Economics A Very Short Introduction

Economics has the capacity to offer us deep insights into some of the most formidable problems of life, and offer solutions to them too. Combining a global approach with examples from everyday life, Partha Dasgupta describes the lives of two children who live very different lives in different parts of the world: in the Mid-West USA and in Ethiopia. He compares the obstacles facing them, and the processes that shape their lives, their families, and their futures. He shows how economics uncovers these processes, finds explanations for them, and how it forms policies and solutions. Along the way, Dasgupta provides an intelligent and accessible introduction to key economic factors and concepts such as individual choices, national policies, efficiency, equity, development, sustainability, dynamic equilibrium, property rights, markets, and public goods. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable. An excellent introduction... presents mathematical and statistical findings in straightforward prose. Financial Times I wish more people would read Dasgupta's book, and I wish more economists would write variations on its theme. It is a model specimen. www.economicprincipals.com The text is direct, rigorous and thought-provoking. It provides an intelligent, rigorous and readable introduction to economics. London Book Review.comPreface ; Prologue ; 1. Macroeconomic History ; 2. Trust ; 3. Communities ; 4. Markets ; 5. Science and Technology as Institutions ; 6. Households and Firms ; 7. Sustainable Economic Development ; 8. Social Well-Being and Democratic Government ; Epilogue ; Further Reading