The Shortest History of Economics

‘If you read just one book about economics, make it this one’ CLAUDIA GOLDIN, Winner of the 2023 Nobel Prize in Economics

‘Essential reading for anyone looking to understand today’s economy’ BETSEY STEVENSON, Professor of Economics, University of Michigan, and co-author of Principles of Economics

‘People who are curious about but confused by economics will learn enough from this to be conversant for life’ CAROLINE M. HOXBY, Donya Bommer Professor of Economics, Stanford University

THE STORY OF ECONOMICS FROM AGRICULTURE TO CAPITALISM, WARFARE TO INNOVATION, PLAGUES AND PANDEMICS TO A WARMING PLANET.

This small book tells a big story. From ancient times to the modern world, The Shortest History of Economics unearths the hidden economic forces behind war, innovation and social transformation. It traces how capitalism and the market system emerged, and introduces the key ideas and people who shaped the discipline of economics.

From the agricultural revolution to the warming of our planet, Andrew Leigh tells the story of economics that ranges across centuries and continents, highlighting the diversity of the discipline. He delves into the radical origins of the game of Monopoly, why the invention of the plough worsened gender inequality, how certain diseases shaped the patterns of colonialism, the reasons skyscrapers emerged first in American cities, and much more.

The result is an illuminating, entertaining book about the economic ideas and forces that shape our world.