Economics: The User's Guide - by Ha-Joon Chang

About the Book

From the internationally bestselling author and prizewinning economist--a highly original guide to the global economy.

Book Synopsis

From the internationally bestselling author and prizewinning economist--a highly original guide to the global economy.

In his bestselling 23 Things They Don't Tell You About Capitalism, Cambridge economist Ha-Joon Chang brilliantly debunked many of the predominant myths of neoclassical economics. Now, in an entertaining and accessible primer, he explains how the global economy actually works--in real-world terms. Writing with irreverent wit, a deep knowledge of history, and a disregard for conventional economic pieties, Chang offers insights that will never be found in the textbooks.

Unlike many economists, who present only one view of their discipline, Chang introduces a wide range of economic theories, from classical to Keynesian, revealing how each has its strengths and weaknesses, and why there is no one way to explain economic behavior. Instead, by ignoring the received wisdom and exposing the myriad forces that shape our financial world, Chang gives us the tools we need to understand our increasingly global and interconnected world often driven by economics. From the future of the Euro, inequality in China, or the condition of the American manufacturing industry here in the United States--Economics: The User's Guide is a concise and expertly crafted guide to economic fundamentals that offers a clear and accurate picture of the global economy and how and why it affects our daily lives.

Review Quotes

"The dismal science rendered undismally, even spryly . . . lively, intelligent, and readily accessible." --Kirkus Reviews

"This excellent economics primer is written 'in plain terms' for a college-educated reader; it follows efforts by some academics to seek a readership market beyond the classroom." --Booklist

"A practical guide that shows the importance of the subject as a worldview and how it fits into everyday life." --Library Journal

"This book should be the poster child for the word 'tweener.' Not quite an introductory text (although that is the category into which the author places it), the book is 'a mile wide and an inch deep' and includes 'everything but the kitchen sink' in terms of level of detail and scope of coverage [ . . . ] an interesting, entertaining, and worthwhile contribution that offers a picture of the global economy and how and why it affects daily life. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-level undergraduates and above; general readers." --A. R. Sanderson, University of Chicago CHOICE

About the Author

Ha-Joon Chang was born in Seoul, South Korea, and teaches Economics and Development Studies at the University of Cambridge. His books include the international bestseller Bad Samaritans: The Myth of Free Trade and the Secret History of Capitalism, Kicking Away the Ladder, winner of the Myrdal Prize, and 23 Things They Don't Tell You About Capitalism. Chang was awarded the Leontief Prize for Advancing the Frontiers of Economic Thought. He lives in Cambridge with his wife, Hee-Jeong Kim, and two children, Yuna, and Jin-Gyu.