Economy for the Common Good

Economics can help achieve the common good, but only if economists step out of their usual roles: writing technical articles for academic journals that only their colleagues read, or spouting simplistic maxims in televised debates that the public and politicians already know by heart. In this book, the author himself leads by example, breaking free from the role of an academic economist to address a wide range of areas that currently affect our daily lives and the future of humanity: climate change, unemployment, the post-2008 global financial order, the digital revolution, innovation, the right to privacy, and the proper balance between the market and regulation. He explains the causes of many pressing social problems, critiques prevailing economic theories, debunks common misconceptions about economics, and refuses to engage in polarised debates about right versus left or state versus market. With infectious vehemence, intellectual rigour, scepticism towards simple explanations, and an emphasis on the continuous correction of our policies, he proves that if economics identifies key social goals and the tools needed to achieve them in this way, it can serve the needs of us all.