Economics: The User's Guide

This is a very good book for people that know nothing about economics … I highly recommend

Ha Joon Chang is the man. There's no doubt about that, and he speaks with a unadorned clarity that is a breathe of fresh air in this age of verbal shenanigans. I recommend this to any fledgeling economist, a layman who wants to know more about the economy, econ majors, really anyone who likes to spend or earn money or create value.

Una explicacion muy interesante y muy critica de los concepto economicos mas importantes. Ilustrados con muchos datos

I bought this book after I read about it on a economics-blog (Makronom.de).I am studying economics in the university but I'm always missing a general view about economics. This issue could be solved bei Ha-Joon Changs book. It starts with an abstract overview about economics. Later he focuses on more sprecific topics like inequality and poverty. I liked the structure of the users guide and the narrative skills of the author. Its interesting and well written.

Ha-joon Changs "Economics: The User's Guide" is the first title in the newly resurrected Pelican imprint. Chang himself is best described as a heterodox economist, firmly outside the mainstream where neoclassical economics (not to mention neoliberalism) is the reigning creed. But given the multiple failings of orthodox economics the heterodox Chang with his cheerful style, wide learning and a clear and concise authorial voice make him the ideal candidate for writing an introductory book on economics. He doesn't dissapoint. The book itself is divided into twelve chapters exploring a range of economic issues including asking what exactly economics is, exploring the role of the state, inequality and poverty, work and unemployment, finance and production. Sixty odd pages are devoted a brief history of capitalism, giving the reader a pretty good understanding of two and a half centuries of capitalisms global progress. It's a brilliant introduction for those who have encountered the economy watching the news, through history or political books, and want to find out what this vitaly important aspect of our lives is about. The further reading guides at the end of each chapter are a valuable resource for those whose interests have been aroused. More seasoned students of economics should find the scope of the book (both intellectually and geographically), and it's easy and succinct style ample reward for the effort spent reading. One quibble I have: important terms (privitisation, capital controls, etc) are printed in bold at the point in the text where they are explained, but the index of the defined terms that ought to be there, allowing easy reference to the definitions, is absent. This is a book which along with his 23 Things They Don't Tell You About Capitalism and Bad Samaritans I'd strongly recommend reading, not least because (as Chang himself notes) a widespread knowledge of economics is essential to understanding our societies and democraticising our political life.