The bestselling citizen's guide to economics Basic Economics is a citizen's guide to economics, written for those who want to understand how the economy works but have no interest in jargon or equations. Bestselling economist Thomas Sowell explains the general principles underlying different economic systems: capitalist, socialist, feudal, and so on. In readable language, he shows how to critique economic policies in terms of the incentives they create, rather than the goals they proclaim. With clear explanations of the entire field, from rent control and the rise and fall of businesses to the international balance of payments, this is the first book for anyone who wishes to understand how the economy functions. This fifth edition includes a new chapter explaining the reasons for large differences of wealth and income between nations. Drawing on lively examples from around the world and from centuries of history, Sowell explains basic economic principles for the general public in plain English.

Economics: The Basics provides a fascinating introduction to the key issues in contemporary economics. With case studies ranging from the coffee plantations of El Salvador to the international oil industry and the economic slowdown in Japan, it addresses fundamental questions such as: *Must increasing wealth for some mean increasing poverty for others? *Does producing more food for humankind mean we drive other species to extinction? *Is it true that, if we buy less coffee, farm incomes from Brazil to Kenya take a beating? *Is granting people property rights the best way to preserve fish and wildlife stocks? *Do we really have to choose between low unemployment and low inflation? Comprehensive and easy to read, this accessible guidebook is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand how economics works and why it is important.

With over a million copies sold, Economics in One Lesson is an essential guide to the basics of economic theory. A fundamental influence on modern libertarianism, Hazlitt defends capitalism and the free market from economic myths that persist to this day. Considered among the leading economic thinkers of the “Austrian School,” which includes Carl Menger, Ludwig von Mises, Friedrich (F.A.) Hayek, and others, Henry Hazlitt (1894-1993), was a libertarian philosopher, an economist, and a journalist. He was the founding vice-president of the Foundation for Economic Education and an early editor of The Freeman magazine, an influential libertarian publication. Hazlitt wrote Economics in One Lesson, his seminal work, in 1946. Concise and instructive, it is also deceptively prescient and far-reaching in its efforts to dissemble economic fallacies that are so prevalent they have almost become a new orthodoxy. Economic commentators across the political spectrum have credited Hazlitt with foreseeing the collapse of the global economy which occurred more than 50 years after the initial publication of Economics in One Lesson. Hazlitt’s focus on non-governmental solutions, strong — and strongly reasoned — anti-deficit position, and general emphasis on free markets, economic liberty of individuals, and the dangers of government intervention make Economics in One Lesson every bit as relevant and valuable today as it has been since publication.

From one of America's best-known economists, the one book anyone who wants to understand the economy needs to read.

What is behavioral economics and why is it important? -- The ascent and dissent of economics -- Econ: homo economicus -- Human: more homer (simpson) than homo economicus -- Manners, monkeys and moods -- Nudge: whys, ways and weasels -- Sell! the commercial (and political) world of persuasion

With wit and verve, Economic Literacy explains the logic, language, and worldview of economic theory and engagingly describes the organization and performance of the U.S. economy. Its combination of theory and description is essential for understanding debates about current affairs, penetrating the literature of economics, and reflecting on the usefulness and limits of economic analysis. Updated throughout, the second edition includes new discussions of social security, tax reform, surging petroleum prices, and the economic effects of the Iraq war and other international issues.

This user-friendly guide explains economic concepts and principles in a lively, informative way. Clear and easy-to-understand definitions and explanations, with examples that relate to issues and problems relevant to teenagers, will help students gain a better understanding of economics. In 15 chapters, the guide covers all the basic information students need to understand the basic concepts and principles of economics, including: definition of economics in historical context; how various economics systems work; how prices are set in the U.S. economy; consumer behavior; factors of production; types of businesses; competition in the marketplace; the functions of money; banking and credit; types of investments; the federal budget and taxation; federal monetary and fiscal policies; income distribution in the United States; labor and management issues; international trade. Each chapter explores a key question in economics, is illustrated with graphs and tables, and features the latest economic data. Profiles of the major economic thinkers who influenced thinking on concepts and principles provide historical context. In addition to improving students' conceptual understanding, the guide also encourages critical thinking by investigating controversial issues related to topics as varied as the minimum wage, the decay of our natural environment, poverty, and business ethics of multinational corporations. An extensive glossary of key economic concepts, terms, and institutions is a handy tool. Unlike cut-and-dried, difficult to follow reference works on economics, this guide, designed and written especially for students, will help readers better understand economic information and issues.

Thomas Sowell “both surprises and overturns received wisdom” in this indispensable examination of widespread economic fallacies (The Economist) Economic Facts and Fallacies exposes some of the most popular fallacies about economic issues-and does so in a lively manner and without requiring any prior knowledge of economics by the reader. These include many beliefs widely disseminated in the media and by politicians, such as mistaken ideas about urban problems, income differences, male-female economic differences, as well as economics fallacies about academia, about race, and about Third World countries. One of the themes of Economic Facts and Fallacies is that fallacies are not simply crazy ideas but in fact have a certain plausibility that gives them their staying power-and makes careful examination of their flaws both necessary and important, as well as sometimes humorous. Written in the easy-to-follow style of the author's Basic Economics, this latest book is able to go into greater depth, with real world examples, on specific issues.

Nobody has everything they need, all the time – so how can we make do with what we have? Economics is all about understanding the choices we make to solve this problem. With bright, infographics pictures, this informative book describes why markets are so important, how businesses work out what to sell, and how governments choose how to run a country. Includes Usborne Quicklinks to specially selected websites for more information.

#1 New York Times Bestseller “Significant...The book is both instructive and surprisingly moving.” —The New York Times Ray Dalio, one of the world’s most successful investors and entrepreneurs, shares the unconventional principles that he’s developed, refined, and used over the past forty years to create unique results in both life and business—and which any person or organization can adopt to help achieve their goals. In 1975, Ray Dalio founded an investment firm, Bridgewater Associates, out of his two-bedroom apartment in New York City. Forty years later, Bridgewater has made more money for its clients than any other hedge fund in history and grown into the fifth most important private company in the United States, according to Fortune magazine. Dalio himself has been named to Time magazine’s list of the 100 most influential people in the world. Along the way, Dalio discovered a set of unique principles that have led to Bridgewater’s exceptionally effective culture, which he describes as “an idea meritocracy that strives to achieve meaningful work and meaningful relationships through radical transparency.” It is these principles, and not anything special about Dalio—who grew up an ordinary kid in a middle-class Long Island neighborhood—that he believes are the reason behind his success. In Principles, Dalio shares what he’s learned over the course of his remarkable career. He argues that life, management, economics, and investing can all be systemized into rules and understood like machines. The book’s hundreds of practical lessons, which are built around his cornerstones of “radical truth” and “radical transparency,” include Dalio laying out the most effective ways for individuals and organizations to make decisions, approach challenges, and build strong teams. He also describes the innovative tools the firm uses to bring an idea meritocracy to life, such as creating “baseball cards” for all employees that distill their strengths and weaknesses, and employing computerized decision-making systems to make believability-weighted decisions. While the book brims with novel ideas for organizations and institutions, Principles also offers a clear, straightforward approach to decision-making that Dalio believes anyone can apply, no matter what they’re seeking to achieve. Here, from a man who has been called both “the Steve Jobs of investing” and “the philosopher king of the financial universe” (CIO magazine), is a rare opportunity to gain proven advice unlike anything you’ll find in the conventional business press.