Description
Book SynopsisThis book revisits John Kenneth Galbraith''s classic text The Affluent Society in the context of the background to, and causes of, the global economic crisis that erupted in 2008. Each chapter takes a major theme of Galbraith''s book, distils his arguments, and then discusses to what extent they cast light on current developments, both in developed economies and in the economics discipline. The themes include: inequality, insecurity, inflation, debt, consumer behaviour, financialization, the economic role of government (''social balance''), the power of ideas, the role of power in the economy, and the nature of the good society. It considers the current problems of capitalism and the huge challenges facing democratic governments in tackling them. Written in non-technical language, this book is accessible to students of economics and the social sciences as well as to those who would have read The Affluent Society and the general reader interested in contemporary affairs and public policy.
Trade ReviewStudents of economic history will find this a particularly useful volume as it is written in an exceptionally readable manner. This volume makes an important contribution to the literature on the economic history of advanced capitalism and its effects on the distribution of wealth within Western democracies. I have no hesitation in recommending this text to anyone, whether or not they are familiar with economics, with an interest in recent economic history and/or in the effects of changing economic policies on the structure of societies. Furthermore, anyone seeking an overview of the causes and consequences of the GFC will find The Affluent Society Revisited a useful reference. * Jenny Chesters, Economic Record *
Table of ContentsPreface ; 1. Why Revisit The Affluent Society? ; 2. The Power of Ideas: Reflections on the Conventional Wisdom ; 3. The Central Tradition ; 4. Inequality ; 5. Economic Security ; 6. The Ambiguities of Production ; 7. The Dethroned Consumer ; 8. Inflation ; 9. Debt ; 10. The Theory of Social Balance ; 11. Switching Tracks ; 12. The Idea of Power ; 13. The Moral Order ; 14. Concluding Thoughts ; A Reader's Guide
