Economics Books

Dive into the dynamic world of economics with our wide array of books in the Economics collection. From global financial systems to local economic policies, our selection offers insights by leading economists and scholars.

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Compulsory ujamaa villages in Tanzania, collectivization in Russia, Le Corbusier’s urban planning theory realized in Brasilia, the Great Leap Forward in China, agricultural "modernization" in the Tropics—the twentieth century has been racked by grand utopian schemes that have inadvertently brought death and disruption to millions. Why do well-intentioned plans for improving the human condition go tragically awry?In this wide-ranging and original book, James C. Scott analyzes failed cases of large-scale authoritarian plans in a variety of fields. Centrally managed social plans misfire, Scott argues, when they impose schematic visions that do violence to complex interdependencies that are not—and cannot—be fully understood. Further, the success of designs for social organization depends upon the recognition that local, practical knowledge is as important as formal, epistemic knowledge. The author builds a persuasive case against "development theory" and imperialistic state planning that disregards the values, desires, and objections of its subjects. He identifies and discusses four conditions common to all planning disasters: administrative ordering of nature and society by the state; a "high-modernist ideology" that places confidence in the ability of science to improve every aspect of human life; a willingness to use authoritarian state power to effect large- scale interventions; and a prostrate civil society that cannot effectively resist such plans.
In recent years, Google’s autonomous cars have logged thousands of miles on American highways and IBM’s Watson trounced the best human Jeopardy! players. Digital technologies—with hardware, software, and networks at their core—will in the near future diagnose diseases more accurately than doctors can, apply enormous data sets to transform retailing, and accomplish many tasks once considered uniquely human.In The Second Machine Age MIT’s Erik Brynjolfsson and Andrew McAfee—two thinkers at the forefront of their field—reveal the forces driving the reinvention of our lives and our economy. As the full impact of digital technologies is felt, we will realize immense bounty in the form of dazzling personal technology, advanced infrastructure, and near-boundless access to the cultural items that enrich our lives.Amid this bounty will also be wrenching change. Professions of all kinds—from lawyers to truck drivers—will be forever upended. Companies will be forced to transform or die. Recent economic indicators reflect this shift: fewer people are working, and wages are falling even as productivity and profits soar.Drawing on years of research and up-to-the-minute trends, Brynjolfsson and McAfee identify the best strategies for survival and offer a new path to prosperity. These include revamping education so that it prepares people for the next economy instead of the last one, designing new collaborations that pair brute processing power with human ingenuity, and embracing policies that make sense in a radically transformed landscape.A fundamentally optimistic book, The Second Machine Age alters how we think about issues of technological, societal, and economic progress.
The Firm - The Story Of McKinsey And Its Secret Influence On American Business - Thryft
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It ranks among the unquestioned laws of American big business over the last half century: If you want to be taken seriously, you hire McKinsey & Company. FOUNDED IN 1926, McKINSEY CAN LAY CLAIM to the following partial list of accomplishments: its consultants have ushered in waves of structural, financial, and technological change to the nation s best organizations; they remapped the power structure within the White House; they even revo-lutionized business schools. In this book, star financial journalist Duff McDonald shows just how, in becoming an indispensable part of decision making at the highest levels, McKinsey has done nothing less than set the course of American capitalism. But he also answers the question that s on the mind of anyone who has ever heard the word McKinsey: Are they worth it? After all, just as McKinsey can be shown to have helped invent most of the tools of modern management, the company was also involved with a number of striking failures. Its consultants were on the scene when General Motors drove itself into the ground, and they were Kmart s advisers when the retailer tumbled into disarray. They played a critical role in building the bomb known as Enron. McDonald is one of the few journalists to have not only parsed the record but also penetrated the culture of McKinsey itself a corporate mandarin elite whose methods have been compared (by oth-ers and by themselves) to those of the Jesuits or the U.S. Marines. They feel so strongly about themselves that they have insisted on a proper noun where one need not exist. To an outsider, they are a consulting firm. To themselves, simply, The Firm. This revealing book uncovers the inner workings of what just might be the most influential private organization in America.
The Economic Naturalist - In Search Of Explanations For Everyday Enigmas - Thryft
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Robert H. Frank | Basic Books

The Economic Naturalist - In Search Of Explanations For Everyday Enigmas

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Goodreads rating: 3.46

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Why do the keypads on drive-up cash machines have Braille dots? Why are round-trip fares from Orlando to Kansas City higher than those from Kansas City to Orlando? For decades, Robert Frank has been asking his economics students to pose and answer questions like these as a way of learning how economic principles operate in the real world--which they do everywhere, all the time.Once you learn to think like an economist, all kinds of puzzling observations start to make sense. Drive-up ATM keypads have Braille dots because it's cheaper to make the same machine for both drive-up and walk-up locations. Travelers from Kansas City to Orlando pay less because they are usually price-sensitive tourists with many choices of destination, whereas travelers originating from Orlando typically choose Kansas City for specific family or business reasons. The Economic Naturalist employs basic economic principles to answer scores of intriguing questions from everyday life, and, along the way, introduces key ideas such as the cost benefit principle, the "no cash left on the table" principle, and the law of one price. There is no more delightful and painless way of learning these fundamental principles.
Japan: The Toothless Tiger - Thryft
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Declan Hayes | Tuttle Publishing

Japan: The Toothless Tiger

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Japan: The Toothless Tiger is a thoughtful analysis of the current situation Japan is facing with growing Chinese military power on the one hand, and a weakening American presence in the Asia-Pacific on the other. How will Japan cope?Hemmed in by mounting tensions with China over the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands and facing nuclear threats from North Korea, what should Japan do? Should she rearm? Should she get the bomb? What are the consequences of rearming, or not rearming?These and other strategic questions are critically reviewed by Professor Hayes, who places them into the Japanese political context. He shows how and why Japan must develop a more sophisticated approach to China, Russia and the two Koreas to address growing threats to her security and national interests. Professor Hayes shows how this can be done, and all East Asia will benefit as a result.
The Military Balance 2020 - Thryft
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International Institute for Strategic Studies | Routledge

The Military Balance 2020

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The Military Balance is an authoritative assessment of the military capabilities and defence economics of 171 countries. Detailed A-Z entries list each country's military organisation, personnel numbers, equipment inventories, and relevant economic and demographic data. Regional and select country analyses cover the major developments affecting defence policy and procurement, and defence economics. The opening graphics section displays notable defence statistics, while additional data sets detail selected arms orders and military exercises, as well as comparative defence expenditure and personnel numbers. The Military Balance is an indispensable handbook for anyone conducting serious analysis of security policy and military affairs. The International Institute for Strategic Studies, founded in 1958, is an independent centre for research, analysis and debate on the problems of conflict, however caused, that have, or potentially have, an important military dimension.'Amid continuing conflict and broadening insecurity, The Military Balance provides essential facts and analysis for decision-makers and for better informed public debate.' - Dr Robert M. Gates, former U.S. Secretary of Defense'Because military affairs are inevitably clouded in fog, the IISS Military Balance is an essential companionfor those who seek to understand.' - Lord Robertson of Port Ellen, former Secretary-General of NATO'The Military Balance is widely recognised as the best unclassified source of defense information on personnel, equipment and budgets for every country.' - Leon Panetta, former U.S. Secretary of Defense
The Strategic Survey 2019 - The Annual Assessment Of Geopolitics - Thryft
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Strategic Survey analyses the events that shaped relations between major powers, region by region, in the last year, and identifies key themes for policymakers and analysts looking ahead to 2020. The 2019 edition features essays · 5G mobile network technology and geopolitics · The fate of the New START agreement · Afghanistan and regional politics after a US withdrawal · The Gulf States’ competition in the Horn of Africa · Putin’s consolidation and manoeuvre · Iran after Khamenei · Germany, 30 years after the fall of the Wall · Venezuela’s crisis and the challenge of reconstruction
Governing Global-City Singapore - Plausible Futures After Lee Kuan Yew - Thryft
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This book provides a detailed analysis of how governance in Singapore has evolved since independence to become what it is today, and what its prospects might be in a post-Lee Kuan Yew future. Firstly, it discusses the question of political leadership, electoral dominance and legislative monopoly in Singapore’s one-party dominant system and the system’s durability. Secondly, it tracks developments in Singapore’s public administration, critically analysing the formation and transformation of meritocracy and pragmatism, two key components of the state ideology. Thirdly, it discusses developments within civil society, focusing in particular on issues related to patriarchy and feminism, hetero-normativity and gay activism, immigration and migrant worker exploitation, and the contest over history and national narratives in academia, the media and the arts. Fourthly, it discusses the PAP government’s efforts to connect with the public, including its national public engagement exercises that can be interpreted as a subtler approach to social and political control. In increasingly complex conditions, the state struggles to maintain its hegemony while securing a pre-eminent position in the global economic order. Tan demonstrates how trends in these four areas converge in ways that signal plausible futures for a post-LKY Singapore.
The Fix - How Nations Survive And Thrive In A World In Decline - Thryft
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Jonathan Tepperman | Tim Duggan Books

The Fix - How Nations Survive And Thrive In A World In Decline

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Goodreads rating: 3.89

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We all know the bad news. Our economies are stagnant. Wages are flat and income inequality keeps rising. The Middle East is burning and extremism is spreading. Frightened voters are embracing populist outsiders and angry nationalists. And no we are living in an age of unprecedented, irreversible decline—or so we’re constantly being told.        Jonathan Tepperman’s  The Fix  presents a very different picture. It identifies ten pervasive and seemingly impossible challenges—including immigration reform, economic stagnation, political gridlock, corruption, and Islamist extremism—and shows that, contrary to the general consensus, each has a solution, and not merely a hypothetical one. By taking a close look at overlooked success stories—from countries as diverse as Canada, Botswana, and Indonesia—Tepperman discovers practical advice for problem-solvers of all stripes, making a data-driven case for optimism in a time of crushing pessimism.
The World In 2020 - Power, Culture And Prosperity - Thryft
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In The World in 2020 , acclaimed commentator and best-selling author Hamish McRae paints a vivid competitive landscape in which culture and values will be the new sources of advantage for the industrialized nations. In the year 2020, all having embraced market capitalism, the North American, European and East Asian countries will be engaged in fierce economic competition. With each nation increasingly able to imitate the others, innovations will cross borders within more days and weeks, removing technological prowess as a source of sustained advantage. McRae sees the "old motors for growth"—land, capital and natural resources—being replaced by more qualitative assets—quality, organization, motivation and self-discipline of the people. Everywhere, governments will take a less active role in the social and economic life of the nation. In such a world, the best predictor of success will be how a nation strikes a proper balance between creativity and intellect on the one hand, and social responsibility on the other. Thus the leading world economic powers of the next generation are just as likely to include China and Australia as the United States and Japan.
Enough - Why The World's Poorest Starve In An Age Of Plenty - Thryft
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For more than thirty years, humankind has known how to grow enough food to end chronic hunger worldwide. Yet in Africa, more than 9 million people every year die of hunger, malnutrition, and related diseases every year -- most of them children. In this powerful investigative narrative, Wall Street Journal reporters Kilman & Thurow show exactly how, in the past few decades, Western policies conspired to keep Africa hungry and unable to feed itself. Enough is essential reading on a humanitarian issue of utmost urgency.
Utopia For Realists - Thryft
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Rutger Bregman | Bloomsbury Publishing

Utopia For Realists

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Goodreads rating: 4.22

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From a universal basic income to a 15-hour workweek, from a world without borders to a world without poverty - it's time to return to utopian thinking. Rutger Bregman takes us on a journey through history, beyond the traditional left-right divides, as he introduces ideas whose time has come. Utopia for Realists is one of those rare books that takes you by surprise and challenges what you think you know. In the words of leading social theorist Zygmunt Bauman, it is "brilliant, truly enlightening, and eminently readable." This original Dutch bestseller sparked a national movement for basic income experiments that soon made international headlines.
Asia's Cauldron - Thryft
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Robert D. Kaplan | Random House

Asia's Cauldron

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From Robert D. Kaplan, named one of the world’s Top 100 Global Thinkers by Foreign Policy magazine, comes a penetrating look at the volatile region that will dominate the future of geopolitical conflict. Over the last decade, the center of world power has been quietly shifting from Europe to Asia. With oil reserves of several billion barrels, an estimated nine hundred trillion cubic feet of natural gas, and several centuries’ worth of competing territorial claims, the South China Sea in particular is a simmering pot of potential conflict. The underreported military buildup in the area where the Western Pacific meets the Indian Ocean means that it will likely be a hinge point for global war and peace for the foreseeable future. In Asia’s Cauldron, Robert D. Kaplan offers up a vivid snapshot of the nations surrounding the South China Sea, the conflicts brewing in the region at the dawn of the twenty-first century, and their implications for global peace and stability. One of the world’s most perceptive foreign policy experts, Kaplan interprets America’s interests in Asia in the context of an increasingly assertive China. He explains how the region’s unique geography fosters the growth of navies but also impedes aggression. And he draws a striking parallel between China’s quest for hegemony in the South China Sea and the United States’ imperial adventure in the Caribbean more than a century ago. To understand the future of conflict in East Asia, Kaplan argues, one must understand the goals and motivations of its leaders and its people. Part travelogue, part geopolitical primer, Asia’s Cauldron takes us on a journey through the region’s boom cities and ramshackle slums: from Vietnam, where the superfueled capitalism of the erstwhile colonial capital, Saigon, inspires the geostrategic pretensions of the official seat of government in Hanoi, to Malaysia, where a unique mix of authoritarian Islam and Western-style consumerism creates quite possibly the ultimate postmodern society; and from Singapore, whose “benevolent autocracy” helped foster an economic miracle, to the Philippines, where a different brand of authoritarianism under Ferdinand Marcos led not to economic growth but to decades of corruption and crime. At a time when every day’s news seems to contain some new story—large or small—that directly relates to conflicts over the South China Sea, Asia’s Cauldron is an indispensable guide to a corner of the globe that will affect all of our lives for years to come.Advance praise for Asia’s Cauldron “Asia’s Cauldron is a perfect summation of the present turbulent moment in history, when the World War II security structure is beginning a rapid transformation. Kaplan engages the striking possibilities of where the current confrontation between China and Japan could lead, and underscores the point that this is a lot more significant than a simple border dispute.”—Paul Bracken, Yale University, author of The Second Nuclear Age “Master global strategist Robert D. Kaplan turns his gaze to the bubbling heat of the South China Sea in his latest tour de force. Asia’s Cauldron deconstructs the extreme volatility of this enormous, dangerous, and vital maritime space.”—Admiral James Stavridis, United States Navy (Ret.
The Powerful And The Damned - Private Diaries In Turbulent Times - Thryft
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'As FT editor, I was a privileged interlocutor to people in power around the world, each offering unique insights into high-level decision-making and political calculation, often in moments of crisis. These diaries offer snapshots of leadership in an age of upheaval...'Lionel Barber was Editor of the Financial Times for the tech boom, the global financial crisis, the rise of China, Brexit, and mainstream media's fight for survival in the age of fake news.In this unparalleled, no-holds-barred diary of life behind the headlines, he reveals the private meetings and exchanges with political leaders on the eve of referendums, the conversations with billionaire bankers facing economic meltdown, exchanges with Silicon Valley tech gurus and pleas from foreign emissaries desperate for inside knowledge, all against the backdrop of a wildly shifting media landscape.The result is a fascinating - and at times scathing - portrait of power in our modern age; who has it, what it takes and what drives the men and women with the world at their feet. Featuring close encounters with Trump, Cameron, Blair, Putin, Merkel and Mohammed Bin Salman and many more, this is a rare portrait of the people who continue to shape our world and who quite literally, make the news.
Henry Purcell's Dido And Aeneas - Thryft
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Ellen T. Harris | Clarendon Press

Henry Purcell's Dido And Aeneas

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Goodreads rating: 3.92

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This book is a comprehensive study of Purcell's Dido and Aeneas within its cultural and historical context. It covers contemporary performance practice and its reception throughout history, while examining the various sources that postdate the first performance. The book also offers a useful reference section with critical discography and appendices on national premieres and editions. Recommended for opera enthusiasts, scholars and students interested in English opera history.
FUTURE SHOCK - Thryft
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Alvin Toffler | Pan Books

FUTURE SHOCK

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Goodreads rating: 3.81

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Future Shock is the disease of change. Its symptoms are already here. Future Shock tells what happens to people overwhelmed by too rapid change. Future Shock looks at the human side of tomorrow. Brilliantly disturbing, it analyses the new and dangerous society now emerging and shows how to come to terms with the future.
Governing Japan - Divided Politics in a Resurgent Economy - Thryft
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J.A.A. Stockwin | Wiley-blackwell

Governing Japan - Divided Politics in a Resurgent Economy

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Goodreads rating: 3.65

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This fourth edition provides an in-depth, up-to-date, chronologicalanalysis of Japan's current political system and thecontributions of its leaders. It emphasizes why Japan and itspolitics matters in a global society.Ideal for college courses on Japanese or comparative politicsas well as for those interested in Japanese war memory, constitutional revision, and Japan's relationship with theUS, China, and North and South KoreaInvestigates the divided aspects existing below the veneer ofconsensus in Japanese politicsExplores conflicts between power-hungry political groups aswell as fundamental differences regarding Japan'sconstitution, the interpretation of Japanese actions in theAsia-Pacific War, and Japan's place in today'sworldAdvocates a system that readily permits changes of party inpower for the present system dominated by the Liberal DemocraticPartyExamines the extreme statements of high profile politicians todetermine whether a "nationalist resurgence" in Japan is realor notSheds light on the official incompetence and the spectacularrise of civil society following the Kobe earthquakeFeatures numerous Japanese sources
The newest entry in our popular “Bold-faced” series offers an innovative reading of Thomas Paine's two most influential essays. Readers will find inspiration in this unique edition, which features the authoritative text of Paine's works, highlighted important passages, an introduction that examines his concepts from today's perspective, and writing exercises with lined pages.
P. J. O'rourke on the Wealth of Nations - Thryft
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More than two hundred and thirty years after the publication of Adam Smith's practical truths that shook the world in "The Wealth of Nations", it has only begun to be absorbed fully. In his hilarious and brilliant style P.J. O'Rourke shows how Adam Smith is relevant. He tells us in the most amusing ways how things that now seem obvious were once revolutionary and how division of labor, freedom of trade and pursuit of self interest espoused by Smith are not only vital to the welfare of mankind. He goes on to establish that far from being an avatar of capitalism, Smith was actually a moralist of liberty.
Socialism - Thryft
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Michael Newman | Union Square & Co.

Socialism

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Goodreads rating: 3.61

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From Cuban communism and Swedish social democracy to the New Left, Michael Newman explains socialism-the social, economic, and philosophical juggernaut of the past century. Taking an international perspective, Newman examines standard socialist conventions and evolution from 19th-century industrial towns, while also defining modern socialism. He includes recent conceptualizations such as the feminist and Green movements, and uses this plethora of information to forecast socialism's trajectory into the future.
How the World Works - Thryft
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According to The New York Times, Noam Chomsky is “arguably the most important intellectual alive.” But he isn’t easy to read . . . or at least he wasn’t until these books came along. Made up of intensively edited speeches and interviews, they offer something not found anywhere else: pure Chomsky, with every dazzling idea and penetrating insight intact, delivered in clear, accessible, reader-friendly prose.Published as four short books in the famous Real Story series—What Uncle Sam Really Wants; The Prosperous Few and the Restless Many; Secrets, Lies and Democracy; and The Common Good—they’ve collectively sold almost 600,000 copies.And they continue to sell year after year after year because Chomsky’s ideas become, if anything, more relevant as time goes by. For example, twenty years ago he pointed out that “in 1970, about 90% of international capital was used for trade and long-term investment—more or less productive things—and 10% for speculation. By 1990, those figures had reversed.” As we know, speculation continued to increase exponentially. We’re paying the price now for not heeding him them.
Misbehaving : The Making of Behavioral Economics - Thryft
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Nobel laureate Richard H. Thaler has spent his career studying the radical notion that the central agents in the economy are humans—predictable, error-prone individuals. Misbehaving is his arresting, frequently hilarious account of the struggle to bring an academic discipline back down to earth—and change the way we think about economics, ourselves, and our world.Traditional economics assumes rational actors. Early in his research, Thaler realized these Spock-like automatons were nothing like real people. Whether buying a clock radio, selling basketball tickets, or applying for a mortgage, we all succumb to biases and make decisions that deviate from the standards of rationality assumed by economists. In other words, we misbehave. More importantly, our misbehavior has serious consequences. Dismissed at first by economists as an amusing sideshow, the study of human miscalculations and their effects on markets now drives efforts to make better decisions in our lives, our businesses, and our governments.Coupling recent discoveries in human psychology with a practical understanding of incentives and market behavior, Thaler enlightens readers about how to make smarter decisions in an increasingly mystifying world. He reveals how behavioral economic analysis opens up new ways to look at everything from household finance to assigning faculty offices in a new building, to TV game shows, the NFL draft, and businesses like Uber.Laced with antic stories of Thaler’s spirited battles with the bastions of traditional economic thinking, Misbehaving is a singular look into profound human foibles. When economics meets psychology, the implications for individuals, managers, and policy makers are both profound and entertaining.
Unintended Consequences In Singapore - Thryft
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David Chan | World Scientific

Unintended Consequences In Singapore

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Goodreads rating: 3.75

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When policymakers, communities or advocates make decisions and take actions, they do so with the purpose of achieving some desired goal. But sometimes, unintended consequences occur. These are outcomes that are not the ones intended by the purposeful decision or action.Unintended consequences can be positive or negative, although the discussions often focus on the unexpected adverse impact that may result from well-intentioned policies or public actions.It is tempting to say that unintended consequences happen because we live in an uncertain and unpredictable world, and that there is not much we can do to prevent their occurrence or prepare for them. In fact, many unintended consequences are neither predetermined nor random. It is true that whether or not unintended consequences happen will be affected by many economic and social factors that Singapore is confronted with, but much will also depend on how we approach these factors and the potential consequences.This book, based on the proceedings at the Behavioural Sciences Institute Conference 2017, explores various issues about unintended consequences in Singapore. The book is organised into four parts. Part 1 provides an overview of issues involved in thinking about unintended consequences. Part 2 examines unintended consequences in the context of Singapore's goal to become a smart nation and compares the perspectives between public and private sector organisations on dealing with uncertainty. Part 3 analyses the relationships linking unintended consequences to healthcare outcomes and the management of race relations in Singapore. Part 4 addresses specific questions on unintended consequences in Singapore in terms of the nation's history, immigration, education, meritocracy, civil service culture and mindsets, and relationships between people and government.This book will provide the reader new perspectives and possibilities related to achieving intended societal goals and building a strong Singapore society.
Globalization : A Basic Text - Thryft
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RITZER, Paul Dean  | Wiley-blackwell

Globalization : A Basic Text

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Updated to reflect recent global developments, the second edition of A Basic Text presents an up-to-date introduction to major trends and topics relating to globalization studies.
Case Studies in Public Governance : Building Institutions in Singapore - Thryft
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June Gwee | Routledge

Case Studies in Public Governance : Building Institutions in Singapore

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Goodreads rating: 0.0

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The case study, whether a simple scenario about choices in decision-making or a multi-dimensional narrative of conflicts and dilemmas, is a rich source of knowledge, ideas, and insights. Using case studies as a method to document and learn the experiences of nations and their institutions reveal the perspectives, rationale, trade-offs and actions of governments and people. This book is a collection of case studies on the development of Singapore institutions. Here, a total of five case studies encompassing the areas of urban governance, education, social security and industrial relations are presented, each carefully selected to profile a particular sector. These case studies describe the importance of culture, leadership, and systems in building institutions, and how interactions between people – leaders and employees – and the organizations they belong to can influence institutional culture. This publication seeks to deepen global understanding of the Singapore government and its form of governance, as well as to advance theories and concepts of sustainable development on a global stage.
Has China Won? : The Chinese Challenge to American Primacy - Thryft
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The twenty-first century's great geopolitical contest has begun. A major trade war has broken out. American and Chinese naval vessels are having close encounters in the South China Sea. American congressmen and businessmen are cheering their government's public attacks on China. China is standing firm and resolute. Who will win this contest? What is at stake? And who will judge the winner?In this book, Kishore Mahbubani evaluates the two sides, and shows how China has been thinking on a global scale, launching ambitious initiatives under some of the world's most pragmatic and competent leaders. Most critically, the Chinese people have regained their cultural confidence. Chinese society is now infused with innovation and dynamism. Meanwhile, America has seen the power of its economic model badly damaged by the 2008 financial crisis. To many it is no longer the indispensable nation but an awkward interloper.The global rise of China and the relative strategic decline of the US presents a political challenge that the US has never faced before. American policymakers must shake off their complacency and launch a major strategic reboot of both domestic and foreign policies that have weakened the nation's social foundations and global standing. Otherwise, the start-up nation, barely two hundred and fifty years old, with only a quarter of China's population, cannot expect to defeat the world's oldest continuous civilization. With his trademark candor, Mahbubani delivers impartial and incisive insights on the strategic stakes and mistakes in this new great game.
Hot, Flat, and Crowded : Why The World Needs A Green Revolution - and How We Can Renew Our Global Future - Thryft
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Thomas Friedman's phenomenal "The World is Flat" helped millions of people see globalization in a new way. Now he takes a fresh, provocative look at the biggest challenge facing us today - our hot, flat and crowded world. Climate change and rapid population growth mean that it's no longer possible for businesses, or the rest of us, to keep doing things the same old way. Things are going to have to change - and fast. Here Friedman provides a bold strategy for clean fuel, energy efficiency and conservation that he calls 'Code Green'. It will change everything, from what we put into our cars and see on our electricity bills to how we live our lives. "Hot, Flat and Crowded" is fearless, forward-looking and rich in common sense about the challenge - and the promise - of the future.
A penetrating look into the unrecognized and unregulated links between autocratic regimes in Central Asia and centers of power and wealth throughout the WestWeak, corrupt, and politically unstable, the former Soviet republics of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan are dismissed as isolated and irrelevant to the outside world. But are they? This hard-hitting book argues that Central Asia is in reality a globalization leader with extensive involvement in economics, politics and security dynamics beyond its borders. Yet Central Asia’s international activities are mostly hidden from view, with disturbing implications for world security. Based on years of research and involvement in the region, Alexander Cooley and John Heathershaw reveal how business networks, elite bank accounts, overseas courts, third-party brokers, and Western lawyers connect Central Asia’s supposedly isolated leaders with global power centers. The authors also uncover widespread Western participation in money laundering, bribery, foreign lobbying by autocratic governments, and the exploiting of legal loopholes within Central Asia. Riveting and important, this book exposes the global connections of a troubled region that must no longer be ignored.
Connectography: Mapping the Future of Global Civilization
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"Connectography" by Parag Khanna is a captivating guide for anyone interested in understanding the future of global politics and economics. It's a book that will stretch your mind by showing how traditional borders are becoming less important than the ties of trade, infrastructure, and technology. If you're looking to grasp the pulse of the 21st century and where our world might be heading, Khanna's insights offer a fresh and optimistic perspective amidst the often gloomy narratives of global affairs.
Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Survive
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"Collapse" isn't just about the past; it's a thoughtful exploration of the patterns that have led societies to their zenith and their nadir. You'll be taken on a global tour of history, learning from the lessons etched in the remains of once-great civilizations. As you delve into these narratives, you may find yourself pondering the sustainability of our own society. It's a compelling read for those who enjoy history with a side of existential inquiry.
Prisoner of the State - Thryft
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Bao Pu, Renee Chiang, Zhao Ziyang  | Pocket Books

Prisoner of the State

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Goodreads rating: 3.83

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Prisoner of the State is the story of the man who brought liberal change to China and who, at the height of the Tiananmen Square protests in 1989, tried to stop the massacre and was dethroned for his efforts. When China's army moved in, killing hundreds of students and other demonstrators, Zhao was placed under house arrest at his home in Beijing. The Premier spent the last 16 years of his life, up until his death in 2005, in seclusion. China scholars often lamented that Zhao never had his final say. As it turns out, Zhao did produce a memoir, in complete secrecy. He methodically recorded his thoughts and recollections on what had happened behind the scenes during many of modern China's most critical moments. The tapes he produced were smuggled out of the country and form the basis for Prisoner of the State. Although Zhao now speaks from beyond the grave, his voice has the moral power to make China sit up and listen.
The $12 Million Stuffed Shark : The Curious Economics of Contemporary Art - Thryft
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Why would a smart New York investment banker pay $12 million for the decaying, stuffed carcass of a shark? By what alchemy does Jackson Pollock's drip painting No. 5, 1948 sell for $140 million?Intriguing and entertaining, The $12 Million Stuffed Shark is a Freakonomics approach to the economics and psychology of the contemporary art world. Why were record prices achieved at auction for works by 131 contemporary artists in 2006 alone, with astonishing new heights reached in 2007? Don Thompson explores the money, lust, and self-aggrandizement of the art world in an attempt to determine what makes a particular work valuable while others are ignored.This book is the first to look at the economics and the marketing strategies that enable the modern art market to generate such astronomical prices. Drawing on interviews with past and present executives of auction houses and art dealerships, artists, and the buyers who move the market, Thompson launches the reader on a journey of discovery through the peculiar world of modern art. Surprising, passionate, gossipy, revelatory, The $12 Million Stuffed Shark reveals a great deal that even experienced auction purchasers do not know.
Belt and Road : A Chinese World Order - Thryft
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Bruno Maçães | Hurst

Belt and Road : A Chinese World Order

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China's Belt and Road strategy is acknowledged to be the most ambitious geopolitical initiative of the age. Covering almost seventy countries by land and sea, it will affect every element of global society, from shipping to agriculture, digital economy to tourism, politics to culture. Most importantly, it symbolizes a new phase in China's ambitions as a superpower: to remake the world economy and crown Beijing as the new center of capitalism and globalization.Bruno Maçães traces this extraordinary initiative's history, highlighting its achievements to date, and its staggering complexity. He asks whether Belt and Road is about more than power projection and profit. Might it herald a new set of universal political values, to rival those of the West? Is it, in fact, the story of the century?
The New Prophets of Capital - Thryft
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Nicole Aschoff | Verso Books

The New Prophets of Capital

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Goodreads rating: 3.88

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As severe environmental degradation, breathtaking inequality, and increasing alienation push capitalism against its own contradictions, mythmaking has become as central to sustaining our economy as profitmaking. Enter the new prophets of capital: Sheryl Sandberg touting the capitalist work ethic as the antidote to gender inequality; John Mackey promising that free markets will heal the planet; Oprah Winfrey urging us to find solutions to poverty and alienation within ourselves; and Bill and Melinda Gates offering the generosity of the 1 percent as the answer to a persistent, systemic inequality. The new prophets of capital buttress an exploitative system, even as the cracks grow more visible.
The Age of Turbulence : Adventures in a New World - Thryft
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The most remarkable thing that happened to the world economy after 9/11 was ...nothing. What would have once meant a crippling shock to the system was absorbed astonishingly quickly, partly due to the efforts of the then Chairman of the Federal Reserve Board, Alan Greenspan. The post 9/11 global economy is a new and turbulent system - vastly more flexible, resilient, open, self-directing, and fast-changing than it was even twenty years ago. "The Age of Turbulence" is an incomparable reckoning with the nature of this new world - how we got here, what we're living through, and what lies over the horizon, for good or ill, channelled through Greenspan's own experiences working in the command room of the global economy for longer and with greater effect than any other single living figure.
The Economies of Southeast Asia provides a modern authoritative introduction to the economic development of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). It evaluates the extent to which the phenomenal growth in the region is due to ASEAN economic co-operation. This book provides a comprehensive examination of issues which have paramount importance for Southeast Asian economies, This comprehensive book includes an examination of the latest research on ASEAN growth and development. It will be an ideal main text for courses on Asian economics, development economics, development studies and comparative economic systems in both the East and West.
Anarchy, State, and Utopia - Thryft
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Robert Nozick | Basic Books

Anarchy, State, and Utopia

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Goodreads rating: 3.75

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The foundational text of libertarian thought, named one of the 100 Most Influential Books since World War II ( Times Literary Supplement)First published in response to John Rawls'  A Theory of Justice , Robert Nozick's  Anarchy, State, and Utopia  has since become one of the defining texts in classic libertarian thought. Challenging and ultimately rejecting liberal, socialist, and conservative agendas, Nozick boldly asserts that the rights of individuals are violated as a state's responsibilities increase—and the only way to avoid these violations rests in the creation of a minimalist state limited to protection against force, fraud, theft, and the enforcement of contracts.Winner of the 1975 National Book Award, Anarchy, State and Utopia  remains one of the most philosophically rich defenses of economic liberalism to date. With a new foreword by Thomas Nagel, this revised edition introduces Nozick and his work to a new generation of readers.
United States and East Asia : Conflict and Co-operation - Thryft
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Ambassador Tommy T. B. Koh was invited to give three lectures to the Stanford University community as the 1994-95 Arthur and Frank Payne Lecturer on the Global Community and Its Challenges in 1995. His lectures, now published in this volume as The United States and East Conflict and Co-operation, address the three central issues of economy, security and culture, and put forward his views with great insight and clarity.The question of economic union or conflict is posed against the background of East Asia's "miracle" rise in the world economy. Is the success of East Asia a threat or benefit to the United States? What is the role and significance of APEC in fostering economic interdependence and will this make for a stable and prosperous Asia-Pacific?For the first time in 50 years, East Asia is at peace. Will peace and prosperity prevail? Professor Koh examines both optimistic and pessimistic scenarios. He argues for the continued engagement of the United States in East Asia and for a stable relationship between the United States, Japan and China.
The Color of Oil : The History, the Money and the Politics of the World's Biggest Business - Thryft
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The primary colors of oil today are money (lots of it), technology (basic but demanding) and people (special ones). The colors of the rainbow can be seen in the 100+ oil producing countries. There are a dozen large petroleum producing and exporting countries. Yet most have little in their history that links them to wealth, technology and management. Corruption among the elite and governments, mismanagement and the squandering of the petroleum wealth are endemic. Culture is everything, and no other human endeavor makes this as pointedly obvious as the world of petroleum.
The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism - Thryft
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Max Weber's best-known and most controversial work, The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism , first published in 1904, remains to this day a powerful and fascinating read. Weber's highly accessible style is just one of many reasons for his continuing popularity. The book contends that the Protestant ethic made possible and encouraged the development of capitalism in the West. Widely considered as the most informed work ever written on the social effects of advanced capitalism, The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism holds its own as one of the most significant books of the twentieth century. The book is one of those rare works of scholarship which no informed citizen can afford to ignore.
This book would be a good read for someone who is curious about the journey of Singapore's art scene. Through personal reflections and aspirations, it provides an authentic voice of those who have shaped the cultural landscape of the city. It not only showcases the diversity of creative industries but also highlights the crucial role of heritage development in Singapore's artistic evolution. Whether you are an art enthusiast or simply interested in understanding the transformation of a city through art, this anthology offers valuable insights and real-life experiences that will leave you inspired.
First As Tragedy, Then As Farce - Thryft
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Slavoj Žižek | Verso Books

First As Tragedy, Then As Farce

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Billions of dollars have been hastily poured into the global banking system in a frantic attempt at financial stabilization. So why has it not been possible to bring the same forces to bear in addressing world poverty and environmental crisis?In this take-no-prisoners analysis, Slavoj Žižek frames the moral failures of the modern world in terms of the epoch-making events of the first decade of this century. What he finds is the old one-two punch of history: the jab of tragedy, the right hook of farce. In the attacks of 9/11 and the global credit crunch, liberalism dies twice: as a political doctrine, and as an economic theory.First as Tragedy, Then as Farce is a call for the Left to reinvent itself in the light of our desperate historical situation. The time for liberal, moralistic blackmail is over.
Global Discontents : Conversations on the Rising Threats to Democracy - Thryft
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'If I were a voter in Britain, I would vote for [Jeremy Corbyn]' - Noam Chomsky, 2017Global Discontents is an essential guide to geopolitics and how to fight back, from the world's leading public intellectualWhat kind of world are we leaving to our grandchildren? How are the discontents kindled today likely to blaze and explode tomorrow?From escalating climate change to the devastation in Syria, pandemic state surveillance to looming nuclear war, Noam Chomsky takes stock of the world today. Over the course of ten conversations with long-time collaborator David Barsamian, spanning 2013-2016, Chomsky argues in favour of radical changes to a system that cannot possibly cope with what awaits tomorrow.Interwoven with personal reflections spanning from childhood to his eighth decade of life, Global Discontents also marks out Chomsky's own intellectual journey, mapping his progress to revolutionary ideas and global prominence.
The Big Short : Inside the Doomsday Machine - Thryft
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The real story of the crash began in bizarre feeder markets where the sun doesn't shine and the SEC doesn't dare, or bother, to tread: the bond and real estate derivative markets where geeks invent impenetrable securities to profit from the misery of lower- and middle-class Americans who can't pay their debts. The smart people who understood what was or might be happening were paralyzed by hope and fear; in any case, they weren't talking.Michael Lewis creates a fresh, character-driven narrative brimming with indignation and dark humor, a fitting sequel to his #1 bestseller Liar's Poker. Out of a handful of unlikely-really unlikely-heroes, Lewis fashions a story as compelling and unusual as any of his earlier bestsellers, proving yet again that he is the finest and funniest chronicler of our time.
Enlightenment Now : The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress - Thryft
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If you think the world is coming to an end, think again: people are living longer, healthier, freer, and happier lives, and while our problems are formidable, the solutions lie in the Enlightenment ideal of using reason and science.Is the world really falling apart? Is the ideal of progress obsolete? In this elegant assessment of the human condition in the third millennium, cognitive scientist and public intellectual Steven Pinker urges us to step back from the gory headlines and prophecies of doom, which play to our psychological biases. Instead, follow the data: In seventy-five jaw-dropping graphs, Pinker shows that life, health, prosperity, safety, peace, knowledge, and happiness are on the rise, not just in the West, but worldwide. This progress is not the result of some cosmic force. It is a gift of the Enlightenment: the conviction that reason and science can enhance human flourishing.Far from being a naïve hope, the Enlightenment, we now know, has worked. But more than ever, it needs a vigorous defense. The Enlightenment project swims against currents of human nature–tribalism, authoritarianism, demonization, magical thinking–which demagogues are all too willing to exploit. Many commentators, committed to political, religious, or romantic ideologies, fight a rearguard action against it. The result is a corrosive fatalism and a willingness to wreck the precious institutions of liberal democracy and global cooperation.With intellectual depth and literary flair, Enlightenment Now makes the case for reason, science, and humanism: the ideals we need to confront our problems and continue our progress.
China will replace the United States as the world's dominant power. In so doing, it will not become more western but the world will become more Chinese.Jacques argues that we cannot understand China in western terms but only through its own history and culture. To this end, he introduces a powerful set of ideas including China as a civilization-state, the tributary system, the Chinese idea of race, a very different concept of the state, and the principle of contested modernity.First published in 2009 to widespread critical acclaim - and controversy - 'When China Rules the World: The End of the Western World and the Rise of a New Global Order' has sold a quarter of a million copies, been translated into eleven languages, nominated for two major literary awards, and has been the subject of an immensely popular TED talk. In the three years since the first edition was published, the book has transformed the debate about China worldwide and proved remarkably prescient.In this greatly expanded and fully updated paperback edition, with nearly three-hundred pages of new material backed up by the latest statistical data, Martin Jacques renews his assault on conventional thinking about China's ascendancy, showing how its impact will be as much political and cultural as economic, thereby transforming the world as we know it.
As Singapore enters its 50th year of independence, it is a good time to reflect on its past as well as look to the future. This book is one such contribution to the wide collection of books commemorating Singapore's 50th birthday. The essays and articles in this edited volume capture historical moments, reveal the heartfelt wishes and thoughtful comments of Europeans who have made Singapore their home, chronicle some of the long standing partnerships and ponder the future challenges of Singapore.This unique book contains a wide range of essays and articles reflecting on the strong connections that Singapore enjoys with Europe, not only at the official level, but also through the contributions that Europeans and European companies have made - and continue to make - which enrich Singaporean society. These essays provide a kaleidoscope of views on Singapore - they explore how close ties and partnerships are forged between nations, how businesses see Singapore as a trustworthy partner and place to invest and establish roots, and, at a more personal level, the articles also present different perspectives on the strengths, and at times, the weaknesses of Singapore as viewed through the eyes of Europeans who live and work in Singapore and consider it as their home.In commemorating Singapore's 50th birthday, this book will add to the understanding of the richness and diversity of Singapore society, and help readers appreciate and reflect on how openness and connectivity have contributed to the success of Singapore in its first 50 years.
The US is one of the largest democracies in the world – or is it?America is experiencing an age of profound economic inequality. Employee protections have been decimated, and state welfare is virtually non-existent, while hedge fund billionaires are grossly under-taxed and big businesses make astounding profits at the expense of the environment and of their workers.How did this come about, and who were the driving forces behind it?In this powerful and meticulously researched work of investigative journalism, New Yorker staff writer Jane Mayer exposes the network of billionaires trying to buy the US electoral system – and succeeding. Led by libertarian industrialists the Koch brothers, they believe that taxes are a form of tyranny and that government oversight of business is an assault on freedom. Together, they have spent hundreds of millions of dollars influencing politicians and voters, and hijacking American democracy for their own ends.Dark Money brilliantly illuminates a shady corner of US politics. It is essential reading for anybody interested in the future of democracy.
The Singapore Story: Memoirs of Lee Kuan Yew
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This memoir is a must-read for anyone interested in politics, leadership, and the incredible transformation of Singapore. Through the eyes of Lee Kuan Yew, the founding father of modern Singapore, you'll gain insights into his visionary leadership and the strategies he employed to turn a small, resource-poor nation into a thriving global hub. Lee's candid and pragmatic approach to governance will leave you inspired and in awe of Singapore's success story.
The Invisible Hand - Thryft
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Adam Smith | Penguin Uk

The Invisible Hand

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Goodreads rating: 3.66

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Adam Smith’s landmark treatise on the free market paved the way for modern capitalism, arguing that competition is the engine of a productive society, and that self-interest will eventually come to enrich the whole community, as if by an ‘invisible hand’. Throughout history, some books have changed the world. They have transformed the way we see ourselves – and each other. They have inspired debate, dissent, war and revolution. They have enlightened, outraged, provoked and comforted. They have enriched lives – and destroyed them. Now Penguin brings you the works of the great thinkers, pioneers, radicals and visionaries whose ideas shook civilization and helped make us who we are.

Unlock the World of Economics

At Thryft, our Economics collection opens up pathways to understanding complex economic theories and real-world applications. Whether you’re interested in microeconomics, macroeconomics, or behavioural economics, our carefully curated selection is designed to enrich your knowledge. Discover works from Nobel laureates and renowned economists that are essential for students, professionals, and enthusiasts who crave a deeper understanding of the economy.