Popular economics Books

Book SynopsisIn Gen F'd? economist Alison Pennington shows how the most educated generation in Australia’s history stands to be the first generation worse off than their parents, and gives young people the tools to create the change we need. This is the fifth book in The Crikey Read series from Crikey and Hardie Grant Books. Young people today are digital natives, encouraged to market their own uniqueness and success online, amid out-dated advice from parents and politicians: work hard and you’ll get ahead. But Australia's celebrated 'fair go' has disintegrated, with millions of young people stuck on the rat-wheel of insecure work and crammed into share houses paying off boomers’ mortgages. Against the backdrop of global warming and pandemic, young people have inherited a dysfunctional economy that consumes their futures. Gen F'd? plots a path forward for Australians to reactivate our democracy and create a new economy that provides hope and opportunity for all. From Crikey and Hardie Grant Books, The Crikey Read is a series that brings an unflinching and truly independent eye to the issues of the day in Australia and the world. Trade Review 'Alison is truly the economist for this generation. This book lays out how Gen F'd got here, what they can do to get out of it, and what changes Australia needs to make to ensure we all get a fair go. It will make you angry, but it will also hopefully make you determined.' – Amy Remeikis 'Pennington's Gen F'd? is packed with insights on how this generation might earn a shot at a future worth living for.' – Yanis Varoufakis ‘Gen F'd? is here, for everyone who wants some hard evidence of the structuralised economic disadvantage of young people as opposed to the fact-free self-flattery of – oh, I dunno – wage-thieves.’ – Van Badham 'A revolutionary economic roadmap for Australia’s disenfranchised youth.' – Nanci Nott, Arts Hub

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Book SynopsisMarkets, models, mechanisms and monopolies… most of us understand that economics is important, but what exactly is it – and what do economists do? In this fresh and engaging introduction, Oxford University’s James Forder skilfully presents the key concepts crucial to mastering the subject. Combining theory with dynamic, real-life examples, he shows us why economics matters and how it shapes our world. Economics: A Beginner’s Guide is the perfect introduction for anyone wishing to understand and interpret economic problems, both past and present.Trade Review"An excellent introduction to some of the main ideas in modern economics. It is clearly written, balanced and, above all, reliable, with nothing to unlearn should it inspire someone to study the subject further." -- Roger Backhouse - Professor of the History and Philosophy of Economics, University of Birmingham “I hope that people read this book. It should change the way that people who are new to economics think about complex issues which affect the world we live in.” -- Timothy Besley, Professor of Economics and Political Science, London School of Economics

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Book SynopsisThis book marks a milestone in Economics publishing. Sustainable Economics is *the* subject of the moment, as businesses across the globe face up to peak oil prices, climate instability, increasingly complex environmental legislation and the challenge of adapting to a new business landscape. Sustainable Economics: Context, Challenges and Opportunities for the 21st Century Practitioner debugs the language of sustainable development. It explores the strengths and weaknesses of the many and diverse schools of thought. The book enables the modern business student and practitioner to disentangle the complex, often convoluted debate relating to sustainability, and it provides the tools necessary to lead their organizations through the murky waters of current times and prepare for the challenges of the future. Eschewing the linear – take, make and waste – approach of current business and manufacturing thinking, this book revisits the ecological models underpinning recent economic sustainability theory, and re-examines the consequences of modern ecological thought upon business strategies relating to sustainability. A chapter is also dedicated to the "circular economy", already in common parlance at policy levels in the UK, and notably in China and other developing countries.Packed with the most recent research papers, Sustainable Economics is an essential resource for the 21st-century business practitioner and legislator.The book is supported with a large array of teaching and learning material, for both formal and informal use, ranging from role play to data analysis which are available on request with the purchase of this book. Trade Review I would highly recommend this book for anyone wanting a clear and expansive view of this complex but vital field. - Ian Roderick, Director, The Schumacher Institute || Prudence dictates that every business person — not only the students among us — read and heed what Skene and Murray have to say. - Crosslands BulletinTable of ContentsPreface1. Human economic activity: an environmental impact assessment2. The three horsemen of the modern apocalypse: climate, pollution and habitat 3. Water, energy and the green paradox4. Business and biology: can we learn from nature?5. Current schools of sustainable thinking: origins, strengths and weaknesses6. The circular economy7. Design to redesign8. Generic barriers to change9. Transition to a sustainable economy10. Appropriate indicators of a sustainable transitionAppendix: a brief guide to thermodynamicsGlossaryAbout the authorsIndex

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Book SynopsisHave you ever wondered why we can afford to buy far more clothes than our grandparents ever could . . . but may be less likely to own a home in which to keep them all? Why your petrol bill can double in a matter of months, but it never falls as fast? Behind all of this lies economics.; It's not always easy to grasp the complex forces that are shaping our lives. But by following a dollar on its journey around the globe, we can start to piece it all together.; The dollar is the lifeblood of globalisation. Greenbacks, singles, bucks or dead presidents: call them what you will, they are keeping the global economy going. Half of the notes in circulation are actually outside of the USA - and many of the world's dollars are owned by China.; But what is really happening as our cash moves around the world every day, and how does it affect our lives? By following $1 from a shopping trip in suburban Texas, via China's central bank, Nigerian railroads, the oilfields of Iraq and beyond, The Almighty Dollar reveals the economic truths behind what we see on the news every day. Why is China the world's biggest manufacturer - and the USA its biggest customer? Is free trade really a good thing? Why would a nation build a bridge on the other side of the planet?; In this illuminating read, economist Dharshini David lays bare these complex relationships to get to the heart of how our new globalised world works, showing who really holds the power, and what that means for us allTrade Review"Original and engaging ... If you've ever wondered what globalisation is and why people get so passionate about it then I can think of no better guide. Economics can be fascinating and accessible. This book is proof" - Joel Hills, Business Editor, ITV News; "Brilliantly revealing" -- Ian King, business presenter, Sky News, and Times columnist; "Readable and illuminating" - --The Bookseller; "A brilliant book ... everyone should buy it because it's very, very readable" - Iain Dale, LBC

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Book Synopsis'[A] tale of cloak and dagger intrigue, intense rivalries and political machinations you'd expect in a spy thriller.' Engineering & TechnologyGross Domestic Product is failing. For decades it has rewarded environmental destruction and obscured inequality. Its formula can be-and has been-gamed to the detriment of developing countries.In this powerfully argued book, now updated with a new chapter, science writer Ehsan Masood shows how GDP fell from the path envisaged by its architects, and how its long-term misapplication has kept large parts of the world in poverty, while helping accelerate global warming and biodiversity loss.As the world rebuilds after the coronavirus pandemic and the accompanying global recession, our need for a more sustainable and inclusive measure of economic growth has never been greater. Change must come if we are to break the cycle. With clarity and passion, Masood shows how we can update GDP for a better future.[previously published as The Great Invention in North America]Trade Review'Masood contends that GDP is a bill of goods the developed world foisted on emerging nations. It is flawed, he argues, because the monetary value of all goods and services produced in a country makes no reference to social well-being or inequality. Masood is also troubled by GDP's failure to consider the environmental damage that is, at times, a byproduct of growth. Many of Masood's criticisms have merit. He presents some interesting alternatives. He favors revolutionary change.' -- Roger Lowenstein, Wall Street Journal, USAIf you ever thought that economic policy could never make for gripping drama, try reading this book. -- Khurram Husain, DawnEhsan Masood unveils the genesis of GDP and how it shaped the modern economic paradigm. It comes at a time when a growing number of people are questioning this flawed metric. -- Down to EarthFascinating. Whether happiness should be embedded into decisions on the economy is an important one, and whether GDP should be abandoned in favor of something better is too. Masood's book helps raise those questions and others in a thought provoking manner. That's much needed in every endeavor these days, and needed in few places more than in the economics profession. -- Simon Constable, Forbes, USAAn interesting book. Masood doesn't merely criticize the overreliance on GDP: he also explores ongoing efforts to develop a satisfactory substitute or supplement that would yield a more accurate picture of economic activity and its effects. -- Foreign Affairs, USAIn lively prose, Masood argues that GDP is flawed because it ignores volunteering, housework, environmental degradation, job satisfaction, and income inequality. -- Kirkus ReviewsMasood covers decades of challenges to GDP conventions that make for a fascinating institutional and human story. -- Diane Coyle, NatureMasood's highly readable book is a useful reminder of what GDP is and what it isn't. -- N. Gregory Mankiw, ScienceAfter reading it you'll never be able to treat GDP seriously again. -- Nicholas Stuart, Sydney Morning Herald, AustraliaThe writing is effortless and intriguing. Like a novel, it weaves personal stories and the significance of individuals into a narrative about tectonic shifts in world politics. * Maria Ivanova, Associate Professor of Global Governance at the University of Massachusetts Boston, and author of The Untold Story of the World’s Leading Environmental Institution: UNEP at Fifty *[A] tale of cloak and dagger intrigue, intense rivalries and political machinations you'd expect in a spy thriller.' -- Engineering & Technology[A] persuasive witness for the prosecution in the case against GDP mania. * Business Standard, India *

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Book SynopsisHow do you predict something that has never happened before? There's a useful calculation being employed by Wall Street, Silicon Valley and maths professors all over the world, and it predicts that the human species will become extinct in 760 years. Unfortunately, there is disagreement over how to apply the formula, and some argue that we might only have twenty years left. Originally devised by British clergyman Thomas Bayes, the theorem languished in obscurity for two hundred years before being resurrected as the lynchpin of the digital economy. With brief detours into archaeology, philology, and overdue library books, William Poundstone explains how we can use it to predict pretty much anything. What is the chance that there are multiple universes? How long will Hamilton run? Will the US stock market continue to perform as well this century as it has for the last hundred years? And are we really all doomed?Trade Review‘Thoroughly entertaining reading and it’s not hard to foresee a future in which readers everywhere will find it impossible to put down.’ * E&T Magazine *‘a fun and energetic romp through a mishmash of philosophical and cosmological ideas… an engagingly written foray.’ * The Inquisitive Biologist *‘A fascinating sweep through so many interesting and important insights into how we can understand our future, masterfully knitted together.’ -- Bobby Duffy, author of The Perils of Perception‘One of the best science writers of our time has taken on one of the most interesting and important subjects of all time – how to predict the future under great uncertainty… A gripping read.’ -- Michael Shermer, author of Heavens on Earth‘A very interesting and definitive book on this subject.’ -- J. Richard Gott, astrophysicist and author of The Cosmic Web

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Book SynopsisFrom the acclaimed author of How Will Capitalism End? comes an omnibus of long-form critical essays engaging with leading economists and thinkers. Critical Encounters draws on Wolfgang Streeck's inimitable writing for the London Review of Books and New Left Review, among other publications. It opens with treatments of two contrasting historical eras - factory capitalism and financialization - and three of the world's major economies: the United States, France and Germany. Delving into the world of ideas, Streeck discusses the work of Quinn Slobodian, Mark Blyth, Jürgen Habermas and Perry Anderson. Finally, he zooms out to compare his home discipline of sociology to natural history, giving a remarkable and non-deterministic reading of Charles Darwin. In the preface, Streeck reflects on the art (or craft) of book reviewing and the continuing merits of the book form. Critical Encounters also includes a series of 'Letters from Europe', penned as the coronavirus descended upon the Continent.Trade ReviewSynthesises the various strands of left crisis theory into a convincing proposal, as strong psychologically as it is on economics. -- Paul Mason * Guardian, Books of the Year 2016 [on How Will Capitalism End?] *A must-read. * Financial Times, Best Books of 2016 [on How Will Capitalism End?] *Streeck sees a destructive convergence of three fixed trends in late capitalism: a declining rate of economic growth, soaring overall indebtedness, and rising economic inequality in both income and wealth. His work interlocks with recent dark conclusions by Robert J. Gordon, Thomas Piketty, and Wendy Brown, among others. -- Norman Rush * New York Review of Books [on How Will Capitalism End?] *Streeck's sweeping and empirically founded inquiry reminds one of Karl Marx's Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte. -- Jürgen Habermas [on Buying Time]A superbly provocative work of political economy. -- Aditya Chakrabortty * Guardian [on Buying Time] *A compelling and distinctive analysis of the current political moment. -- Hans Kundnani * The World Today *

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Book SynopsisGreat Economic Thinkers presents an accessible introduction to the lives and works of the most influential economists of modern times: Adam Smith, David Ricardo, John Stuart Mill, Karl Marx, Alfred Marshall, Joseph Schumpeter, John Maynard Keynes, and Nobel Prize winners Friedrich Hayek, Milton Friedman, John Forbes Nash Jr, Daniel Kahneman, Amartya Sen and Joseph Stiglitz. Free from jargon and equations, the book describes key economic concepts – from the role played by the division of labour to wages and rents, cognitive biases, game theory and liberalism – showing how they have come to shape our society today.Table of ContentsIntroduction - D'Maris Coffman 1 Adam Smith - Jonathan Conlin 2 David Ricardo - Helen Paul 3 John Stuart Mill - Joseph Persky 4 Karl Marx - Paul Prew 5 Alfred Marshall - Katia Caldari 6 Joseph Schumpeter - Mario Graca Moura 7 John Maynard Keynes - Victoria Bateman 8 Friedrich Hayek - Scott Scheall 9 Milton Friedman - Victoria Bateman 10 John Forbes Nash Jr - Karen Horn 11 Daniel Kahneman - Michelle Baddeley 12 Amartya Sen - Jonathan Conlin 13 Joseph Stiglitz - Emmanuelle Benicourt References Further reading List of contributors Acknowledgements

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Book SynopsisThe health emergency that broke out in 2020 is a landmark event in the development of capitalism, confirming the underlying change signalled by the Great Crisis of 2007-9. The Pandemic Crisis has catapulted the state to the centre of economic activity. However, a historic impasse is steadily becoming apparent at the core of the world economy Productive accumulation is flaccid, as both profitability and labour productivity are weak. Financialisation has entered a new phase, as "shadow banking" grew relative to other banks but is entirely dependent on the state. The power of the state derives from command over fiat money and can certainly deliver enormous boosts to aggregate demand, but that is not enough to tackle the weakness of the productive sector. The rise in inflation for the first time in forty years indicates the impasse. There is a transparent need for intervention on the supply side, directly challenging capitalist property rights. There is no evidence, however, that the ruling blocs in core countries would engage in such policies.The Pandemic Crisis also brought to the fore fresh divisions of core and periphery across the world economy. Imperialism has assumed new forms, spurred by globally active financial capital and internationalised productive capital. A renewed contest for hegemony has emerged as US power declined. The economic challenge of China will unfold steadily in the years ahead, intensifying political tensions and military rivalries. This book is the work of a research collective comprising authors from several parts of the world. It analyses these vital issues from the perspective of Marxist political economy and puts forth alternative anticapitalist proposals.Trade ReviewA meticulous analysis of what happened when the greatest health crisis since 2018 crashed into the greatest capitalist crisis since 1929. A must read. -- Yanis VaroufakisCapitalism, in its current neoliberal variant, is a perfectly designed system for producing ruinous financial bubbles, massive increases in inequality, and the destruction of the planet. In The State of Capitalism, Costas Lapavitsas and the EReNSEP Writing Collective explain with great scope and force how this has been happening before our eyes for the past 40 years, in all regions of the globe. Critically, they also advance a clear-eyed political program for transcending neoliberalism and building viable democratic socialist alternatives. -- Robert Pollin, Distinguished University Professor of Economics and Co-Director, Political Economy Research InstituteThe State of Capitalism provides an elegant and exhaustive analysis of the changing faces of financialization, neoliberalism, state power and US empire - and how the left must adapt and respond. Lapavitsas develops a typically brilliant and incisive narrative on the transformation of global capitalism since the turn of the century, and shows how these changes formed the foundations of the era of perennial crisis in which we now live. -- Grace BlakeleyIf you wish to conclude your year consolidating your understanding of the world economy and its geopolitical elements, this book certainly offers the opportunity to do so. It is well written and easily accessible to the non-economist. -- Mathew D. Rose * Brave New Europe *

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Book SynopsisThis is the best-selling book written by the co-founder of the Fairtrade movement, Francisco Van der Hoff Boersma. It tells the fascinating story of how Fairtrade began and how it has evolved as a potent solution to rural poverty. It offers practical and tested solutions to alleviate global poverty and a vision of world-dignity and self-reliance. This 'little yellow book' is a charter for everyone who is looking to create an alternative, more equitable and harmonious world. Written by the co-founder of Fairtrade movement, Francisco Van der Hoff Boersma, it uses models of Fairtrade and small-scale organic farming to explain why Fairtrade farmers don't need all the money and luxury that is deemed so important in the West to thrive. By earning a fair wage for their produce and through hard work, they can create inclusive, vibrant communities of people who are interconnected, valued and celebrated. The author also tells the fascinating story of how Fairtrade began and how it has evolved as a potent solution to rural poverty.This best-selling book is an inspiring account of the campesino movement that offers practical and tested solutions to alleviate global poverty and a vision of world-dignity and self- reliance.Trade ReviewVan der Hoff brings to life the story of Fairtrade, a story for the new world. He has demonstrated through word and action that by taking a vision and making it a reality, that a better world is indeed possible. His experience proves this: by plotting the route and leading by example, many more can follow - where people and planet are put first. Polly Higgins, Award-winning author of 'Eradicating Ecocide' and advocate for Ecocide law and Earth law

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Book SynopsisThis book argues that identity is changing profoundly and that money is changing equally profoundly. Because of technological change the two trends are converging so that all that we need for transacting will be our identities captured in the unique record of our online social contacts. Social networks and mobile phones are the key technologies. They will enable the building of an identity infrastructure that can enhance both privacy and security - there is no trade-off. The long-term consequences of these changes are impossible to predict, partly because how they take shape will depend on how companies (probably not banks) take advantage of business opportunities to deliver transaction services. But one prediction made here is that cash will soon be redundant - and a good thing too. In its place we will see a proliferation of new digital currencies.Trade Review"Dave Birch gives one of the best accounts available today on how we'll navigate the challenges of the emerging payments landscape, and how traditional data points on identity don't really make sense in a digital world. An outstanding piece of work which may well define our journey moving forward." Brett King, Founder and CEO of Moven.com. "Dave Birch's thoughts on digital identity were seminal to the UK's Identity Assurance Scheme. Anyone entering the field of digital identity should take this book with them." David Rennie, Identity Assurance Programme, Government Digital Service, Cabinet Office.

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Book SynopsisWhen crises occur, citizens, media and policymakers alike expect government to respond and to take a leading role in recovery. Given the scale and scope of crises, whether natural (such as hurricanes, floods, and earthquakes), manmade (such as conflict and economic downturns), or often a combination of the two, governments are often seen as being in the best position to identify the problems, understand the circumstances, and direct action. They are also likely to be the entities that have adequate resources to devote to such large-scale efforts. Yet, governments are not spared from the effects of crises. They are composed of individuals who are impacted by disasters and face many of the same challenges in identifying needs, prioritizing action, and adjusting to changing circumstances. It is by no surprise that governments are also often scrutinized during and after crises. How, then, do we understand the capability of and proper role for governments to respond to crisis and to drive recovery? This edited volume—comprised of chapters by accomplished scholars and seasoned practitioners in disaster and crises studies and management, spanning multiple disciplines including sociology, economics, and public administration—examines the roles, expectations, and capabilities of government responses to crises. It gives an overview of the literature, provides lessons learned from both research and experience on the ground during crises, and puts forth a framework for understanding crisis management and subsequent policy implications. It will be of use to any scholars, students, practitioners or policymakers interested in learning from and better preparing for crises and responding when they do occur. Table of Contents Introduction The Rules of the Game and Post-disaster Rebuilding and Recovery Government as Gardener: Cultivating the Environment for Private Sector Natural Disaster Response The Role of the Local Emergency Manager in a Centralized System of Disaster Management Recognizing Vulnerability and Capacity: Federal Initiatives Focused on Children and Youth across the Disaster Lifecycle The Political Economy of Foreign Intervention When is Top-down State-building Appropriate? The European Migrant Crisis: A Case Study in Failure of Government and Supra-governmental Responses

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Book SynopsisCrises occur in all societies across world, and can be natural (such as hurricanes, flooding, and earthquakes), man-made (such as wars and economic downturns), or, often, a combination of both (such as famines, the flooding of New Orleans in 2005 after Hurricane Katrina and subsequent levy failures, and the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster in Japan in 2011). Crises cause fatalities, injuries, and property damages as well as introduce uncertainty and challenges for individuals, societies, and polities. Yet, we see individuals and communities rebounding effectively from crises all the time. How do communities go about returning to normalcy and beginning again the mundane life of every day affairs? This edited volume looks at bottom-up responses to crises. The chapters in this volume will highlight the ingenuity and persistence of individuals and private organizations as well as discuss the possibilities, limitations, and adaptability of bottom-up responses. It argues that there are many ways that local leaders, entrepreneurs, and community members can play a role in their own recovery by examining the capabilities, feedback mechanisms, and network effects of decentralized crisis response and recovery efforts. Chapters will focus on the role of local emergency managers in the disaster management process and offer suggestions for reform and the role of businesses, citizens, and children in providing crisis response and recovery. This book will also consider theories of self-governance and nonviolent action in encouraging and sustaining bottom-up recovery.Table of Contents Introduction The What, How, and Why of Bottom-up Rebuilding and Recovery after Natural Disasters Nonviolent Action The Private Sector's Contribution to Natural Disaster Response Formation of Public-Private Partnerships by Local Emergency Managers Children Take Charge: Helping Behaviors and Organized Action among Young People after Hurricane Katrina Bottom-up State-building Government Intervention Induced Structural Crises: Exploratory Notes on the Patterns of Evolution and Response

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Book SynopsisHave you ever wondered why we can afford to buy far more clothes than our grandparents ever could . . . but may be less likely to own a home in which to keep them all? Why your petrol bill can double in a matter of months, but it never falls as fast?; Behind all of this lies economics.; It's not always easy to grasp the complex forces that are shaping our lives. But by following a dollar on its journey around the globe, we can start to piece it all together.; The dollar is the lifeblood of globalisation. Greenbacks, singles, bucks or dead presidents: call them what you will, they are keeping the global economy going. Half of the notes in circulation are actually outside of the USA - and many of the world's dollars are owned by China.; But what is really happening as our cash moves around the world every day, and how does it affect our lives? By following $1 from a shopping trip in suburban Texas, via China's central bank, Nigerian railroads, the oilfields of Iraq and beyond, The Almighty Dollar reveals the economic truths behind what we see on the news every day. Why is China the world's biggest manufacturer - and the USA its biggest customer? Is free trade really a good thing? Why would a nation build a bridge on the other side of the planet?; In this illuminating read, economist Dharshini David lays bare these complex relationships to get to the heart of how our new globalised world works, showing who really holds the power, and what that means for us all.Trade Review"A brilliant book ... everyone should buy it because it's very, very readable" - Iain Dale, LBC; "Original and engaging ... If you've ever wondered what globalisation is and why people get so passionate about it then I can think of no better guide. Economics can be fascinating and accessible. This book is proof" - Joel Hills, Business Editor, ITV News; `Brilliantly revealing' - Ian King, business presenter, Sky News, and Times columnist; `Readable and illuminating' - The BooksellerTable of ContentsContents; Introduction 1; 1 Worshipping at the temple of low prices and endless offers: The USA to China 15; 2 Making - and working - the global red carpet: China 41; 3 Finding love in the Niger Delta: China to Nigeria 65; 4 Spicing up the recipe for success: Nigeria to India 89; 5 The dark price of black gold: India to Iraq 119; 6 Funding the means of destruction: Iraq to Russia 143; 7 The trials of a blended family: Russia to Germany 169; 8 A bad day at work for the Masters of the Universe: Germany to the UK 195; 9 Feeding the addiction: The UK to the USA 221; Further reading 251; Acknowledgements 255; Index 257

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Book SynopsisThe solution to inequality, environmental degradation, and other deficits of capitalism is better capitalism. The Power of Creative Destruction draws on cutting-edge research to argue that what we need today is not revolution but reform: pro-competitive policies that enable innovation while compensating for the disruption it causes.Trade ReviewSweeping, authoritative and—for the times—strikingly upbeat…The overall argument is compelling and, with creative destruction falling out of political favor, it carries a trace of Schumpeterian subversion. * The Economist *[An] important book…[It] is lucid, empirically grounded, wide-ranging, and well-argued…Schumpeter himself feared capitalism would perish. So far, he seems to have been wrong. Another possibility is that democracy will die, as plutocracy allies with demagoguery. Either way, the civilizations of the contemporary high-income democracies would perish. By promoting a better understanding, this book could, with wisdom and luck, help us avoid that fate. -- Martin Wolf * Financial Times *Successfully navigating the supply chain disruptions created by COVID-19 requires strong political leaders to implement smart policies, but not leaders so strong that they can suppress organizational innovations that will disfavor them or their allies. The authors explain these dynamics and more in an eminently accessible fashion. -- Barry Eichengreen * Foreign Affairs *Marvelous…Consistently thoughtful and, in its way, fearless. In The Power of Creative Destruction, readers will find much that transcends the facile arguments and moral posturing that too often characterizes today’s economic debates. -- Milton Ezrati * City Journal *Gather a group of economists together and ask what most concerns them, and a wide variety of topics would soon emerge…Decade after decade, numerous books have been written about each of these issues. But here we have in one compact package a blockbuster book that deals with all of them…A magisterial book with something new and imaginative to say on such a wide and important range of topics. -- Robert J. Gordon * Business History Review *[A] rigorous education in the economics of innovation…Extend[s] economic analysis to illuminate a wide range of contemporary political and cultural issues. -- William H. Janeway * Project Syndicate *An impressive study…It convinces, to my mind, on what the path to a better world, with less inequality, injustice, environmental catastrophe might look like. -- Bridget Rosewell * Society of Professional Economists *An important book for the times…The authors succinctly connect politics to economics and argue that ‘Innovation Needs Democracy.’…To paraphrase a quote referring to Keynes, another famous economist, this book may convince readers that we should all be Schumpeterians now. -- Craig R. Roach * New York Journal of Books *Offers Americans much needed insight into the sources of economic growth and the kinds of policies that will promote it…All in Washington would do well to read this volume carefully. -- Milton Ezrati * Forbes *Philippe Aghion is one of the founders of the new growth theory focused on the origins and implications of technological progress. This book, based on thirty years of research, shows the richness and usefulness of this approach. It is a fundamental document for thinking about the nature of growth, industrial policy, and the organization of the labor market. -- Olivier Blanchard, Peterson Institute for International Economics and former Chief Economist, International Monetary FundAccelerating technological change, global warming, pandemics, individual and national stagnation, over-indebtedness: this century decidedly provokes anxiety. Armed with legitimate concerns, anti-globalization protestors and neo-Luddites look inwards and denigrate innovation. The Power of Creative Destruction offers another vision, more persuasive and based on the innovation that creates wealth and jobs. Philippe Aghion, Céline Antonin, and Simon Bunel dismantle contemporary myths about such economic phenomena as secular stagnation and the impact of automation on employment. They show the need for competition and the fight against rents. They advocate a regulated capitalism that will allow us to keep society prosperous and the planet green. They explain, in short, how to manage the creative destruction that over the past two centuries has brought to our society a previously unimaginable prosperity. Provocative and rigorous, this book is an important milestone in our reflections on the future of our societies. A must-read. -- Jean Tirole, Nobel Laureate, Toulouse School of EconomicsThe term ‘creative destruction’ expresses a contradiction at the core of capitalism; creation brings innovation, growth, and prosperity while the destruction that it demands engenders resistance and stagnation. Philippe Aghion, Céline Antonin, and Simon Bunel are the leaders in exploring and understanding this story of action and reaction. Their insights are essential if policy is to restore growth in today’s faltering capitalism. -- Angus Deaton, Nobel Laureate in Economic SciencesAnyone curious about where modern capitalism is going and whether economic growth can be sustained should read this book. In accessible prose, based on cutting-edge economic analysis, the authors dissect the dynamics of the modern economies. They show brilliantly how capitalism in the twenty-first century is indeed as creative as it is destructive, and how innovation will affect modern economies and hence the life of every human on the planet, for better and for worse. Deeply researched and intelligently written, this is a genuine tour de force. -- Joel Mokyr, Northwestern UniversityPhilippe Aghion has been the leader of modern growth theory for the last three decades. He has shown that innovation and disruption, Schumpeter’s creative destruction, are at the heart of the productivity and power of a capitalist economy. In this book that story is clearly and compellingly told, but now he and his colleagues go still deeper into the kind of society we want to build, whilst keeping the power of creative destruction. We really can create a prosperous future which brings a supportive community and social cohesion, and a much better environment, climate, and biodiversity. This fine and crucially important book is ultimately optimistic about what we can do, but challenges us as to whether we will. -- Nicholas Stern, London School of EconomicsThe authors…argue that the socioeconomic problems revealed during the global pandemic—welfare, health, inequality, and many others—will not be fixed by abolishing capitalism but rather by inventing a better capitalism through the power of creative destruction, which they define as innovations that disrupt and lift societies. -- Satya Nadella * Fast Company *A refreshing take on large, important societal questions. By making the case for a rightful role for government, institutions, civil society organizations, and issues of equity and fairness in the production of capitalist society, the authors produce a justification for a new political economy—one in which capitalism’s innovative power to produce novel, entertaining, and imaginative products is harnessed to increasing collective welfare and a more interesting and secure future for citizenry. -- Neil Fligstein * Administrative Science Quarterly *An ambitious story of how Western countries escaped the Malthusian population-growth trap, hitting upon an innovation-lead growth trajectory that has so far resulted in immense improvements in longevity and quality of life for the vast majority of humankind. It was a pleasure to read this well-written book, which is full of easy examples and background data. -- Paul Frijters * Economic Record *

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Book SynopsisNobel Laureate Edmund Phelps argues that the high level of innovation in the West was not a result of scientific discoveries plus entrepreneurship. Rather, modern values—particularly the individualism and self-expression prevailing among the people—fueled the dynamism needed for widespread innovation.Trade ReviewThis book should be read by anyone interested in innovation. Ned Phelps, who is renowned for his original thinking and rigor, together with his colleagues, provide profound analytic insights which reveal the sources of dynamism across countries and time. -- Ian Goldin, Professor of Globalisation and Development, University of Oxford, and coauthor of Age of DiscoveryIn this important book, Edmund Phelps, along with Raicho Bojilov, Hian Teck Hoon, and Gylfi Zoega, push economics back to its roots of understanding human satisfaction and flourishing. Linking satisfaction to innovation, they highlight entrepreneurship as commercializing the technological frontier. The ultimate payoff of this activity is dynamism, the flywheel of continuous innovation and the engine of mass flourishing. From this magisterial framing the authors tackle case studies of innovation globally, going from careful modeling if growth to reassurances about the effects of robots on our lives. This is a must-read book for any serious student of the economy’s—and our own human—potential. -- Glenn Hubbard, Dean Emeritus and Russell L. Carson Professor of Economics and Finance (Graduate School of Business) and Professor of Economics (Arts and Sciences), Columbia UniversityEdmund Phelps and his colleagues have further developed his previous work on the sources of a nation’s economic dynamism by delving deeply into the idea of human flourishing. Their findings on the central role of daily work, the knowledge we acquire from doing it, and the innovations we inevitably bring to it are utterly convincing. The authors’ tracing of economic dynamism to the worth people place on their own craftsmanship (there is no better expression for it) is social science at its most sublime. -- Partha Dasgupta, Frank Ramsey Professor Emeritus of Economics, University of Cambridge, and author of Time and the Generations: Population Ethics for a Diminishing PlanetOver the years, Edmund Phelps has developed a deep and important theory explaining why productivity growth in the U.S. increased dramatically in the nineteenth century and has declined in recent decades. This book puts the theory to the empirical test. It is essential reading for those who care about the past and future of capitalism. -- Eric Maskin, Harvard University, Nobel Laureate in EconomicsA fresh breath of air to stale debates about how to restore long-term growth in advanced economies…Phelps’s perspective is a necessary complement to the standard intellectual frameworks that tend to guide policy thinking around innovation and productivity growth…His iconoclasm shows by example how economics can benefit from an open-mindedness to broader social thinking. -- Martin Sandbu * Financial Times *

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Winner of the Gold Medal in International Business / Globalization, Axiom Business Book Awards""[The] exploration of trade’s future is particularly thought-provoking. . . . One lesson of Mr. Levinson’s absorbing, centuries-long survey is that evolving global systems are always vulnerable to unexpected events."---Matthew Rees, Wall Street Journal"Smart and exceptionally well-timed."---Justin Fox, Bloomberg"Ostensibly a history of international trade through three distinct ‘globalizations,’ Outside the Box is most useful as a chronicle of how the pre-2008 model of complex, globe-spanning, just-in-time manufacturing has been exposed as fragile, inefficient, and opaque."---Mike Jakeman, strategy+business"Outside the Box is an intriguing synergy of social-sciences analysis, a useful aide memoire, a captivating read. Marc Levinson synthesizes well and writes smoothly, with a light touch of irony—very smart non-fiction."---Linda Quest, International Social Science Review"Marc Levinson’s Outside the Box is a timely and fascinating discussion of globalization."---Andreas Grein, Journal of Economic Literature"A valuable and stimulating contribution to the literature which can be profitably (and enjoyably) read by economist and non-economist alike."---Ian Harwood, Society of Professional Economists"Levinson provides a captivating account of globalisation by interlinking historical events that we know a great deal about with more obscure ones. Globalisation is not over – just different. I, for one, am glad it is ongoing as it will allow Levinson to produce a follow-up book."---Alex Gray, Financial World"This book is an interesting addition to the reading list of professionals and policymakers, which will help them think outside the box to integrate globalization and resilience for a sustainable global supply chain that is essential during this uncertain and challenging times. Nevertheless, this book can also serve as an idea-generating platform for academic readers in the field of globalization and international trade."---Satya Sahoo, Journal of Maritime Affairs

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Book SynopsisSomething is stirring. People around the world are deciding that the well-being of their community and its economy lies with them. They''re people like you. They''ve had enough, and, rather than waiting for permission, they''re rolling up their sleeves, getting together with friends and neighbours, and doing something about it. Whether they start small or big, they''re finding that just doing stuff can transform their neighbourhoods and their lives. The Power of Just Doing Stuff argues that this shift represents the seeds of a new economy - the answer to our desperate search for a new way forward - and at its heart is people deciding that change starts with them. Communities worldwide are already modelling a more local economy rooted in place, in well-being, in entrepreneurship, and in creativity. And it works. Packed with inspiring real-life examples of how to change things, this book ties in with the increasing focus on community action during tough economic times. ThisTrade ReviewRob Hopkins reminds us how actions speak louder than words, and he does it with practical examples and the passion of someone who has successfully practiced what he writes about. * Tony Juniper, author and campaigner *There's no one on earth who's just done more stuff--and inspired more doing--than Rob Hopkins. This book shows how you can Do Stuff Too! * Bill McKibben, author, environmentalist, and co-founder of 350.org *Rob Hopkins has done more to change the way that we live in the past 10 years than any one else in Britain. Because he has given people the tools to create change for themselves. It is beautifully simple and incredibly powerful. * Monty Don, gardener, writer and broadcaster *There's a buzz around this book, and its message, that give great grounds for optimism on topics that are often rather doom-laden. Its true power lies in the fact that its many smart ideas are already underway. * Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, writer, broadcaster and campaigner *Rob Hopkins is a master at doing stuff. He makes the necessary look desirable and possible. Hopkins has understood that paths are made by walking and that what matters is taking steps. Dealing with global challenges will need important rules set at high levels, but we will only survive and thrive if we become enchanted by positive change locally, where we experience the world. This book is that spell to help rapid transition happen. * Andrew Simms, nef Fellow and author of Cancel the Apocalypse *I see [Transition] as a wonderful combination of civic local engagement and a worldwide network. In many towns throughout the world people get together, finding community, enthusiastic about the idea of together envisioning a future model for their town that will make it worth living in. * Horst Köhler, former German president and former president of the IMF *Rob Hopkins' book is a truly unique piece of work that anyone who cares about our future in this densely populated and threatened world should read. It offers original thought and clear analysis. It also combines realism and hope. * Jonathan Dimbleby, writer and broadcaster *Table of ContentsIntroduction Why we need to do something Opening the door to new possibilities The power of just getting on with it Daring to dream: where we could end up A few closing thoughts Next steps Notes Resources Index

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Book SynopsisThe art avengers...took on toxic debt culture – and won the Guardian These artists want to blow up the whole financial system The New York Times Meet the Bonnie and Clyde of bad debt! When art meets finance, 'The Big Bang' takes on a whole new meaning. This is brilliant performative protest. Kate Raworth, author of Doughnut Economics Bank Job is a white-knuckle ride into the dark heart of the global financial system. Artist and filmmaker duo Hilary Powell and Dan Edelstyn discover that behind the opaque language of loans and the defunct diagrams of money and debt is a system flawed by design and ripe for hacking. They assemble a team and bring a community together by printing their own money in a disused bank in East London, in order to buy up and abolish local debt. Part daring tale, part personal memoir and part economic education, this book is perfect for fans of Grace Blakely and David Graeber. Bank Job shows how the financial system can be changed to meet the needs of the many, not just the few one bank job at a time.Trade Review‘When art meets finance, “The Big Bang” takes on a whole new meaning. This is brilliant performative protest.’—Kate Raworth, author of Doughnut Economics‘Banks rob us blind every day, and so Powell and Edelstyn started one that did exactly the opposite. It became a truly great work of art, and this book is a remarkable record of what we should learn from their achievement about the urgent need for debt abolition and peoples’ financing.’—Andrew Ross, author of Creditocracy: And the Case for Debt Refusal‘Hilary and Dan are the Bonnie and Clyde of renegade economics, bringing a deeply imaginative, beautiful, rebel swagger to staid debate about debt. I love absolutely everything about Bank Job: its persistence, its guts, its compassion, its attention to detail and beauty. My visit to the Bank will stay with me always, and the ripples from this brave and brilliant project have only just begun.’—Rob Hopkins, founder, Transition movement; author of From What Is to What If ‘In the adventure Dan and Hilary take us on, we see the antiquated architecture of the financial system for what it is and are motivated to join in with them to pull it down so that a new system can be built to meet the great challenges of the 21st century – earth-systems breakdown and obscene levels of inequality. This is a timely book, written with passion and verve, that shows how political will, creativity and the arts were deployed to transform the lives of debtors. Dan and Hilary’s lived experience will inspire and strengthen the global movement for economic and ecological justice.’—Ann Pettifor, author of The Case for The Green New Deal‘I can’t think of any more exciting exposé of the role of debt in blighting people’s lives than this book. As the spectre of debt looms over us in all its forms, from personal to sovereign debt, this book couldn’t be more timely. As establishment politicians seek to load the economic burden of the pandemic onto people’s shoulders across the globe, this exhilarating tale inspires the resistance we desperately need.’—John McDonnell, MP and former Shadow Chancellor‘We’re all going around feeling something is wrong but it often ends up veering off in reactionary directions. I think this is wonderful because it marshals that sense of unease and builds it into a community and I love the way you are using it to create ties with each other and cancel debt and expose the sheer hypocrisy of the morality of debt.’—David Graeber, anthropologist and author of Bullshit Jobs and Debt: The First 5,000 Years‘Art pirates, debt destroyers and dreamers for a new economy unite! Hilary and Dan show us how the power of creativity can be a catalyst for grassroots activism when we need it the most. This book will be treasured by all those who are convinced that the radical imagination can triumph against capitalism.’—Max Haiven, Canada Research Chair in Culture, Media and Social Justice; author of Revenge Capitalism and Art After Money, Money After Art‘The UK economy is weighed down by billions of pounds worth of unpayable debt – much of it owed by low-income households struggling to get by. With the COVID-19 pandemic slashing people’s incomes – after a decade of wage stagnation – many households are now on the brink of default, even as the government pumps unprecedented sums of money into our financial system. Bank Job is a vivid portrait of the UK’s debt crisis, which also answers the question as to what we should do with all this debt: blow it up!’—Grace Blakeley, author of Stolen: How to Save the World from Financialisation‘One of the greatest obstacles to change is our inability to believe in or visualise the world being different. That’s where the creative activists and film makers Hilary Powell and Daniel Edelstyn succeed. Their work rips the veil from a banking and financial system which has normalised economic deception and destructive and irresponsible gambling on a vast scale. More than a simple exposé of the ludicrous rewards going to handful of speculators for risking other people’s money, Bank Job shows how a community can come together to reimagine the economy to meets their own needs.’—Andrew Simms, author, co-director of New Weather Institute, coordinator of Rapid Transition Alliance‘They didn’t just blow the bl**dy doors off: the whole van went up, and with it, the full sorry story of debt and its stranglehold on ordinary lives across the world. While countries and corporations wallow in the red, it’s a black day indeed for millions when the balance of payments tips against them. Now, Powell and Edelstyn, the Thelma and Louise of finance hacking, deliver a rock n’ roll history of where it all went wrong, and how it can start to go right. We all owe them a debt of gratitude for the cunning collaborative creativity of their project, but it’s not over yet. Much more action is needed, and Bank Job gives you all the tools to finish what they started. Right here’s where we start paying . . . in sweat! Keep the engine running, we’re going in. . . .’—Gareth Evans, producer, Patience after Sebald

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Book SynopsisWhere does wealth come from? How is it different from money? Does government intervention prevent or create crises? What is the most effective way to protect the environment? In Economics Without the Boring Bits, Oxford-trained economist Tejvan Pettinger takes readers on an enlightening tour of the powerful, counter-intuitive and frequently startling insights of economic research, showing us that middlemen are good, recycling is bad (sometimes) and why some people get rich and others don't.This clear, compelling and engaging book breathes life into big concepts such as debt, finance, trade, money, taxation, supply, demand and all the other economic issues that worry us all yet relatively few truly understand.This is your guide to understanding economics – without the boring bits.Table of ContentsECONOMIC ERRORS: Lump of labour fallacy • Luddite Fallacy • Broken window fallacy • Sunk cost fallacy • Fallacy of composition • Zero-sum games • This time it's different (why bubbles reoccur) POLITICAL QUANDRIES: Tax cuts • Government debt • Immigration • Presidents responsibility • Trickle-down • Inflation • Exchange rates • Bail-outs • Recessions WHAT YOU REALLY NEED TO KNOW ABOUT…: Division of labour • Raw materials • Economic forecasting • Farming and agriculture • Rational consumers • Deflation • Free riders • Monetary policy ECONOMISTS: Adam Smith • John Maynard Keynes • Milton Friedman • Gary Becker • Paul Krugman YOU'LL NEVER GET RICH BY INDULGING IN…: Fighting wars • Trade wars and trade retaliation • Propping up farming or heavy industry • Cutting inflation too much • Acquiring lots of money • Free trade • Eating too much chocolate cake ECO BOMBSHELLS: Nature • Shared resources • Air travel • Markets and global warming • Fat taxes are fair • Protecting the environment will create jobs, not destroy them • Recycling is good BUSINESS MYTHS: Ticket touts are bad • There is greater value on diamonds than fresh water • Workers are only motivated by money • It is unfair that airlines keep changing the price of tickets • The UK and US economies should be more balanced • Consumer boycotts of sweatshop factories • Are multinationals the great wealth creators?

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Book SynopsisOur current neoliberal capitalist economic system is based on unethical values. The twentieth century economist John Maynard Keynes recognized this and wrote of a time in the future when we could transcend those values. Unfortunately Keynes believed that this would somehow happen automatically, and did not grasp the necessity of the need now to directly challenge the values on which our society is based, instead of simply waiting for them to fade away. The Buddha identified the vital importance of working to uproot the poisons of greed and hatred in the human psyche and in human society, and to replace them with their counterparts of generosity and loving kindness, in order to allow a different society to come into being.

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Book SynopsisFrom the author of the New York Times bestseller, Megatrends: Ten New Directions Transforming Our Lives, comes the new title on dealing with the complexity of change. It is one thing to spot the real trends from the fads, but it is another whole new ball game to deal with the incoming trend. This is the centrepiece of Mastering Megatrends.

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Book SynopsisEconomists say there is a limit to what we gain by buying consumer goods. Americans say they want to work less. Yet we continue toiling away and use the proceeds to buy, buy, buy. Why? Stephen Rosenberg offers a novel theory, arguing that workers have learned to treat goods as stores of potential free time, legitimating endless wage work.Trade ReviewAn enormously ambitious and highly provocative book, Time for Things addresses one of the most central and most difficult puzzles in economics and political economy: why is it that advanced capitalist societies do not use their high and growing productivity for more free time—with great benefits for individuals, social life, and the environment—and instead increase consumption in line with rising productive capacity? With extraordinary conceptual precision and theoretical acumen, Rosenberg shows how the various versions of modern economics fail to even come close to resolving the puzzles posed by the apparent stability of consumerist capitalism. Whether or not his approach to this puzzle will stand after criticism, the debate that Rosenberg has started will be a major one and is likely to add significantly to our understanding of contemporary capitalism. -- Wolfgang Streeck, author of How Will Capitalism End?This remarkable book examines the master issue of our daily lives, the scarcity of time, and makes a startling argument about the norms that facilitate capitalist expansion: time is turned into ever more things because things begin to be seen as time. Rosenberg’s wide-ranging approach draws from, and challenges, historians, economists, psychologists, and philosophers, as much as sociologists. Time for Things is not an incremental addition to an existing conversation, but the start of a whole new conversation. -- Monica Prasad, author of The Land of Too MuchThis brilliant book presents a revolutionary account of America’s consumption economy, arguing that standardized consumer durables provided essential legitimation for the very idea of wage labor. Drawing on economics, sociology, and history, Rosenberg combines data on economic trends, consumption patterns, business and labor movements, product development, and marketing. His magisterial study states and defends a novel theory of consumption that has profound implications for our understanding of the modern American economy. -- Andrew Abbott, University of ChicagoRosenberg settles on an intriguing explanation: that the reason workers stopped pushing to reduce working time is that products got better, and consumers began to demand more of them…Brings a much-needed social dimension to our understanding of work. -- Andrew Leigh * Inside Story *[Rosenberg] deploys an arrangement of resources drawn from social theory combined with evidence from history and economic data to develop a theory of mass consumption as ‘wage-labor commensuration.’ According to this, since the 1920s the preference to trade the prospect of the leisure dividend with the pursuit of the wage-labor increment (to finance a greater propensity to consume) is the hallmark of work-leisure relations. Rosenberg is nothing less than heroic in assembling an enormous range of the theoretical and empirical date to make the case. -- Chris Rojek * Business History Review *Rosenberg argues that consumers are plunged into an insatiable quest to consume enough so that they can feel that they are receiving at least fair pay…Hence the propensity for capitalist production and consumption, work and spend, to spiral upwards indefinitely…Rosenberg is to be congratulated for a book that, unusually nowadays, has something genuinely original to say. -- Ken Roberts * International Review of Social History *Could not be more timely…With so many Americans in the COVID era trying to tie their well-being to securing work they find rewarding in pay, purpose, and private life, Time for Things powerfully conveys that this oftentimes difficult pursuit involves factors far beyond the individual’s control. -- Lizabeth Cohen * American Journal of Sociology *In considering a variety of other explanations of American pursuit of higher wages, [Rosenberg] continuously raises the often-ignored question: Why haven’t Americans sought more time? He offers a clear argument…[and] a new way of thinking about the modern obsession with goods. -- Gary S. Cross * American Historical Review *In a world where working from home is now more common and technology allows us to be available and potentially working 24 hours a day, Rosenberg’s theory helps us to step back and ask just why higher wages seem to be the main focus for both organized labour and individual workers, rather than a dramatic increase in free time…One looks forward to scholars of labour and consumption grappling with this new explanation and trying it out in many different milieus. -- Sarah Elvins * Left History *

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Book Synopsis''A Malcolm Gladwell-style social psychology/behavioural economics primer'' Evening StandardLow-level dishonesty is rife everywhere, in the form of exaggeration, selective use of facts, economy with the truth, careful drafting - from Trump and the Brexit debate to companies that tell us ''your call is important to us''. How did we get to a place where bullshit is not just rife but apparently so effective that it''s become the communications strategy of our times? This brilliantly insightful book steps inside the panoply of deception employed in all walks of life and assesses how it has come to this. It sets out the surprising logic which explains why bullshit is both pervasive and persistent. Why are company annual reports often nonsense? Why should you not trust estate agents? And above all, why has political campaigning become the art of stretching the truth? Drawing on behavioural science, economics, psychology and of course his knowledge of the medTrade ReviewA Malcolm Gladwell-style social psychology/behavioural economics primer * Evening Standard *Subtle and wide-ranging, written with the generous intelligence and wry humour that admirers of his broadcasting will recognise * New Statesman *His care and his determination to make complicated ideas accessible show, above all, why he is such a good broadcaster * Observer *Davis's journey through the bullshit swamplands makes fascinating reading for anybody involved in communication -- Roland White * Sunday Times *

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Book SynopsisThe remarkable run of self-proclaimed "democratic socialist" Bernie Sanders for president of the United States has prompted-for the first time in decades and to the shock of many-a national conversation about socialism. A New York Times poll in late November found that a majority of Democrats had a favorable view of socialism, and in New Hampshire in February, more than half of Democratic voters under 35 told the Boston Globe they call themselves socialists. It's unclear exactly what socialism means to this generation, but couple with the ascendancy of longtime leftwinger Jeremy Corbyn to the leadership of the Labour Party in the UK, it's clear there's a historic, generational shift underway.This book steps into this moment to offer a clear, accessible, informative, and irreverent guide to socialism for the uninitiated. Written by young writers from the dynamic magazine Jacobin, alongside several distinguished scholars, The ABCs of Socialism answers basic questions, including ones that many want to know but might be afraid to ask ("Doesn't socialism always end up in dictatorship?", "Will socialists take my Kenny Loggins records?"). Disarming and pitched to a general readership without sacrificing intellectual depth, this will be the best introduction an idea whose time seems to have come again.Table of ContentsBhaskar Sunkara is the founding editor and publisher of Jacobin magazine.

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Book SynopsisWhy anti-lock brakes make us drive faster Why saving money can lead to financial crisesHow football helmets make the game more dangerousWhy letting forest fires burn can be safer than putting them outWe have learned a staggering amount about human nature and disaster-yet we are continually unprepared for car crashes, floods, and financial crises. Partly this is because the very success we''ve had making life safer enables us to take more extreme, different risks. As our cities, transport systems, and financial markets become more interconnected and complex, so does the potential for disaster. How do we stay safe? Should we? What if our attempts are exposing us even more to the very risks we are trying to avoid? What if acceptance of danger ultimately makes us more secure and prosperous? Is there such a thing as foolproof? In this fascinating account of risk-taking and crisis, Greg Ip presents a macro theoryTrade ReviewA powerful and original book on a vital subject - read it! * Tim Harford, author of The Undercover Economist Strikes Back *Compelling * Financial Times *In this incisive and richly reported book, Greg Ip forces us to rethink our assumptions about risk. He shows that progress might depend on less safety, not more - and that stability can often be destabilizing. FOOLPROOF is the rare book you'll be thinking about long after you've turned the final page. * Daniel H. Pink, author of DRIVE and TO SELL IS HUMAN *Drawing on a fascinating range of stories about forest fires and flood control, football helmets and anti-lock brakes, bank runs and epidemics, Foolproof is about the unintended and often very surprising consequences of our attempts to protect ourselves from disasters. Illuminating and entertaining, this book will change the way you think about the world of risk. * Liaquat Ahamed, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Lords of Finance *The safer you are, the more you are at risk; crises are born of success as much as failure. Surveying a century of struggles to fend off catastrophe, from financial panic to forest fires, Greg Ip explores these paradoxes deftly, cementing his position as a leading observer of the modern economy-and of the human condition. * Sebastian Mallaby, author of More Money Than God *It has been said that the problem with making things idiot-proof is that someone will just build a better idiot. Greg Ip's new book shows us just how that happens, from anti-lock brakes to the gold standard, to the financial crisis we are still reckoning with today. Deftly written and filled with lucid explanations of complex topics, this is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand why seemingly safe territory so often turns out to be dangerous quicksand. * Megan McArdle, author, The Up Side of Down *

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Book SynopsisFew countries experienced the period of turbulence surrounding the global financial crisis as intensely as Greece. The country topped the global news agenda as images of mass protests in Athens jostled for space with reports of torturous negotiations between political leaders struggling to agree support packages. Dramatic headlines proclaimed not only Greek bankruptcy and a possible exit from the euro, but the collapse of the single currency itself. This book offers a comprehensive and authoritative account of the lengthy crisis that beset Greece and the wider Eurozone. Written for the general reader, it explores the passage of events from different perspectives as it probes the story behind the headlines to reveal the full complexity of the crisis. Were its causes to be found in the prevailing international financial environment or in the economic and political system which evolved in Greece since the early 1970s? Did the choices made by both domestic and international actors such as the IMF and the EU exacerbate the crisis? Most importantly, what has been the impact of the crisis on the daily lives of the country’s inhabitants?Trade Review‘Thorough and readable, this blow-by-blow account of how Greece got itself into a seemingly interminable crisis of gigantic proportions, will appeal to readers wishing to move beyond the usual clichés. An essential reference.' -- Stathis Kaylvas, Arnold Wolfers Professor of Political Science, Yale University'This is an important book. Siani-Davies provides an insightful account of the toxic interaction between the Greece and its creditors over the past decade. Few foreign observers can produce such a perceptive analysis of the domestic complexities that conditioned Greece’s journey through the desert of austerity.' -- Dimitris Papadimitriou, Professor of Politics, University of Manchester'This book is certainly the most penetrating effort in English to describe the way Greece reached an economic and political dead-end. Taking an interdisciplinary approach, the book helps us to understand the role played by Greeks, Europeans, Americans and the IMF in forming an extremely complicated and confusing situation, which for the author has its origins in an incomplete process of modernisation.' -- Kostas Kostis, Professor of Economics, University of Athens, and author of 'History’s Spoiled Children: The Formation of the Modern Greek State'

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Book SynopsisGlobalization is taking a step backward. What, then, is the best way to organize a global enterprise? The key, Steven Weber explains, is to prepare for a world increasingly made up of competing regions with distinct rules and standards. This new condition could be more prosperous, but there will also be more friction and therefore more risk.Trade ReviewA spectacular book that engages with the biggest questions in international political economy and economic geography. It’s brimming with new and provocative ideas, conveyed in an easy and open style. -- Janice Stein, University of TorontoAs globalization enters uncharted waters, Bloc by Bloc takes on a fundamental question—how should firms organize? Drawing on insights from economic geography, Weber urges us to leave behind the past and reach for new models and thinking to build the future. Integrating business, politics, and International affairs, Bloc by Bloc is a must-read for all those interested in successfully navigating the global economy over the next decades. -- Abraham Newman, Georgetown University

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Winner of the Gold Medal in International Business / Globalization, Axiom Business Book Awards""[The] exploration of trade’s future is particularly thought-provoking. . . . One lesson of Mr. Levinson’s absorbing, centuries-long survey is that evolving global systems are always vulnerable to unexpected events."---Matthew Rees, Wall Street Journal"Smart and exceptionally well-timed."---Justin Fox, Bloomberg"Ostensibly a history of international trade through three distinct ‘globalizations,’ Outside the Box is most useful as a chronicle of how the pre-2008 model of complex, globe-spanning, just-in-time manufacturing has been exposed as fragile, inefficient, and opaque."---Mike Jakeman, strategy+business"Outside the Box is an intriguing synergy of social-sciences analysis, a useful aide memoire, a captivating read. Marc Levinson synthesizes well and writes smoothly, with a light touch of irony—very smart non-fiction."---Linda Quest, International Social Science Review"Marc Levinson’s Outside the Box is a timely and fascinating discussion of globalization."---Andreas Grein, Journal of Economic Literature"A valuable and stimulating contribution to the literature which can be profitably (and enjoyably) read by economist and non-economist alike."---Ian Harwood, Society of Professional Economists"Levinson provides a captivating account of globalisation by interlinking historical events that we know a great deal about with more obscure ones. Globalisation is not over – just different. I, for one, am glad it is ongoing as it will allow Levinson to produce a follow-up book."---Alex Gray, Financial World"This book is an interesting addition to the reading list of professionals and policymakers, which will help them think outside the box to integrate globalization and resilience for a sustainable global supply chain that is essential during this uncertain and challenging times. Nevertheless, this book can also serve as an idea-generating platform for academic readers in the field of globalization and international trade."---Satya Sahoo, Journal of Maritime Affairs

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Book SynopsisThorstein Veblen’s analysis of America’s parasitic upper class, which plunders its wealth from productive workers, is widely attributed to his outsider status. But Charles Camic shows that Veblen’s ideas did not derive from social marginality. Veblen was a professional economist whose fierce social critique was the work of an academic insider.Trade ReviewThorstein Veblen may be the most important American thinker most Americans have never heard of…Insightful…Camic’s Veblen is an intellectual flamethrower, torching every school of thought in sight, from the classicism of Adam Smith to the communism of Karl Marx, attempting to clear the ground for a new kind of science…Surrounded as we are by inequality and the flagrant excesses of the super-rich, the power of Veblen’s vision in our own era is obvious. * Wall Street Journal *Perhaps the most accomplished and certainly the most original American economist of his era, and subject of [this] landmark new biography…Veblen’s ideas inarguably have a new urgency in what many have called our new Gilded Age, as wealth inequality has soared past mid-twentieth century levels to approach that of its namesake…Succeeds in moving Veblen from the margins of fin-de-siècle intellectual life and placing him squarely in the center…This new biography comes at an opportune time. -- Simon Torracinta * Boston Review *Camic has produced a sort of intellectual biography that largely dispenses with the personal life, while directing intense and illuminating attention to the scholarly milieu in which Veblen emerged. -- Kwame Anthony Appiah * New York Review of Books *For decades, Thorstein Veblen has been the greatest American thinker without a good biography. An unsparing critic of our last gilded age, he savaged the upper classes, from their manners to the economic theories that justified their wealth, while also offering an alternative view of how the economy ought to work, and for whom…Veblen’s ideas and life are worth recalling, especially now…As a book about how Veblen fits into the history of American economics, this biography is fantastic. -- Paul W. Gleason * Los Angeles Review of Books *Camic’s intention…is to put an end to a long-standing view of Veblen as an outsider…Invaluable for the information it provides about the curricular specifics of Veblen’s education…What Camic brings into view are inconspicuous but vital parts of the Veblen story. -- Rachel Bowlby * Times Literary Supplement *A really interesting book…I enjoyed reading Veblen—one for anybody interested either in the man himself or in the history and sociology of economics. It certainly succeeds in over-turning the prevailing myth that Veblen was an outsider. -- Diane Coyle * Enlightened Economist *Camic provides an excellent account of how Veblen arrived at [his] contribution to economic theory…A worthy model for historians of the social sciences and sociologists of knowledge. -- Geoffrey Mead * LSE Review of Books *Camic has written an excellent intellectual biography…Not only excellent but also exemplary. -- Andrew Abbott * American Journal of Sociology *An intellectual biography of great depth and superb insight. I have read no other biographical volume, on any thinker, that achieves what Camic does in this volume. -- Geoffrey Hodgson * European Journal of the History of Economic Thought *Camic’s Veblen weaves together narrative, analytic interpretation, and social theory to create a compelling, engaging, and revolutionary account that tells us something new about a familiar and fascinating figure while conveying a powerful sense of melancholy. There is really nothing quite like it. -- George Steinmetz, University of MichiganThis is a book of profound scholarship produced by a talented sociologist at the height of his intellectual power. Going beyond strict intellectual history to focus on theory, Camic analyzes how Veblen developed a ‘repertoire of knowledge-making practices’ central to his seminal ideas in the first decades of his life as a researcher. The author also locates the concept of conspicuous consumption in Veblen’s broader contribution to the study of nonproductive economic activities. This brilliant book is certainly the definitive contribution to our understanding of Veblen and the context that made his pathbreaking approach possible. -- Michèle Lamont, past president of the American Sociological AssociationVeblen changes our perception of a major figure in American social science, showing that he stood at the heart of the emerging economics discipline. Given the enormous literature on Veblen, by historians, sociologists and economists, that is a remarkable achievement. -- Roger Backhouse, University of Birmingham and Erasmus University Rotterdam

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Book Synopsis''A Malcolm Gladwell-style social psychology/behavioural economics primer'' Evening StandardLow-level dishonesty is rife everywhere, in the form of exaggeration, selective use of facts, economy with the truth, careful drafting - from Trump and the Brexit debate to companies that tell us ''your call is important to us''. How did we get to a place where bullshit is not just rife but apparently so effective that it''s become the communications strategy of our times? This brilliantly insightful book steps inside the panoply of deception employed in all walks of life and assesses how it has come to this. It sets out the surprising logic which explains why bullshit is both pervasive and persistent. Why are company annual reports often nonsense? Why should you not trust estate agents? And above all, why has political campaigning become the art of stretching the truth? Drawing on behavioural science, economics, psychology and of course his knowledge of the medTrade ReviewA Malcolm Gladwell-style social psychology/behavioural economics primer * Evening Standard *Subtle and wide-ranging, written with the generous intelligence and wry humour that admirers of his broadcasting will recognise * New Statesman *His care and his determination to make complicated ideas accessible show, above all, why he is such a good broadcaster * Observer *Davis's journey through the bullshit swamplands makes fascinating reading for anybody involved in communication -- Roland White * Sunday Times *

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Book Synopsis‘A persuasive manifesto for a better Britain.’ Observer Book of the Day Britain is in crisis. This timely book by one of the stars of frontline politics shows a way out. Trade Review‘Nandy makes a powerful argument for rethinking politics.’ New Statesman ‘A much-needed intervention. … This fast and accessible read [offers] a deceptively radical vision and one that Labour should embrace.’ Observer, Book of the Day ‘Gives a clear sense of Nandy’s ambitions for the Labour party’s future policy. … Bang on the political zeitgeist.’ The Sunday Times ‘Brilliant, brave and bursting with ideas.’ Jess Phillips MP ‘A humane and decent personal manifesto that does not shirk the challenges and dangers we face. Powerful and deeply authentic.’ Philippe Sands ‘Clear-eyed and compassionate, but caustic about the people and ideas that have let Britain down so badly, Lisa Nandy is a new kind of politician and a new kind of thinker. We have never needed voices like hers more urgently.’ Stuart Maconie ‘Nandy is a big thinker and a gifted story teller. A must-read.’ Frances O’Grady, former General Secretary of the TUC ‘Original, thought-provoking and exciting.’ Helle Thorning-Schmidt, former Prime Minister of Denmark ‘A positive agenda for change and renewal rooted in the best traditions of the Labour movement.’ Jon Cruddas MP ‘Informative, perceptive and at times inspiring. This is the kind of political vision the country so badly needs.’ Anand Menon, Director, UK in a Changing Europe ‘Wide-ranging, imaginative, practical and believable.’ Danny Dorling ‘A tour de force. All In outlines what a better world might look like.’ Professor Will Jennings ‘With a sharp eye for illustration, Nandy offers one of Labour’s more radical routes out of neoliberalism in her accessible book.’ The House

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Book SynopsisIn a work with significant implications for present-day economic reform in the Soviet Union, Paul Gregory examines Russian and Soviet economic history prior to the installation of the administrative command system. By drawing on basic economic statistics from 1861 to the 1930s, Gregory's revisionist account debunks a number of myths promulgated byTrade Review"Gregory has produced the best overview of Russian economic development from 1861 through the 1930s. Along the way, he has illuminated many of the blockages current policy makers confront as they 'plan' for the transition to a market economy... [T]he book ... is outstanding."--American Historical ReviewTable of ContentsPrefaceCh. 1Perestroika and Lessons of the Past3Ch. 2Economic Growth and Development of Tsarist Russia14Ch. 3The Agrarian Crisis37Ch. 4State Policy, the Gold Standard, and Foreign Capital55Ch. 5The Last Market Economy81Ch. 6The Crises of NEP102Ch. 7Comparisons of Tsarist and Soviet Economic Performance128Appendix A: Russian Economic Statistics139Appendix B: The Economic Recovery of NEP153Notes167Index185

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Book SynopsisCapitalism has lifted millions out of poverty. Under its guiding hand, living standards throughout the Western world have been transformed. Further afield, the trail blazed by Japan is being followed by other emerging market countries across the globe, creating prosperity on a breathtaking scale.And yet, capitalism is unloved. From its discontents to its outright enemies, voices compete to point out the flaws in the system that allow increasingly powerful elites to grab an ever larger share of our collective wealth.In this incisive, clear-sighted guide, award winning Financial Times journalist John Plender explores the paradoxes and pitfalls inherent in this extraordinarily dynamic mechanism - and in our attitudes to it. Taking us on a journey from the Venetian merchants of the Rennaissance to the gleaming temples of commerce in 21st-century Canary Wharf via the South Sea Bubble, Dutch tulip mania and manic-depressive gambling addicts, Plender shows us our economic creation through the eyes of philosophers, novelists, poets, artists and the divines.Along the way, he delves into the ethics of debt; reveals the truth about the unashamedly materialistic artistic giants who pioneered copyrighting; and traces the path of our instinctive conviction that entrepreneurs are greedy, unethical opportunists, hell-bent on capital accumulation, while manufacturing is innately virtuous. Thoughtful, eloquent and above all compelling, Capitalism is a remarkable contribution to the enduring debate.Trade Review'A superbly erudite excursion through the theory and practice of market economies down the ages.' - Dominic Lawson, The Sunday Times; 'In this thoughtful and stimulating intervention, John Plender [...] offers a tour d'horizon of the debate, enlivened by a deep knowledge of the global economy and an interest in history, together with an open-minded willingness to place capitalism on the scales of justice and see which way they tip.' - David Priestland, Financial Times; 'John Plender is one of capitalism's more thoughtful observers. His erudition and lifelong curiosity come together beautifully in this wise and wide-ranging book.' - Stephanie Flanders; 'Plender is neither dogmatic nor prescriptive; if you like to read something that furnishes ideas for debate, then this book is for you.' - Richard Walker, CapX; '[John Plender] approaches the quandaries of capitalism with a shrewd eye for detail.' - The Economist; 'It [Capitalism] does a better job of bringing together all the key issues facing today's global economy than any other book I've read... a delight to read.' - Tim Montgomerie, The Times

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Book SynopsisEmerging relatively unscathed from the banking crisis of 2008, China has been viewed as a model of both rampant success and fiscal stability. But beneath the surface lies a network of fissures that look likely to erupt into the next big financial crash. A bloated real-estate sector, roller-coaster stock market, and rapidly growing shadow-banking sector have all coalesced to create a perfect storm: one that is in danger of taking the rest of the world’s economy with it. Walden Bello traces our recent history of financial crises – from the bursting of Japan’s ‘bubble economy’ in 1990 to Wall Street in 2008 – taking in their political and human ramifications such as rising inequality and environmental degradation. He not only predicts that China might be the site of the next crash, but that under neoliberalism this will simply keep happening. The only way that we can stop this cycle, Bello argues, is through a fundamental change in the ways that we organise: a shift to cooperative enterprise, respectful of the environment, and which fractures the twin legacies of imperialism and capitalism. Insightful, erudite and passionate, Paper Dragons is a must-read for anyone wishing to prevent the next financial meltdown.Trade ReviewThis welcome critique of global finance is admirably angry. * Guardian *Paper Dragons looks at the economic dangers building up in the Chinese economy and situates them in world economic developments since the Global Financial Crisis. * Green Left *Walden Bello suggests that, while the next devastating crisis with global ramifications can strike any one of capitalism’s many nodes, the immediate threat comes from Asian giant, China. The lesson? Reform of capitalism may be the immediate call, but in the final analysis we must transform how the system works and we live our lives. * C. P. Chandrasekhar, Professor of Economics, Jawaharlal Nehru University *Walden Bello argues that fragility remains within the system and points to China as the potential source of the world's next major economic crisis. He raises issues that citizens, policymakers, and financial players ignore at their peril. * Dean Baker, Co-founder and Senior Economist, Center for Economic Policy Research *Walden Bello shows how global capitalism remains structurally prone to financial crises. With clarity and conviction, Bello continues to explain reality lucidly and inspire progressive alternatives. * Jayati Ghosh, Professor of Economics Jawaharlal Nehru University *'Startling, revelatory, brilliant! An astonishing exposé of the frightening economic details of this moment. * Jerry Mander, author of The Capitalism Papers *'In 2008, a U.S. housing bubble careened out of control and plunged the world into a gruesome global financial crisis. Bello brilliantly lays out the case that – unless we put effective checks in place – the next financial crisis will likely erupt in China. * John Cavanagh, Director, Institute for Policy Studies *In this volume, Walden Bello demonstrates that East and Southeast Asia has been the location of multiple financial crises, despite enjoying an international reputation as a group of successful globalizers. * Manuel Montes, Senior Analyst, South Center, Geneva *Walden Bello, in this terrifying new book, explains that, if major changes are not taken, the same set of circumstances – unregulated shadow banking, runaway financial speculation and an overheated real estate bubble – are poised to take down China’s economy, and perhaps the world's with it. A very important book for this political moment. * Maude Barlow, author of Blue Future and chairperson of the Council of Canadians *A stark warning about the vulnerable state of global financial markets from one of our most acute and prescient thinkers. * Naomi Klein, author of This Changes Everything and The Shock Doctrine *'A tour de force of past and future financial crises by the globe's most astute progressive political economist. Bello puts forward a comprehensive agenda to prevent the next crisis. * Robin Broad, Guggenheim Fellow and Professor, American University *'Walden Bello brilliantly explains how our global financial system still operates as a giant casino — with China now one of the most reckless gamblers. Read this book to learn how we can tame the global financial casino — before China and other reckless gamblers cause the next crash. * Sarah Anderson, Global Economy Project Director *Walden Bello is one of the rare truly global thinkers. A must-read for those seeking prevent the next financial meltdown. * Superb.' *'Crisply and clearly written, Paper Dragons demonstrates that: "Yes, it can happen here, again and again." Politicians and lawmakers everywhere had better get a grip on finance, now. Or watch out, World! * Susan George, President of the Transnational Institute and author of How the Other Half Dies *Walden Bello is one of the foremost analysts of global economics and politics of our time. He shows that the global economy is a ticking time bomb. Erudite and eloquent, this book could not be timelier. This is a must read. * William I. Robinson, Professor of Sociology, University of California *'The question may not be if another crash will take place, but when and where will it start. Bello eschews pessimist fatalism, arguing for a broad programme of financial reforms integrated into a comprehensive programme of reforms of the real economy. Inspired and accessible … Wholeheartedly recommended! * Heikki Patomäki, Professor of World Politics, University of Helsinki, author of The Great Eurozone Crisis *Table of Contents1. Introduction: Will China be the Epicenter of the Next Financial Crisis? 2. Crisis in Wall Street and the Keynesian Response 3. Europe: Social Democracy’s Faustian Pact with Global Finance 4. Asia and Finance Capital: From the Japanese Bubble to China’s Financial Time Bomb 5. Reforming the Global Financial Architecture: Opportunities Lost, 2008-2018 6. How to Rebottle the Genie 7. Conclusion: Why Financial Reform is Not Enough

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Book Synopsis'We need to organise politically to defend the weak, empower the many and prepare the ground for reversing the absurdities of capitalism.' – Yanis Varoufakis 'Capitalism over the past twenty-five years has been an incredible moral good.' – David Brooks The Munk debate on capitalism There is a growing belief that the capitalist system no longer works. Inequality is rampant. The environment is being destroyed for profits. In some western nations, life expectancy is even falling. Political power is wielded by wealthy elites and big business, not the people. But for proponents of capitalism, it is the engine of progress, not just making all of us materially better off, but helping to address everything from women’s rights to political freedoms. We seem to stand at a crossroads: do we need to fix the system as a matter of urgency, or would it be better to hold our nerve?

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Book SynopsisAn acerbic graphic takedown of capitalism. In Hyper-Capitalism, cartoonist Larry Gonick and psychologist Tim Kasser offer a vivid and an accessible new way to understand how global, privatising, market-worshipping hyper-capitalism is threatening human wellbeing, social justice, and the planet. Drawing from contemporary research, they describe and illustrate concepts (such as corporate power, free trade, privatisation, and deregulation) that are critical for understanding the world we live in, and movements (such as voluntary simplicity, sharing, alternatives to GDP, and protests) that have developed in response to the system. Gonick and Kasser’s pointed and profound cartoon narratives provide a deep exploration of the global economy and the movements seeking to change it, all rendered in clear, graphic — and sometimes hilarious — terms. In the process, they point the way to a healthier future for all of us.Trade Review‘A truly unique, page-turning graphical account … Gonick and Kasser pull off the monumental feat of rendering an otherwise dry and complex social-economic topic as clear, entertaining, informative, and even hilarious in spots. Hyper-Capitalism is a remarkable, essential and hopeful book for our times. To embrace and act upon its message is to live better.’ -- Nomi Prins, author of All the Presidents’ Bankers and It Takes a Pillage‘Like fish who don’t know they live in polluted water (because it’s everywhere), many people don’t know they live in economically, socially, and politically polluted societies. Hyper-Capitalism, in lucid prose and delightful graphics, pulls back the curtain with crystal clarity. I can’t think of a better book for young people to read as they chart their futures.’ -- Barry Schwartz, author of The Costs of Living, The Paradox of Choice, and Why We Work‘This book explains much about how the world works, and why it increasingly doesn’t. Read it soon, before we lose any more ice caps.’ -- Bill McKibben, author of The End of Nature and Deep Economy‘A clear and concise description of how the market economy functions, why it encourages the worst aspects of human nature, and how we can cope in an age of excess.’ -- John Gowdy, Professor of Economics and Professor of Science and Technology Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute‘A great introduction to the current state of the economy and what can be done about it, and a solid addition for Gonick’s many fans.’ * Library Journal *‘A timely counter to those who celebrate predatory economics as the best of all possible financial worlds.’ * Kirkus Reviews *Praise for Larry Gonick ‘Larry Gonick should get an Oscar for humour and a Pulitzer for history.’ -- Richard Saul Wurman, author and creator of the TED conference‘Hyper-Capitalism is very funny.’ -- Erin Britton * Nudge Books *

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Book SynopsisWe are constantly being told that globalisation is good for the economy and good for us, but it’s actually the opposite, argues bestselling author Jeff Rubin in this provocative, timely book. In the pre-coronavirus world, governments and economists bragged that GDP was growing and unemployment was down. But even then, real wages had been stagnant for decades, union membership had collapsed, and full-time employment no longer guaranteed you could pay the bills. When we emerge from the virus, it would be nice to think that living in a country that’s getting richer means that you’re getting richer too, but that’s not the way it works anymore. Falling tariffs, low interest rates, global deregulation, and tax policies that benefit only the rich have all had the same effect: the erosion of the ‘expendable’ middle class. The result, growing global inequality, is a problem of our own making. And solving it won’t be easy if we draw on the same ideas about capital and labour, right and left, that led us to this cliff. Articulating a vision that, remarkably, dovetails with the ideas of both Naomi Klein and Donald Trump, The Expendables is an exhilaratingly fresh perspective that is at once humane and irascible, fearless and rigorous. Trade Review‘A forensic study of globalisation … rigorous.’ -- David Kernek * Irish Examiner *‘[A] snappily written work.’ -- Fiona Capp * The Age *‘Rubin … leverages his firm grasp of geopolitics and economics to offer not only a primer on macroeconomics, but also on how globalisation — that is, the process of opening up international markets — has routed the middle class and propped up the elite.’ * Winnipeg Free Press *‘The latest from the author of Why Your World Is About to Get a Whole Lot Smaller continues his disruptive ways in this analysis of how the collapse of union membership and the near obsolescence of full-time employment is squeezing out the middle class … [Rubin] is a fiercely independent thinker.’ * NOW *Praise for Why Your World Is About to Get a Whole Lot Smaller: ‘Rubin’s argument is powerful.’ —Newsweek ‘One of the year’s best.’—Financial TimesPraise for The Big Flatline: ‘[Rubin] states unequivocally that the reason economists and politicians have failed to reverse the current recession is that they are relying on outmoded world views … Clearly written and smartly argued.’ * Kirkus Reviews *Praise for The Carbon Bubble: ‘Jeff Rubin at his finest. Thought-provoking. Meticulously researched. Intelligent without pretension. I highly, highly recommend it!’ -- Michael Hlinka * CBC Radio *

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Book SynopsisIn 1972, a book changed the world.The Club of Rome commissioned a report that shifted how we see what humans are doing to the planet. Looking back five decades later, what happened next, what did we do and not do, what did we learn, and what happens now?In The Limits to Growth, a team from MIT studied the way humans were using the resources of the earth. Using sophisticated computer modelling, the researchers developed scenarios to map out possible paths for humanity, the global economy and the impact on the planet.Were their models right? What did the rest of the world do about it?Now, in 2022, the Club of Rome have brought two of the original authors from the 1972 book, Dennis Meadows and Jorgen Randers, along with an array of other world-renowned thinkers, scientists, analysts and economists from across the globe to answer these questions and grapple with the most acute issue of our time.In the first section, "Echoes of a Great Book", Ugo Bardi sets the scene with an in-depth examination of the original report and the effect it has had on how we might think about what humanity is doing to the world.Jorgen Randers and Dennis Meadows then ask what the first book actually said and answer the most common questions that people ask about the book and progress since. Further explorations of the impact and consequences of the ground-breaking original book follow.Next, in the "Still the Economy, But What Kind?" section, the contributors examine the economic ideas that have informed and arisen from The Limits to Growth in the following decades and critique those assumptions and notions. They ask what must change if we are to stay within the limits set by nature.In the "New Lenses for a Different Future" section, thinkers from continents and cultures across the globe expand on their unique experiences of acting in and observing a world that may use all its resources before we wake up and act.The "Did We Learn? Will We?" section ponders where we go from here. Has humanity taken in the lessons of The Limits to Growth? What have we learned in the meantime? And, most importantly, what can we do about it now?Limits and Beyond: 50 years on from The Limits to Growth, what did we learn and what''s next? reaches back half a century to when the original report shook the world into realising that we live on a finite planet, brings it sharply up to date, and looks clear-eyed into the future.Limits and Beyond focuses the mind on the pressing issues of sustainability, global economics, ecology that global politics and institution need to grapple with to ensure the survival of the human race.Limits and Beyond is the book that will shape the conversation about our place on the earth for the next 50 years and beyond.

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