What is the Economy?: And Why it Matters to You

by Joe Richards, Beth Leslie

Overview

Why are houses so expensive? Is our banking system going to collapse again? Should we be worried that robots are going to take all our jobs? And just what exactly is the economy anyway? Economists and politicians would have you believe it is a rarified topic best left to 'the experts'. The experts are wrong.

This book uncovers what people really mean when they talk about 'the economy', taking the word off its pedestal and showing that it's just a lens for seeing the world around us. That, at its heart, economics is about you, and the society you're a part of.

Explaining key concepts in economics in relation to how they directly affect your life – from your money to your home, your workplace to your future – What is the Economy? drags the obscure world of economics kicking and screaming towards the everyday and equips you with clarity and understanding.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781786995605
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	11/18/2021
Edition description:	1
Pages:	240
Product dimensions:	6.45(w) x 9.64(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Joe Richards is an author, educator and economist. After the financial crash of 2008, Joe's family lost their business and the home they grew up in. Spotting a lack of public understanding in the economy, Joe's journey in economics began. Joe campaigned to make economics more accessible for everyone, working with organizations from the Bank of England and BBC News, to local schools and the UK government.

Beth Leslie is a writer and editor. She became interested in economics when she realised it was a great way to better understand the world around her. Beth is currently the Editor for Economy, a charity that seeks to make economics more understandable for everyone.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments
Preface (and a general warning)
Chapter 1: How did we get here?
Chapter 2: What is the economy?
Chapter 3: What is an economy for?
Chapter 4: You (and everybody else)
Chapter 5: Your High Street
Chapter 6: Your Home
Chapter 7: Your Work
Chapter 8: Your Money
Chapter 9: Your Society
Chapter 10: Your Government
Chapter 11: Your World
Chapter 12: The World Needs a New Language
Bibliography and Further Reading

Editorial Reviews

If you ever wanted to know what economists talk about, or want to get a bit more understanding out of media coverage of economics and the economy, then this gem of a book will get you started!” —Peter Antonioni, UCL, UK

“What is the economy? What is economics? This excellent book seeks to give meaningful answers to the non-economist. This is no simple task. But we all have expertise at least in the parts of the economy that affect us directly. We also all need to understand something about the economy and economics if we are to make sense of our lives and participate in our democracy. Read and learn: economics is too important to be left to the economists.” —Martin Wolf

“We all live in an economy. Many of the things we do and many things that happen to us are to do with the economy. However, there is a gap between economic analyses and our everyday lived experiences. This book fills that gap. And it does that in a way that is systematic but light-footed, comprehensive but not overpowering, and principled but not sanctimonious. Let's all read it.” —Ha-Joon Chang, University of Cambridge, UK

“This clear and comprehensible book about economics is long overdue.” —Brian Eno

From the Publisher