cannot understand power, wealth and poverty without knowing about Moneyland. -- Simon Kuper * New Statesman *If you want to know why international crooks and their eminently respectable financial advisors walk tall and only the little people pay taxes, this is the ideal book for you. Every politician and moneyman on the planet should read it, but they won't because it's actually about them. -- John le Carré, author of A Legacy of SpiesCorruption undermines democracy, weakens institutions and erodes trust, it destroys lives and impoverishes millions. Moneyland starts from that truth and tells London's part of that story ... This important book shows clearly that foreign policy isn't about foreigners, it's about us. -- Tom Tugendhat, Chair of the Foreign Affairs Select CommitteeA concise, confident book ... pacy, clever and entertaining ... if you still have any illusions about the wonders of liberated capitalism, Moneyland will probably cure you. -- Andy Beckett * Guardian *A darkly fascinating ride. -- John Arlidge * Sunday Times *There are few people who know the world of illicit finance and money laundering like Oliver Bullough. He takes us on a journey through the maze of complicity and criminality that will upend all your confidence in the institutions that should be protecting us. -- Bill Browder, author of Red Notice: How I became Putin's No. 1 EnemyYou cannot understand power, wealth and poverty without knowing about Moneyland. -- Simon Kuper * New Statesman *This is meticulously researched and engagingly told, and reveals the horror and scale of dirty money flowing around the world. The central role played by the UK and jurisdictions associated with the British family mean that every person concerned about corruption and fairness in the UK should read this book - and then campaign and act. -- Margaret Hodge, MPA great guide to a country you can't afford to visit but which is all around you. -- Richard Brooks, author of Bean CountersUnputdownable. Funny, tragic and explains the world. I hope it helps change it, too. -- Peter Pomerantsev, author of Nothing Is True and Everything is PossibleJaw-dropping and deeply unsettling. Oliver Bullough provides a sobering and brilliant account of how piracy on an epic-scale is alive and well in the 21st century. A must-read. Simple as that. -- Peter Frankopan, author of The Silk RoadsPraise for Let Our Fame Be Great: With this impassioned volume [Bullough] has struck a blow for the glory of the Caucasus and helped to give a voice to the voiceless. -- Justin Marozzi * Financial Times *Praise for The Last Man in Russia: The Last Man in Russia might be compared to Colin Thubron's Among the Russians - perhaps the last book in English to come so close to pinning down the Russianness of Russia. -- Mary Dejevsky * Independent *The Last Man in Russia is distinguished by the excellence of its writing and its lucid, unsparing gaze. * Daily Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisFrom their earliest meetings, activist David Graeber knew that the Occupy Wall Street movement was something different. From small beginnings its demonstrations spread across the world to cities like Cairo, Athens, Barcelona and London and gave a glimpse of a new way. This provocative look at the actions of the 99% asks: why was it so effective? What went right? And what can we all do now to make our world democratic once again? Both a treatise on power and protest and an energetic account of contemporary events, The Democracy Project will change the way you think about politics, and the world.Trade ReviewCaptures the joys and fears of a movement that believed it was on the cusp of achieving something special -- John Kampfner * Observer *

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Book Synopsis​This book examines and classifies different reactions to the COVID-19 pandemic from economists across the world. With the impacts of the pandemic experienced differently in each country, specific case studies are provided to highlight how the economics profession has responded to the challenges that have emerged from COVID-19. Key debates, such as the trade-off between health protective measures and the economic impacts of closing important sectors, are discussed, with a focus on the responses in China, the USA, Italy, France, Russia, Argentina, Brazil, India, and Palestine. This book explores the ability of economists to respond to economic and social crises, and provides insight into the ties between economic theory and economic policy in the modern world. It will be relevant to students and researchers interested in how economists have responded to the COVID-19 and what changes it might trigger.Table of ContentsIntroduction.- 1. China: Interpreting the Economic Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic in the Context of National Goals.- 2. COVID-19 and the Indian Economy: The Debate about a Wage-led Recovery.- 3. Palestine: The Pandemic Between Occupation and Neoliberalism.- 4. Economic Policy Debates in France since COVID-19: A Lasting Shift in Macron’s Doctrine? .- 5. COVID-19 and Russia.- 6. The Economy at the Time of COVID-19: Theoretical and Political Debates in the United States.- 7. Economists and COVID-19: The case of Argentina.- 8. Economic Policy and Economic Research in Brazil During the Pandemic.

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Book SynopsisEconomic growth isn't working, and it cannot be made to work. Offering a counter-history of how economic growth emerged in the context of colonialism, fossil-fueled industrialization, and capitalist modernity, The Future Is Degrowth argues that the ideology of growth conceals the rising inequalities and ecological destructions associated with capitalism, and points to desirable alternatives to it. Not only in society at large, but also on the left, we are held captive by the hegemony of growth. Even proposals for emancipatory Green New Deals or postcapitalism base their utopian hopes on the development of productive forces, on redistributing the fruits of economic growth and technological progress. Yet growing evidence shows that continued economic growth cannot be made compatible with sustaining life and is not necessary for a good life for all. This book provides a vision for postcapitalism beyond growth. Building on a vibrant field of research, it discusses the political economy and the politics of a non-growing economy. It charts a path forward through policies that democratise the economy, "now-topias" that create free spaces for experimentation, and counter-hegemonic movements that make it possible to break with the logic of growth. Degrowth perspectives offer a way to step off the treadmill of an alienating, expansionist, and hierarchical system. A handbook and a manifesto, The Future Is Degrowth is a must-read for all interested in charting a way beyond the current crises.Trade ReviewA most comprehensive analysis of the different trends converging in the degrowth movement, showing its capacity to both subvert the logic of capitalism and project visions of social justice. A book that powerfully challenges any reductive views of degrowth. -- Silvia FedericiThe Future Is Degrowth: A Guide to a World beyond Capitalism offers a sober presentation of the futility of the ideology and pursuit of infinite growth on a finite planet. Current multiple crises, including the unfolding catastrophic global heating, ought to force humans to pull the brakes on current fatal pathways. However, myopia has locked humans in a fatal pursuit of wealth, power and externalizations built on the platform of oppression, colonial exploitation, ecological despoliation and barbaric economic supremacy made possible by militarism, cultural manipulations, delineation of sacrificial zones and acceptance of enforcement of sacred or untouchable zones to sustain unquenchable consumption and wasteful appetites. This book presents a call for a world in which, through sober acceptance of having toed highly destructive growth, consumption and developmental paths, human beings understand and respect the ecological limits of Mother Earth her and regain both their humanity and place in the communities of other beings. -- Nnimmo Bassey, author of To Cook a Continent, Destructive Extraction and the Climate Crisis in AfricaIn economics, 'growth' implies a malignancy absent in nature: perpetual expansion and extraction. This book rigorously demolishes a concept that is the intellectual foundation of today's economics profession, a central pillar of capitalism and the source of ecological depletion. -- Ann PettiforA radical critique of capitalist growth and a powerful vision for a more just and ecological future. Don't miss this book. -- Jason HickelThis book is to degrowth what the IPCC is to climate science: the best available literature review on the topic. -- Timothée ParriqueAn excellent introduction to the degrowth agenda written in plain language. It shifts the burden of proof concerning solutions to climate and social crises to optimist eco-modernists from all political backgrounds. -- Nick Trantas * Journal of Political Ecology *Degrowth gains ground. * Yes Magazine *Must-read. * Occupy.com *If you are looking for a clear, comprehensive, scholarly but practical overview, then I'd recommend The Future is Degrowth. -- Mark BurtonThis book is a great handbook of ideas to help spread the word. * Bookbuster *Magnificent. The Future is Degrowth is arguably one of the most complete works on the concept of degrowth. This book is essential reading for both actors within civil society movements and policymakers, as it manages to be extremely ambitious in its goals while remaining realistic. * Green European Journal *Behind this strategy to reclaim our world from the forces of collapse is the vision of a free people taking charge of their lives. -- Bernard Marszalek * Counterpunch *

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Book SynopsisMost humans are significantly richer than their ancestors. Humanity gained nearly all of its wealth in the last two centuries. How did this come to pass? How did the world become rich? Mark Koyama and Jared Rubin dive into the many theories of why modern economic growth happened when and where it did. They discuss recently advanced theories rooted in geography, politics, culture, demography, and colonialism. Pieces of each of these theories help explain key events on the path to modern riches. Why did the Industrial Revolution begin in 18th-century Britain? Why did some European countries, the US, and Japan catch up in the 19th century? Why did it take until the late 20th and 21st centuries for other countries? Why have some still not caught up? Koyama and Rubin show that the past can provide a guide for how countries can escape poverty. There are certain prerequisites that all successful economies seem to have. But there is also no panacea. A society’s past and its institutions and culture play a key role in shaping how it may – or may not – develop.Trade Review"A vivid and crystal-clear summary of the very large body of research compiled in the past two decades on the most important question in economic history. Well informed, solidly anchored in historical facts and economic analysis, this book is a must for economics students."—Joel Mokyr, Northwestern University "In our current moment, when many are worried about the future of growth for the environment and the planet, this thought-provoking book by two leading scholars tells the story of how and why economic growth took off, and how it hugely raised living standards, but also increased inequality and misery on the way. This is a must-read for anybody worried about the future of growth and poverty on our planet."—Daron Acemoglu, MIT "[T]imely, consolidated, and refreshingly succinct.... It is likely to be a seminal text for years to come."—The Economic History ReviewTable of ContentsPreface 1 Why, When, and How Did the World Become Rich? 2 Did Some Societies Win the Geography Lottery? 3 Is it all Just Institutions? 4 Did Culture Make Some Rich and Others Poor? 5 Fewer Babies? 6 Was it Just a Matter of Colonization and Exploitation? 7 Why Did Northwestern Europe Become Rich First? 8 Britain’s Industrial Revolution 9 The Rise of the Modern Economy 10 Industrialization and the World it Created 11 The World is Rich Bibliography

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Book SynopsisOur economy is neither overwhelmingly capitalist, as Marxist political economists argue, nor overwhelmingly a market economy, as mainstream economists assume. Both approaches ignore vast swathes of the economy, including the gift, collaborative and hybrid forms that coexist with more conventional capitalism in the new digital economy. Drawing on economic sociology, anthropology of the gift and heterodox economics, this book proposes a groundbreaking framework for analysing diverse economic systems: a political economy of practices. The framework is used to analyse Apple, Wikipedia, Google, YouTube and Facebook, showing how different complexes of appropriative practices bring about radically different economic outcomes. Innovative and topical, Profit and Gift in the Digital Economy focusses on an area of rapid social change while developing a theoretically and politically radical framework that will be of continuing long-term relevance. It will appeal to students, activists and academicTrade Review'… this is a book that has big ideas, is dealing with monumental shifts in how our society is organised, how our economy works, and how we fundamentally relate to each other … there is so much content that can be used to explain digital and economic phenomena and theory that this deserves to be a widely discussed and thought about text …' Jon Dean, Sociological Research OnlineTable of ContentsPart I. Diverse Economies: 1. Introduction; 2. Diverse economies; Part II. Political Economies: 3. Beyond Marxist political economy; 4. Mainstream economics and its rivals; 5. Complexes of appropriative practices; Part III. Digital Economies: 6. Digital monopoly capitalism: Apple; 7. Co-operative peer production: Wikipedia; 8. Does Google give gifts?; 9. User content capitalism; 10. Conclusion.

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Book SynopsisWinner of the 2022 Eric Zencey Prize in Ecological Economics Capitalism is broken. The relentless pursuit of more has delivered climate catastrophe, social inequality and financial instability – and left us ill-prepared for life in a global pandemic. Tim Jackson’s passionate and provocative book dares us to imagine a world beyond capitalism – a place where relationship and meaning take precedence over profits and power. Post Growth is both a manifesto for system change and an invitation to rekindle a deeper conversation about the nature of the human condition.Now available as an audiobook narrated by the author.Trade Review‘A Reminder that judging political success and national prosperity by the entirely faulty measure of GDP is short-changing the present and the future.’Natalie Bennett, The House Magazine‘fascinating’The BMJ Opinion‘With great sensitivity and wonderful insight, Tim Jackson shows us that there is life after the growth imperative – and it’s a richer, more humane form of life. With its blend of science, history and biographical detail, Post Growth was a delight to read and gave me much to think about.’Svend Brinkmann – Author of The Joy of Missing Out ‘Through the window of our pandemic lockdown Jackson sees both the sins of capitalism and the renewal of hope. An instructive and stimulating read!’Herman Daly – Author of Steady State Economics ‘Tim Jackson’s compelling postgrowth vision strikes at the heart of today’s greatest existential challenge and human predicament: either we continue to propagate a capitalistic growth paradigm that fosters inequality, climate and health crises or we build our lives and livelihoods around a holistic system providing what is truly meaningful.’Sandrine Dixson-Declève – Co-President, The Club of Rome‘Joyous… Post Growth is one of the best written economic tomes I have read in a long while.’Dollars and Sense‘Post Growth is perhaps the most imaginative book I’ve read on the topic of economic growth, a lyrical and thoughtful account of where capitalism fails and the many ways that things could be done better.’The Earthbound Project‘Written almost as much in poetry as in prose, it is offered as a string of vignettes and parables giving us insights into what’s wrong with the way our economy works and what we can do to change it.’Ecologist ‘This book demonstrates that changing the current economic paradigm is not a crazy dream, but a real – and absolutely essential – possibility. For all of us. Right now. Taking the world towards the sustainable development we need is a revolution waiting to happen, if we only allow it.’Enrico Giovannini – Former Chief Statistician, OECD ‘Tim Jackson appeals to humanity's incredible ingenuity by replacing the tunnel vision of mainstream economics with a tour d'horizon of how good lives for all are perfectly possible without costing the Earth.’Maja Göpel, The New Institute‘Post Growth can be read as a playbook of how to turn the categorical imperative back on its feet again, how to build a world where equal rights to production and consumption do not ruin the planet, and how to subordinate the economy to a broader reflection on its purpose.’Green European Journal‘Jackson writes beautifully’Green House‘Abounds with prescriptions for the “economy of tomorrow” that challenge the orthodoxies of today… intriguing.’The Guardian ‘Post growth is one of the most important ideas of the 21st century, and Tim Jackson one of its most powerful proponents. Don’t miss this brilliant new book.’Jason Hickel – Author of Less is More ‘An unapologetic, clear-eyed vision.’Kerry Kennedy – President of Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights ‘A thrilling intellectual journey towards a post growth world.’Roman Krznaric – Author of The Good Ancestor ‘Some call Tim Jackson’s thesis about capitalism’s flaws, and proposed remedies, provocative. After two decades as a successful capitalist (or so they tell me) I don’t find it provocative at all, rather an existential imperative.’Jeremy Leggett – Founder of Solarcentury and SolarAid ‘Utterly inspiring … an urgent and eloquent plea for radical change.’Caroline Lucas – MP, Green Party ‘A tour de force, sinuous, disruptive – and a masterpiece of measured rage and love.’Jonathon Porritt – Author of Hope in Hell ‘Extraordinary, powerful and beautifully written – difficult to put down.’Mamphela Ramphele – Co-President, The Club of Rome ‘Economic wisdom wrapped up in poetry … A beautiful read.’Kate Raworth – Author of Doughnut Economics ‘Razor-sharp analysis and powerful storytelling’Johan Rockström – Professor of Earth Systems Science ‘An expansive, wise and uplifting work that will reorient the conversation. Highly recommended.’Juliet Schor – Author of After the Gig ‘Jackson is the great storyteller of economics – of what economies can and should be. In this book he draws on the stories of original thinkers near and far to show that post growth – a future beyond capitalism – is not just necessary for our planet, but also to sustain our human spirit.’Julia Steinberger – University of Lausanne ‘This is an important and urgent book. Tim Jackson exposes the cult of growth which is leading us down a path of human misery and destruction of the natural world. A book of questions, interwoven with stories and philosophy: our collective challenge is to create the answers.’Jo Swinson – Director, Partners for a New Economy ‘Tim Jackson offers us a book that is both honest and hopeful. It gently lets its stark messages unfold through writing that is often more like poetry than political prose. As rich in imagery as it is grounded with examples and clear explanations of why our economy is in urgent need of recalibration, this is a book that future generations will be glad was written.’Katherine Trebeck – Author of The Economics of Arrival ‘It is harder and harder to deny that we in the “developed” world are collectively prisoners of an addictive delusion – the myth of constantly increasing economic growth. In this brief but weighty book, Tim Jackson exposes this myth with unambiguous clarity, and asks whether we are able to seize the opportunities for tough self-questioning prompted by the current global crisis.’Rowan Williams – 104th Archbishop of Canterbury ‘Empowering and elegiac’Yanis Varoufakis – Author of Another NowTable of ContentsPrologue Chapter 1. The Myth of Growth Chapter 2. Who Killed Capitalism? Chapter 3. The Limited and the Limitless Chapter 4. The Nature of Prosperity Chapter 5. Of Love and Entropy Chapter 6. Economics as Storytelling Chapter 7. The Return to Work Chapter 8. A Canopy of Hope Chapter 9. The Art of Power Chapter 10. Dolphins in Venice Acknowledgements References Notes

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Book SynopsisThe capitalist mode of destruction traces contemporary capitalism’s economic, ecological and democratic crises. Combining insights from a range of disciplines, including psychology, sociology and political economy, Panayotakis interprets these crises as manifestations of a previously unrecognized contradiction: over time, the benefits of capitalism’s technological dynamism tend to decline even as its threats to humanity and the planet continue to mount.To explain this contradiction, the book analyzes the production and distribution of surplus in capitalist societies and rethinks the concept of surplus itself. Identifying the public sector and households as sites of production no less important than the workplace, this book attributes capitalism’s contradictions to working people’s lack of control over the surplus they produce. This lack of control is undemocratic and threatens the planet. Only a classless society, in which working people democratically determine the size and use of the surplus they produce, can effectively respond to our current predicament. Recognizing such a democratic classless society as the essence of the communist ideal, the book argues that, far from becoming obsolete, this ideal is ever more indispensable. But since the necessity of this ideal does not guarantee its realization, the book also investigates the conditions necessary for the formation of an anti-capitalist alliance for social justice, democracy and ecological sustainability.Table of ContentsConfronting the capitalist virus: A prefatory noteIntroduction1 Rethinking the Surplus2 Surplus and Freedom3 Capital’s Real Subsumption of Consumption 4 Consumerism and Capital’s Use of Science and Technology to Undercut Democracy5 Capitalism as a Force of Destruction6 Futile Growth and Mounting Destruction: The Need to Rethink Contemporary Capitalism’s Contradictions7 The Crisis of Capitalist Democracy and the Continuing Relevance of the Communist IdealConclusion: Rethinking the Relationship Between Capitalism, Communism and Democracy

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Book SynopsisSince the late-1990s Turkey has emerged as a significant economic power. Never colonized and straddling the continents of Europe and Asia, it plays a strategically important role in a region of increasing instability. Bülent Gökay examines Turkey’s remarkable domestic political and economic transformation over the past two decades within the context of broader regional and global changes. By situating the story of Turkey’s economic growth within an analysis of the structural changes and shifts in the world economy, the book provides new insights into the functioning of Turkey’s political economy and the successes and failures of its ruling party’s economic management.Trade ReviewThis is a superb long durée perspective on the political economy of contemporary Turkey over the last two decades, one we ignore at our own peril. -- Vassilis K. Fouskas, University of East London, and founding editor of the Journal of Balkan and Near Eastern StudiesUsing insights gathered from world systems analysis and global shift approaches, this book departs from Eurocentric lenses and casts a critical eye on Turkey’s geopolitical and economic positionality in a highly informative and engaging manner. It consequently fills an important gap in Turkish studies, global political economy and international relations. -- Tunc Aybak, Middlesex UniversityThis is an important book. It shows us the developmental trajectory of Turkey over the last two decades. Similar to the impact of China, middle-sized rising powers like Turkey have huge potential to shift the global power structure with profound implications. Professor Gokay reminds us in this book that despite the destructive strategies of neoliberalism there are opportunities for global powers to collaborate in the pursuit of their own development and growth strategies. -- Qingan Huang, Guangdong University of Finance and EconomicsTurkey in the Global Economy examines the transformation of the country over the past two decades, from an underdeveloped and weak economic power into an important regional player with a dynamic economy and a significant role in global networks. In laying out this trajectory, Bulent Gokay deploys two optics. On the one hand, he offers a broad view of Turkey in the context of what he refers to as the 'global shift' of political and financial power from the developed West and North to the countries of the East and South. This shift is most apparent in the emergence of the BRIC quartet, but Gokay argues that it opened up vital opportunities for other middle-range regional powers such as Turkey as well, allowing them to enhance their regional and global influence. At the same time, the book provides a more granular focus on the political and economic transformation of Turkey itself. This took the form of a wide-ranging neoliberal reform aimed at creating an export-oriented industrial sector and restructuring Turkey's financial system. These external and internal processes are examined against the backdrop of a domestic political scene in Turkey dominated by the AKP party of Recep Erdogan, who paradoxically sought to advance the neoliberal agenda while co-opting traditionalist-Islamist elements into Turkey’s ruling elite for the first time in its modern history. The book is a stimulating work of impressive scholarship and considerable originality. It is essential reading for anyone interested in the development of modern Turkey and the Middle East, and it is very highly recommended for those desiring a more synthetic and sophisticated understanding of the dynamics that have reshaped global geoeconomics and geopolitics in the new millennium. -- Mark Bassin, Center for Baltic and East European Studies, Södertörn University, SwedenTable of ContentsIntroduction Part I Global shift and the world economy1. An emerging market economy2. The Turkish economy in the twentieth century Part II The AKP 1: populist neoliberalism3. Deep financial and economic crisis: Turkey prepares the ground for the AKP4. The “golden age”: stable growth, fiscal discipline and “heaven” for foreign direct investment5. Crisis at the global centre Part III The AKP 2: authoritarian neoliberalism6. The global financial crisis and Turkey’s response7. Turkish foreign policy: the Arab Spring and the Syrian catastrophe8. The Taksim Gezi protests and the authoritarian turn9. The 2016 failed coup and crackdown Part IV The crisis of global hegemony10. The US–Turkey stand-off, trade wars and new partners11. Turkey and uncertain predictions for the world economy12. The Covid-19 pandemic13. Towards a conclusion: some key trends

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Book SynopsisThis book charts the fall of productivity growth and the rise of inequality within global economies and societies. Set out through a series of economic models, the impact of falling rates of productivity growth, particularly in the USA, are examined in relation to lowering interest rates, the lifting of the stock market, and an increasingly unequal distribution of wealth. The economic impact of COVID-19, including the increased tendency to work from home and renewed public debt pressures, are contextualised within broader issues of wage suppression and discontent within the labor force to highlight how average workers have been left behind. The rise of China and the geopolitical tensions that it has created is also discussed.This book sets out the macro and microeconomic innovations that can create a revival in productivity growth in the coming years. It will be relevant to students and researchers interested in global economic trends and the political economy.Table of Contents1. Introduction.- 2. The slowdown and real interest rates.- 3. The slowdown and asset prices.- 4. The slowdown and the share of profits.- 5. The slowdown in the data.- 6. Losing ground to China and other countries.- 7. The pandemic and its aftermath.- 8. Growth to the Rescue.

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Book Synopsis

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Book SynopsisThe relentless pursuit of economic growth is the defining characteristic of contemporary societies. Yet it benefits few and demands monstrous social and ecological sacrifice. Is there a viable alternative? How can we halt the endless quest to grow global production and consumption and instead secure socio-ecological conditions that support lives worth living for all? In this compelling book, leading experts Giorgos Kallis, Susan Paulson, Giacomo D’Alisa and Federico Demaria make the case for degrowth - living well with less, by living differently, prioritizing wellbeing, equity and sustainability. Drawing on emerging initiatives and enduring traditions around the world, they advance a radical degrowth vision and outline policies to shape work and care, income and investment that avoid exploitative and unsustainable practices. Degrowth, they argue, can be achieved through transformative strategies that allow societies to slow down by design, not disaster. Essential reading for all concerned citizens, policy-makers, and students, this book will be an important contribution to one of the thorniest and most pressing debates of our era.Trade Review“COVID-19 is the symptom; the profit-driven destruction of natural and social habitants is the disease. There's only one cure consistent with global social justice. Read this eloquent and urgent book and find out what it is.”Mike Davis, University of California and author of Ecology of Fear and Planet of Slums “The Case for Degrowth is a brief and straightforward explainer, and a good starting point for anyone who wants to get their head around the degrowth movement and what it wants to acheive.”Jeremy Williams, editor of Time to Act and co-author of The Economics of Arrival “The Case for Degrowth does what its title promises; it assertively advocates for a society and economy that aim at the wellbeing of all while also sustaining the natural basis of life, refuting the myth of green growth, and providing a clear compass to evaluate the directionality of sustainability transitions.”Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions “This is a major contribution to the current debate on growth and degrowth. The authors lay bare the innards of each and show us the importance of degrowth. Wellbeing, equity, and sustainability are key vectors organizing this text. These should be understood in the fullness of their capacities to move us out of our current modernity --a decaying order that is today still dominant. But history has shown us across the centuries that no system of power can last for ever, and nor will our current system. Indeed, it is busy destroying itself.”Saskia Sassen, Columbia University and author of Expulsions “Degrowth is one of the most important ideas of the 21st century. Here it is in compact form. Clear, timely, urgent. Don't miss this book.”Jason Hickel, London School of Economics and author of The Divide and Less is More “The COVID pandemic is laying bare dysfunctions of the growth model and the urgency of a pathway to sanity, climate protection, and security for all. This wonderful and accessible introduction by leading degrowth scholars is a vital resource for anyone interested in viable alternatives, rooted in cooperative economic relations and respect for planetary limits.”Juliet Schor, author of After the Gig: how the sharing economy got hijacked and how to win it back “A superb account of why capitalist economies fail life on Earth, even as peoples initiatives in community sharing already revive joy and hope for our futures. This small book teaches economics like no other. It will reply to your doubts about change. It should be on every public library shelf and every syllabus; give copies to your friends.”Ariel Salleh, activist and editor of Eco-Sufficiency and Global Justice: Women write Political Ecology“As the panoply of growth-induced disasters becomes ever more evident with the COVID-19 crisis, it becomes patently clear that the growth imperative must come to a stop. A new vision of the economy –and, hence, of economics—is absolutely essential to the welfare of Earth and all its beings. With The Case for Degrowth, Kallis, Paulson, D’Alisa and Demaria give us a decisive chapter towards such reframing. They show that degrowth is about much more than just the economy: it’s about a radically different way of being, doing and world-making. Degrowth enlightens us on the design of wiser societies that go at a slower pace precisely because they are attuned to Earth. By incorporating the paradigms of care, mutual aid, commoning, and justice, this stunning short book by the foremost thinkers of degrowth finally makes tangible a radical transition towards the peaceful and mutually-enhancing co-existence of humans and the Earth.”Arturo Escobar, author of Encountering Development, and Designs for the Pluriverse and Professor of Anthropology at University of North Carolina “The case for degrowth as argued in this book is so well rounded and compelling that it is difficult to imagine how progressive politicians could avoid integrating the many policies advocated here into their party manifestos . . . unless of course they cannot escape the growth mentality that has suffocated progressive policies for decades. But even in this case, the book offers ways of changing that mentality through commoning and collective action.”Massimo De Angelis, University of East London, editor of The Commoner, and author of Omnia Sunt Communia"Many before have made the point that there are limits to growth, but few have pondered so convincingly on how to break from our addiction to growth."Stefania Barca, University of Coimbra, co-editor of Towards a Political Economy of Degrowth“The degrowth movement now has its Manifesto. A rigorous, practical analysis that will guide grassroots and institutional politics so they can realize a transformation akin to degrowth and turn the current global crisis into a new opportunity and pathway towards more sustainable and carrying societies.”Isabelle Anguelovski, Barcelona Lab for Urban Environmental Justice and Sustainability (BCNUEJ) and author of Neighborhood as Refuge “By this book, degrowth finally becomes adult. No longer a simple game of hide-and-seek with the growth regime. No longer a vague illusion postponed until the advent of a catastrophe that never comes. No longer a generous experimentation among circles of virtuosos nor an extreme form of resilience by the excluded from the banquet of the consumer society, but a mature and innovative political project, facing the hegemony challenge in the open field of the social arena. The authors are the best fruits of the degrowth movement: activists at the forefront and at the same time leading scholars.”Onofrio Romano, University of Bari and author of Towards a society of degrowth “Decrecer es la consigna. Más y más crecimiento económico en un mundo finito es una locura. Más todavía si éste ahonda las diferencias sociales, las frustraciones y la infelicidad. No podemos mantener ese ritmo despiadado de acumulación del que afloran múltiples pandemias, como la del coronavirus. No hay duda, requerimos una desaceleración programada de la actividad económica para reencontrarnos armónicamente con los ritmos de la Madre Tierra, así como para construir otras sociedades basadas en la diversidad, la sostenibilidad, la pluralidad y la reciprocidad; bases fundamentales del Pluriverso: un mundo donde quepan todos los mundos posibles que aseguren una vida digna a humanos y no humanos.”Alberto Acosta, former president of the Constituent Assembly of Ecuador and author of Buen Vivir “Degrowth is one of the most exciting approaches to emerge from the belly of the industrialised and colonising world, fundamentally challenging its unsustainable and inequitable path of 'development'. But approaches and concepts also need praxis, else they remain in rarified ivory towers. Perhaps for the first time, here, degrowth proponents transform visions and recommendations into a coherent set of actions, from our individual choices to macro-economics and politics. Essential reading for anyone interested in transforming society to be crisis-resilient and crisis-avoiding!”Ashish Kothari, Kalpavriksh/Global Tapestry of Alternatives and co-editor of Pluriverse: A Post-Development Dictionary​"Is there life after economic growth? Kallis and his co-authors have taken up the baton from the early proponents of degrowth and created a vibrant, accessible discourse for the 21st Century. The Case for Degrowth provides the why, the where and the how of a better economy and a richer society. Its vision is needed now more than ever."Tim Jackson, Centre for the Understanding of Sustainable Prosperity, author of Prosperity without Growth“This is a bold book that goes beyond naysaying and critique, and in writing such a book, the authors are doing a great service to all us educators who are frequently asked by our students ‘now what? What can we do?’”Manisha Anantharaman, Saint Mary’s College of California“A concise and thorough overview of the case for degrowth and an alternative vision of sustainable and equitable wellbeing.”Anders Hayden, Dalhousie University“The Case for Degrowth is a brief and straightforward explainer, and a good starting point for anyone who wants to get their head around the degrowth movement and what it wants to achieve.”Jeremy Williams, editor of Time to Act and co-author of The Economics of Arrival“This pithy book offers a well-argued critique of growth systems while presenting policy packages for promoting degrowth that will help people produce only as much, consume less, share more, enjoy time, and live with dignity and joy.”The Hindu

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Book SynopsisThe classic economic treatise that insipired Thomas Piketty's Capital in the Twenty-First CenturyThe publication of The Wealth of Nations in 1776 coincided with America's Declaration of Independence, and with this landmark treatise on political economy, Adam Smith paved the way for modern capitalism, arguing that a truly free market - fired by competition yet guided as if by an 'invisible hand' to ensure justice and equality - was the engine of a fair and productive society. Books I - III of The Wealth of Nations examine the 'division of labour' as the key to economic growth, by ensuring the interdependence of individuals within society. They also cover the origins of money and the importance of wages, profit, rent and stocks, but the real sophistication of his analysis derives from the fact that it encompasses a combination of ethics, philosophy and history to create a vast panorama of society.This edition contains an analytical introductioTrade Review"Adam Smith's enormous authority resides, in the end, in the same property that we discover in Marx: not in any ideology, but in an effort to see to the bottom of things."--Robert L. Heilbroner

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Book SynopsisJosh Lerner, leading Harvard Business School professor, explores what lies behind successful innovation, and what managers and companies can learn from successful and unsuccessful cases. He combines both analysis of in-house innovation in corporate research labs, with more finance based venture capital investment in innovation.Table of ContentsPART I: THE TRADITIONAL MODEL; PART II: THE VENTURE ALTERNATIVE; PART III: THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS?

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Book SynopsisAusterity has been at the center of political controversy following the 2008 financial crisis, invoked by politicians and academics across the political spectrum as the answer to, or cause of, our post-crash economic malaise. However, despite being the cause of debate for more than three centuries, austerity remains a poorly understood concept. In this book, Suzanne J. Konzelmann aims to demystify austerity as an economic policy, a political idea, and a social phenomenon. Beginning with an analysis of political and socioeconomic history from the seventeenth century, she explains the economics of austerity in the context of the overall dynamics of state spending, tax, and debt. Using comparative case studies from around the world, ranging from the 1930s to post-2008, she then evaluates the outcomes of austerity in light of its stated objectives and analyzes the conditions under which it doesn’t – and occasionally does – work. This accessible introduction to austerity will be essential reading for students and scholars of political economy, economics, and politics, as well as all readers interested in current affairs.Trade Review“Suzanne J. Konzelmann’s book is an incredibly valuable contribution to the growing backlash against austerity. The broad and rich historical and international perspective confirms that these pernicious policies have a track record of failure.”Geoff Tily, senior economist, Trades Union Congress “In the wake of the 2008 global financial crisis, austerity policies were imposed in many countries, with results ranging from disappointing to disastrous. Konzelmann shows how the logic of austerity was fundamentally undermined by the emergence of the welfare state in the twentieth century. Austerity policies threaten the automatic stabilizing effects of a large welfare state, and are therefore counterproductive.”John Quiggin, University of QueenslandTable of ContentsChapter 1 Introduction Chapter 2 Shifting Responses to the Evolution of National Debt and the Economic Role of the State Chapter 3 National Accounting and the Economics of Austerity Chapter 4 Selling Austerity – Economics, Politics and Society Chapter 5 Austerity and Welfare – An Unstable Mixture: Britain, Germany & the United States between the Wars Chapter 6 Austerity (and Stimulus) in Post-war Chile, America, Ireland and Japan Chapter Some have Austerity thrust upon them, Others Embrace it: Ireland, Greece and the United Kingdom after the 2008 crisis Chapter 8 Post-2008 Variations on Austerity: Iceland and the United States Chapter 9 Austerity’s political economic, ideological and socio-cultural dimensions Chapter 10 Conclusions Notes References

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Book SynopsisFor readers of Putin's People by Catherine Belton comes the stunning story of Russia's slide back into a dictatorship led by Vladimir Putin - and how the world is now paying the price. 'Brave, trenchant and convincing' Sunday Times'Ferocious and unforgiving' Financial TimesThe ascension of Vladimir Putin - a former lieutenant colonel of the KGB - to the presidency of Russia in 1999 was a strong signal that the country was headed away from democracy. Yet in the intervening years - as America and the world's other leading powers have continued to appease him - Putin has grown not only into a dictator but an international threat. With his vast resources and nuclear arsenal, Putin is at the centre of a worldwide assault on political liberty and the modern world order.For Garry Kasparov, none of this is news. He has been a vocal critic of Putin for over a decade, even leading the pro-democracy opposition to him in the farcical 2008 presidential election. Yet years of seeing his Cassandra-like prophecies about Putin's intentions fulfilled have left Kasparov with a darker truth: Putin's Russia, like ISIS or Al Qaeda, defines itself in opposition to the free countries of the world.As Putin has grown ever more powerful, the threat he poses has grown from local to regional and finally to global. In this urgent book, Kasparov shows that the collapse of the Soviet Union was not an endpoint - only a change of seasons, as the Cold War melted into a new spring. But now, after years of complacency and poor judgement, winter is once again upon us.Argued with the force of Kasparov's world-class intelligence, conviction and hopes for his home country, Winter Is Coming reveals Putin for what he is: an existential danger hiding in plain sight.Trade ReviewThe main target of this brave, trenchant and convincing book is not the thuggish and dangerous regime that misrules Russia, but the cowardly wishful thinking in the West that refuses to stop it... The book ably summarises the many other alarm calls the West has missed... Let us hope that Kasparov's book becomes a bestseller -- Edward Lucas * The Times *In this punchy polemic, Kasparov reflects on how far the world has gone from the heady "end of history" days of the early 1990s to what some see as the advent of a new Cold War... Kasparov's moral clarity is admirable and informed by personal experience. -- Peter Conradi * Sunday Times *Ferocious and unforgiving... This is a book that should be read by every policymaker dealing with Russia (or any other autocracy) -- John Thornhill * Financial Times *A compelling story of courage... Winter Is Coming presents a picture of the internal forces propelling Russia's descent into aggressive authoritarianism. And if offers a scathing analysis of the contribution of the West to that outcome. * Wall Street Journal *It's always important to read Garry Kasparov, who warned of the dangers of Putinism long before so many others. He is that rare thing: A Russian democrat who is realistic about his country, but remains hopeful for the future. * Anne Applebaum, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Gulag and Iron Curtain *Garry Kasparov has the information-processing capacity of a supercomputer and the eloquence of an extraordinary orator. It takes a mind and a heart like his to analyze the last twenty-five years of the history of Russia in the world and emerge with not only an indictment of Western complicity but a clear call for Western action. * Masha Gessen, author of Man Without a Face and Words Will Break Cement *Garry Kasparov is a mastermind in chess and politics, and he understands the evil of the Putin regime better than anyone. This book is a clear and accurate observation of the mess we are in due to the West's inaction towards Putin, and a stark warning of what will happen if we fail to act in the future. It should be required reading for every head of state and their electorate. * Bill Browder, author of Red Notice *Garry Kasparov has written a passionate indictment both of Russia's kleptocracy and the complacency of Western democracies in the face of Putin. This threat has become our central foreign policy challenge, and Kasparov's arguments are essential in understanding how to face it. * Francis Fukuyama *

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Book SynopsisTorsten Bell is the Labour MP for Swansea West, and the former Chief Executive of the Resolution Foundation, an economic research charity working to raise the living standards of households on low to middle incomes.Prior to leading the Resolution Foundation, Torsten worked in HM Treasury, as a member of the Council of Economic Advisers during the financial crisis, and as Director of Policy for the Labour Party. He is a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences, trustee of the Child Poverty Action Group and an Honorary Professor at UCL. He has a weekly column in The Observer.

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Book SynopsisWhen the Treasury lost control of interest rates to the Bank of England in 1997, its status looked under threat. However, it quickly reasserted its power by dominating policymaking across Whitehall and diminishing other ministries in the process. It also successfully fought off attempts by Prime Ministers, from Blair to Johnson, to cut it down to size. In this fascinating insider account, based on in-depth interviews with the Chancellors and key senior officials, Howard Davies shows how the past twenty-five years have nonetheless been a roller-coaster ride for the Treasury. Heavily criticized for its response to the global financial crisis, and for the rigours of the austerity programme, it also ran into political controversy through its role in the Scottish referendum and the Brexit debate. The Treasury’s dire predictions of the impact of Brexit have not been borne out. Redemption of a kind, though a costly one, came from its muscular response to the COVID crisis. Anyone with an interest in economic policymaking, in the UK and elsewhere, will find this a valuable and entertaining account.Trade Review"A thoughtful, gossipy and highly readable account of recent British economic history, Howard Davies’s survey covers all the big Treasury issues and personalities of the past twenty-five years, with especially interesting insights on financial regulation and the Treasury’s post-Brexit policy challenges."Ed Balls, former Education Secretary and Shadow Chancellor "These are fascinating, personal assessments of the performance of our Chancellors by someone particularly well qualified to make them."Gus O’Donnell, former Cabinet Secretary and Permanent Secretary of HM Treasury"Witty and essential reading for anyone who wants to understand the Treasury."House Magazine"Howard Davies has written a succinct and fascinating assessment of the Treasury’s crucial role since 1997. How the department responds to the challenges of the future is likely to determine the UK’s prospects for decades to come.”Literary Review“A succinct and fascinating assessment of the Treasury’s crucial role.”David Gauke, former Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice“This insider’s view […] manages to be both authoritative and quite cheeky.”Ferdinand Mount, The Spectator“Davies is kinder to the Treasury than I would be. Nevertheless, he recognises that trouble lies ahead: political and economic realities do not look friendly to the belief in free markets and fiscal discipline that guides this powerful institution.”Martin Wolf, The Financial Times“It’s a “fascinating” story, covering many challenges and changes.”The Weekly“informative and entertaining”William A. Allen,The Society of Professional Economists"a source of great insight"Craig Berry, University College London Table of ContentsForeword 1. Economic Performance 2. Macroeconomic Policy 3. Public Expenditure 4. Tax Policy 5. Scotland: Saving the Union 6. Europe: the ins and outs 7. Financial Regulation and the City of London 8. Climate change: the road to Net Zero 9. The Treasury’s changing shape 10. Leadership 11. Trouble ahead Notes

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Book SynopsisIn this fascinating and provocative book, David Willetts shows how the baby boomer generation has amassed unprecedented wealth and power at the expense of its children. Today's young people will pay heavier taxes, work longer hours for less money and live in a vastly degraded environment in order to pay for their parents' quality of life.Worried about the world they are passing on to their children, baby boomers are taking note. But are they willing to make the sacrifices necessary for a more equal distribution of wealth and assets? The Pinch is an insightful look at one of the most pressing issues facing Britain today; this fully revised and updated edition is essential reading for parents and policymakers alike.Trade ReviewThis is a wonderful, thought-provoking book, and is something of a tour de force...The implications of his argument are profound. * Financial Times *Mr Willetts's book lucidly explains how this unsuitable situation came about through the interaction of demographics, economics and electoral politics. * The Times *The Pinch is both a treasure trove of elegantly harvested statistics and a tremendous syhthesis of social analyses, culled from half a lifetime's study of economic and philosophical thought. -- Dominic Lawson * Sunday Times *Table of Contents0: Introduction to the First Edition 1: Who We Are 2: Breaking Up 3: The Baby Boom 4: Spending the Kids' Inheritance 5: The Social Contract 6: Ages and Stages 7: Why Bother About the Future? 8: What Governments Do 9: Time for Childhood 10: Education and Social Mobility 11: Houses and Jobs: Generation Crunch 12: 3G

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Book SynopsisA LITHUB BOOK OF THE DECADE. The US is one of the largest democracies in the world or is it?America is experiencing an age of profound economic inequality. Employee protections have been decimated, and state welfare is virtually non-existent, while hedge fund billionaires are grossly under-taxed and big businesses make astounding profits at the expense of the environment and of their workers. How did this come about, and who were the driving forces behind it?In this powerful and meticulously researched work of investigative journalism, New Yorker staff writer Jane Mayer exposes the network of billionaires trying to buy the US electoral system and succeeding. Led by libertarian industrialists the Koch brothers, they believe that taxes are a form of tyranny and that government oversight of business is an assault on freedom. Together, they have spent hundreds of millions of dollars influencing politicians and voters, and hijacking American democracy for their own ends. Dark Money brilliantly illuminates a shady corner of US politics. It is essential reading for anybody interested in the future of democracy.

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

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Book SynopsisKidnap for ransom is a lucrative but tricky business. Millions of people live, travel, and work in areas with significant kidnap risks, yet kidnaps of foreign workers, local VIPs, and tourists are surprisingly rare and the vast majority of abductions are peacefully resolved - often for remarkably low ransoms. In fact, the market for hostages is so well ordered that the crime is insurable. This is a puzzle: ransoming a hostage is the world''s most precarious trade. What would be the right price for your loved one - and can you avoid putting others at risk by paying it? What prevents criminals from maltreating hostages? How do you (safely) pay a ransom? And why would kidnappers release a potential future witness after receiving their money? Kidnap: Inside the Ransom Business uncovers how a group of insurers at Lloyd''s of London have solved these thorny problems for their customers. Based on interviews with industry insiders (from both sides), as well as hostage stakeholders, it uncovers an intricate and powerful private governance system ordering transactions between the legal and the criminal economies.Trade ReviewThe important issues raised by this book make it an indispensable guide for those interested in understanding the dark world of kidnapping for ransom. * Joshua Sinai, Washington Times *This is the latest, and in many ways one of the very best, of a recent wave of "New Institutional Economics of Marginal Markets" books... After years of research and hundreds of interviews, Anja Shortland has delivered a truly excellent book, one worth studying for the insights it contains into the new political economy and the new institutionalism. * Michael C Munger, Independent Review *... a fascinating insight into a world most people thankfully don't have to experience... This is a fascinating and provocative book, as compelling as any fictional thriller. * Matthew Partridge, Money Week Book of the Week *Kidnap will open your eyes, and it could help you keep both feet square on the ground. * Terri Schlichenmeyer, Journal Record Online *This outstanding book enlightens readers on the modern workings of the ransom business with its stakeholders-the kidnappers, the insurers, the governments, and the victims and their families. The author applies economic reasoning in a clear, clever, and insightful manner. In doing so she puts a perplexing problem into sharp focus. This must-read book addresses a crucial political problem in an engaging way. * Todd Sandler, University of Texas at Dallas. Author of Terrorism: What Everyone Needs to Know *Using jargon-free prose and impeccable analytical clarity this book portrays the business logic of the protagonists of kidnap-the kidnappers, their protectors, the hostages, and the insurers-vividly illustrating it with many real-life cases replete with unexpected twists. Whether you are afraid of being kidnapped, eager to sell insurance, working hard to deter or catch kidnappers, or even just a social scientist eager to understand what makes kidnapping fail or thrive, this treatise, the first of its kind, will prove supremely enlightening. * Diego Gambetta European University Institute and Oxford University, author of Engineers of Jihad, Codes of the Underworld, and The Sicilian Mafia *What do you get when you combine the intrigue of the international kidnap-for-ransom business and solid nuanced economic theory? A great read and deep insights into how extra-legal markets really work. * Gillian Hadfield, University of Toronto *The business and economic dynamics of kidnap-for-ransom are highly complex, but in this new book-unique in this field- Shortland provides a masterful deconstruction and explanation of the trickiest trade. Shortland lifts the veil on a highly complex world, revealing the ecosystem of motivations and competing interests that allow an orderly market to operate in the most disorderly of environments. * Tom Keatinge, Director, Centre for Financial Crime & Security Studies, RUSI *Negotiation with criminals; a fortune at stake; emotions on the redline; lives hanging in the balance. What couldn't go wrong with kidnap-for-ransom? In this gripping new book, Anja Shortland analyses the ransom business from the inside. Her discovery is startling and brilliant: a self-governing marketplace of cooperation and order. Outstanding and original, Kidnap is mandatory reading for students of (anti-)social order. * Peter T. Leeson, George Mason University, author of The Invisible Hook: The Hidden Economics of Pirates and WTF?! An Economic Tour of the Weird *Rigorous analysis which is needed not just in this field but also in cyber, art crime and all those areas where the lack of international policing leaves the private sector to find its own solutions Meticulous research, clear conclusions of great importance to policy makers and those engaged in the prevention and mitigation of ransom attacks. * Julian Radcliffe OBE, Founding Director of Control Risks and Chairman of the Art Loss Register *Table of Contents1. Kidnap for Ransom as a Business Part I: Why People are Kidnapped for Ransom 2. Understanding Patterns of Kidnapping 3. The Protectors Choice Part II. Making Kidnapping Insurable 4. What is Kidnap for Ransom Insurance? 5. Crafting an Effective Protection Contract 6. The Price of a Life 7. The Case of the CEC Future 8. Trading with Kidnappers 9. Governing Kidnap for Ransom Part III. When Kidnaps Go Wrong 10. Why Do Hostages Die? 11. Debrief Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisEconomics in Minutes condenses key economics concepts into 200 short and easily digested essays. Featuring not only fundamental ideas, such as the role of money and how the stock market works, but also subjects that are increasingly important to us today - unemployment, government debt and corporate tax avoidance, for example - it is the ideal introduction to a complex contemporary field. Key topics are succinctly described and accompanied by illustrations, making them simple to read and easy to remember. This convenient little reference guide will allow readers to understand the theories underpinning a subject that affects our lives on a daily basis. Chapters include: Supply and demand, Globalization, Market failure, GDP and happiness, Risk and uncertainty, Living standards and productivity, Game theory, Economics and culture.Table of ContentsIntroduction. Markets, efficiency and fairness. Money and finance. Firms and industry. Income, unemployment and inflation. Economic policy and the government. The international economy. Society and the economy. Growth and development. Glossary. Index.

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Book Synopsis‘This is essential reading for anybody interested in global history.’ —Professor Ugo Panizza, The Graduate Institute of Geneva, SwitzerlandThis illuminating book offers a compact survey and new interpretation of trends and policies in the US economy from the end of the nineteenth century to the initial period of the Trump administration. Valli maps three stages in this period of US economic history: first, the economic and demographic consequences of the frontier; second, the Fordist model of growth; and third, the attempt to build an economic empire through economic and financial globalization, military and political power and rapid technological progress.Examining pivotal moments from the Wall Street Crash and the World Wars to the recent Great Recession, Obamacare and Trump's electoral promises and first controversial decisions, this book is essential reading for all those interested in American economic power and its future. Trade Review“It could be a great read, given the enormous wealth of facts and the author’s broad knowledge of American contemporary history.” (Andreas Freytag, Journal of Economics, Vol. 131, 2020)Table of ContentsChapter 1: The Birth of a Great Economic Power.- Chapter 2: The Fordist Model of Economic Development.- Chapter 3: The Great Depression and the New Deal.- Chapter 4: Return and Crisis of the Fordist Model of Development.- Chapter 5: Capital Accumulation, Technological Progress and Knowledge.- Chapter 6: The Global Power of the United States.- Chapter 7: Main Weaknesses in the American Economic Power.- Chapter 8: Towards a Global Economic Empire.- Chapter 9: The Great Recession.- Chapter 10: Obanomics.- Chapter 11: The Economic Consequences of Donald Trump.- Chapter 12: America’s Decline?: Towards an Imperfect Multipolar World.

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Book Synopsis''A brilliantly candid, timely and perceptive account.'' Andy Haldane''Asks all the right questions.'' Mark CarneyHas the West gone bust? Or is there another way?In their new book, Robert Peston and Kishan Koria explain how the country is almost bust - economically, politically and socially. The economy is flatlining, society is fracturing, parliament is unfit for purpose, and the state is failing.They''ve got the shocking stories to prove it. But this is no counsel of despair. It''s a call to action. We can fix ourselves - by harnessing artificial intelligence, remaking our important institutions, and recognizing that we can and must learn from the rest of the world.Trade Review'Bust? Asks all the right questions with the urgency of our times and trials. Most importantly, it answers (most of them) with strategies to transform penury to prosperity.' * Mark Carney *'The economy is stalled, our social fabric frayed, our politics splintered ... a brilliantly candid, timely and perceptive account of these fractures with bold suggestions on how they can be mended.' * Andy Haldane *

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Book SynopsisShortlisted for the Financial Times and McKinsey Business Book of the Year AwardA New York Times technology and business reporter charts the dramatic rise of Bitcoin and the fascinating personalities who are striving to create a new global money for the Internet age.Digital Gold is New York Times reporter Nathaniel Popper''s brilliant and engrossing history of Bitcoin, the landmark digital money and financial technology that has spawned a global social movement.The notion of a new currency, maintained by the computers of users around the world, has been the butt of many jokes, but that has not stopped it from growing into a technology worth billions of dollars, supported by the hordes of followers who have come to view it as the most important new idea since the creation of the Internet. Believers from Beijing to Buenos Aires see the potential for a financial system free from banks and governments. More than just a tech industry fad, Bitcoin has threatened to decentralize some of society''s most basic institutions.An unusual tale of group invention, Digital Gold charts the rise of the Bitcoin technology through the eyes of the movement''s colorful central characters, including an Argentinian millionaire, a Chinese entrepreneur, Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss, and Bitcoin''s elusive creator, Satoshi Nakamoto. Already, Bitcoin has led to untold riches for some, and prison terms for others.Trade ReviewLively and thorough... a vivid guide to the characters who met online and built bitcoin -- John Gapper * Financial Times *An amazing story... crucial reading for anyone who wants to understand the future -- Walter Isaacson, author of The InnovatorsAn elegant, thrilling tour-de-force, the fast-paced action never stops in the ongoing quest to create something the world has never seen before -- William D. Cohan, author of House of CardsA highly readable and informative account of the early years of a technology-cryptocurrency-that may one day turn out to be almost as significant as the internet itself... a tech thriller -- John Naughton * Observer *

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Book SynopsisThe economics profession has become a favourite punching bag in the aftermath of the global financial crisis. Economists are widely reviled and their influence derided by the general public. Yet their services have never been in greater demand. To unravel the paradox, we need to understand both the strengths and weaknesses of economics. Dani Rodrik argues that the multiplicity of theoretical frameworks - what economists call ''models'' that exist side by side is economics'' great strength. Economists are trained to hold diverse, possibly contradictory models of the world in their minds. This is what allows them, when they do their job right, to comprehend the world, make useful suggestions for improving it, and to advance their stock of knowledge over time. In short, it is what makes economics a ''science'' a different kind of science from physics or some other natural sciences, but a science nonetheless. But syncretism is not a comfortable state of mind, and economists often jettison Trade ReviewDani Rodrik ... provides an edifying discussion of these basic tools, of the economist's trade [economic models] * Ben Chu, Books of the Year 2015, Independent *one of the world's most perceptive policy analysts * Martin Wolf, Books of the Year 2015: Best Books 2015 Economics, Financial Times *Rodriks central message is that economics is a collection of models with which to see the world ... The challenge is to choose which model applies to the situation at hand. This choice requires theoretical open-mindedness and empirical investigation and is, as Rodrik succinctly puts it, a craft not a science. That idea that good economics is about good craftsmanship as much as anything else is a hugely valuable contribution. Rodrik is well placed to make these arguments because he is himself a master craftsman. * Martin Sandbu, The Financial Times *I hope open-minded critics of economics will read Economics Rules to learn how the best of economists approach the subject, and how important their work is * The Enlightened Economist, Diane Coyle *terrific * The Enlightened Economist, Diane Coyle *Table of ContentsIntroduction: The Use and Misuse of Economic Ideas 1: What Models Do 2: The Science of Economic Modeling 3: Navigating among Models 4: Models and Theories 5: When Economists Go Wrong 6: Economics and Its Critics Epilogue: The Twenty Commandments

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Book Synopsis''Our democracy has gone profoundly wrong. Economists have failed us. Politicians have lied to us. Things must change. This fearless new book will help make it happen'' Owen Jones''An explosive call for change ... packed with original research ... a case study for the question we should all be asking since the crash: how have the elites - in Westminster, in the City, in economics - stayed in charge?'' Aditya Chakrabortty, Guardian''Utterly compelling and sobering'' Ha-Joon ChangA century ago, the idea of ''the economy'' didn''t exist. Now economics is the supreme ideology of our time, with its own rules and language. The trouble is, most of us can''t speak it.This is damaging democracy. Dangerous agendas are hidden inside mathematical wrappers; controversial policies are presented as ''proven'' by the models of economic ''science''. Government is being turned over to a publicly unaccountable technocratic elite.

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Book SynopsisIn politics, money is often the name of the game. Politicians enrich themselves while in office, spend campaign money to finance their re-election, and accept lucrative ''golden parachute'' jobs after leaving office. Money in Politics argues that these different forms of capital are part of a common system and should be analyzed in a single framework. The book advances a comparative theory that shows how self-enrichment, campaign spending, and golden parachute jobs are connected to each other. This theory explains when and how money enters politics, ultimately illuminating that a change in one form affects the other types and revealing the consequences this has for democracy. The book uses a wide range of evidence from countries around the world, including causally identified quantitative studies, qualitative cross-national comparisons, and original survey experiments. Enlightening and instructive, this book shows that we can only fully comprehend the role of money in politics when we Table of Contents1. Introduction; 2. Types of Money in Politics; 3. The System of Money in Politics; 4. The Connection between Self-Enrichment and Campaign Spending; 5. The Connection between Campaign Spending and Golden Parachute Jobs; 6. The System of Money in Politics in Comparative Perspective; 7. Consequences for Democracy; 8. Evolving the Conversation about Money in Politics.

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Book SynopsisCan foreign capital empower dictatorship? This groundbreaking book develops a unified theory that links three prominent forms of international capital to the endurance of dictatorships. International capital empowers governments to finance two key instruments of non-democratic politics: repression and patronage.The Perils of International Capitaluses theory, case studies, and cross-national statistical evidence to demonstrate causal effects between foreign capital and authoritarian politics. These finding are crucial to scholars and policymakers alike, as they call for a recalibration of the welfare effects associated with greater financial globalization. Ahmed reveals that, while foreign capital may improve economic development, it can tragically hinder democratic governance in the process.Trade Review'Faisal Z. Ahmed's study reveals how dictatorships seek foreign capital to sustain their grip on power. previous studies have focused on specific types of capital, such as foreign aid, Ahmed provides a clear, integrated treatment of three major sources: aid, direct investments, and remittances. His conclusion, that these capital flows serve dictatorships in strikingly different ways, is an important contribution to international political economy.' Charles Lipson, Peter B. Ritzma Professor Emeritus of Political Science, University of Chicago'Ahmed provides a marvelous multi-method account of how political institutions mediate the international transfer of funds to governments, people, and firms. His theory emphasizes variation in incentives to governments depending on regime type, and his method engages rich statistical evidence, illustrative cases, and careful attention to endogeneity. The Perils of International Capital specifically focuses on autocracies and documents how capital flows in the form of foreign aid, remittances, and foreign direct investment bolster dictatorships. This is an accomplishment in itself. However, the major achievement of the book is in taking us a major step forward to a deeper and fuller comparative understanding of the effects of contemporary globalization.' Margaret Levi, Director of the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, California'Scholars of globalization have long thought that openness to capital flows would prove destabilizing to the world's authoritarian regime. The Perils of International Capital shows that the opposite is true, providing a unified theoretical account explaining how foreign sources of financing - aid, remittances, and investment - in fact stabilize authoritarian regimes. Applying rigorous statistical tools to a global dataset, and sensitive to the challenges of causal inference, this book is an essential contribution to the international political economy of authoritarianism and democratization.' Thomas Pepinsky, Cornell University'A good book does not close the conversation, but opens it. Faisal Ahmed has written a really good book, opening a conversation about the influence of foreign capital on non-democratic governments.' Erik Jones, SurvivalTable of Contents1. The politics of international capital; 2. International capital and authoritarian survival: a descriptive overview; 3. Foreign rents and rule; 4. Aiding repression; 5. Remittances and autocratic power; 6. Foreign investments in militarism; 7. Conclusion.

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Book SynopsisThis book seeks to provide a basis for reflection on energy at a global level. It synthesizes the main energy-related issues and requires no specialist knowledge, either of economics, engineering sciences or international relations. It comprises four main chapters, that discuss the major energy sectors (oil, natural gas, coal, synthetic hydrocarbons, electricity, renewable energy), the impacts of energy at macro-economic level, geopolitics and new issues related to energy, notably environmental aspects and successes of demand management policies. The book is aimed at industry professionals, (under)graduate students / academics, economists and policy-makers in the energy sector/field.Trade ReviewThis authoritative and highly pedagogical book provides a very complete and thorough analysis of global energy issues. By combining technological, economic, environmental and policy aspects of energy, which are all intrinsically interlinked, the authors provide the tools which allow the reader to fully understand the complexities of global energy issues. A must for any energy course.Manfred Hafner, Professor, Johns Hopkins University (Bologna Center) / PSAIS (Sciences Po Paris), Skolkovo Moscow School of Management, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei Table of Contents1 Introduction; 2 Energy sectors; 3 Macroeconomic indicators and accounting of energy; 4 Impact of energy on the economic development; 5 Energy policy; 6 World energy situation; 7 Case studies from different countries; 8 Recent developments: new dimensions of the energy problem; 9 Outlook; Annex 1: Pedagogical remarks; Annex 2: Energy units and conversion factors

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