The Accidental Theorist: And Other Dispatches from the Dismal Science - Softcover

Krugman, Paul

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0140286861 ISBN 13: 9780140286861

Publisher: Penguin, 1999

Synopsis

Paul Krugman has made a reputation for himself by telling us the truth about economics however unlikely it may seem and however little we want to believe it. In this collection of sharp, witty essays, Krugman tackles bad economic ideas from across the political spectrum, giving us clear-eyed insights into unemployment, globalization, economic growth and financial speculation. The writing here brilliantly combines the acerbic style and clever analysis that has made Krugman famous.

About this title

Review:

When economics and ideology mix, the results often sound plausible, but in fact can be terribly wrong and lead to ill-conceived and sometimes dangerous economic policy. For several years, Paul Krugman, author of The Accidental Theorist and one of the most celebrated economists of the 1990s, has been punching holes in fashionable ideas such as the logic of supply-side economics and the evils of globalisation. The Accidental Theorist is a collection of Krugman's best published and unpublished essays that cover everything from the Asian financial crisis to inflation in America.

Krugman's cause is neither left or right; rather it's the pursuit of clear thinking about economics that's unfettered by ideology. He writes, "But we should never be surprised when prominent people say foolish things about economics. The history of economic doctrines teaches us that the influence of an idea may have nothing to do with its quality--that an ideology can attract a devoted following, even come to control the corridors of power, without a shred of logic or evidence in its favor".

If you've read and enjoyed Krugman's regular column for Slate, "The Dismal Science", or have admired his work in the New York Times, The Washington Monthly, and Foreign Affairs, you'll find that the The Accidental Theorist is a must-read. The essays in this book reflect a clairvoyant and playful mind that is patient enough to unravel and simplify--not dumb down--the arcane and lofty ideas of economics to something that the rest of us can understand. Highly recommended. --Harry C. Edwards, Amazon.com

About the Author:

Paul Krugman has been proclaimed "the most celebrated economist of his generation" (The Economist), a judgement confirmed when he was awarded the John Bates Clark Medal, a prize given to the best American economist under the age of forty. Professorof economics at Massachussetts Institute of Technology, Krugman advised the US government and written widely of the international press.

About this edition

• Publisher: Penguin
• Publication date: 1999
• ISBN 10: 0140286861
• ISBN 13: 9780140286861
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 208