Basic Economics A Citizens Guide To The Economy

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.

Basic Economics is a citizen's guide to economics-for those who want to understand how the economy works but have no interest in jargon or equations. Sowell reveals the general principles behind any kind of economy-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.

Basic Economics is a citizen's guide to economics-for those who want to understand how the economy works but have no interest in jargon or equations. Sowell reveals the general principles behind any kind of economy-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.

The global financial crisis has renewed concern about whether capitalist markets are the best way of organizing economic life. Would it not be better if we were to treat the economy as something made and remade by people themselves, rather than as an impersonal machine? The object of a human economy is the reproduction of human beings and of whatever sustains life in general. Such an economy would express human variety in its local particulars as well as the interests of all humanity. The editors have assembled here a citizen’s guide to building a human economy. This project is not a dream but is part of a collective effort that began a decade ago at the first World Social Forum in Porto Alegre, Brazil, and has gathered pace ever since. Over thirty original essays address topics that range from globalization, community participation and microcredit to corporate social responsibility and alternative energy. Each offers a critical guide to further reading. The Human Economy builds on decades of engaged research to bring a new economic vision to general readers and a comprehensive guide for all students of the contemporary world.

The freer the markets people live in, the better they flourish. Free Our Markets explains why, in terms of foundational economic principles. Dr. Baetjer aims to show readers that liberty, not the force of government, is the means to achieve the goals we all have for humanity-high and rising standards of living, increasing security and abundance for all. In this book Baetjer presents the principles of spontaneous economic order and explains why, for practical economic reasons, free markets produce better results than even the best intended and most carefully crafted government interventions.

A Citizen's Guide to Economics helps readers understand the economics that affects them as they go about their daily lives - training and learning, working and earning, providing for their family, planning for the future, starting up and running a business, and being good citizens. Written in an easy-to-read, jargon-free language, A Citizen's Guide to Economics helps readers to understand and decipher what the news media and politicians are saying about the economy, more informed about what is happening in the world, and ultimately empowering them to thrive in their economic world. A Citizen's Guide to Economics by Mikel W. Cohick and James R. Richards: Demonstrates how free trade, unfettered by intrusive government prohibitions and restrictions, is the clearest way to maximizing a society's standard of living. Analyzes the US economy by concentrating on inflation and unemployment rates - the two most significant macroeconomic variables. Explains the impact of the Federal Reserve, Congress, and the President's actions and interventions on the economy. Is Easy to Adopt! Homework answers, a test bank, and PowerPoint lectures are provided to all adopting instructors.

To understand economics is to understand the practical case for freedom. The great merit of this book is to bring out the connection in the clearest and shortest possible way. The Concise Guide To Economicsis a handy, quick reference guide for those already familiar with basic economics, and a brief, compelling primer for everyone else. Professor Jim Cox introduces topics ranging from entrepreneurship, wages, money, trade, and inflation to the consequences of price controls and anti-price gouging laws. If it were read alongside the daily newspaper, it would undermine most all the fallacies that appear nearly every day. Along the way, he defends the crucial role of advertising, speculators, and heroic insider traders. Thus does the book combines straightforward, common sense analysis with hard-core dedication to principle, using the fewest words possible to explain the topic clearly. And each brief chapter includes references to further reading so those who are curious to dig deeper will know where to look next. The popularity of this book has been growing for several years. A website dedicated to itis already very popular. One organization dedicated to public activism buys it by the hundreds, viewing it as the shortest and best way to counter economic fallacy. The Concise Guide makes a great gift to those who have never thought about the workings of economic logic, and thereby misunderstand the case for free-market capitalism. From the Introduction by Llewellyn H. Rockwell, Jr.: "The beauty of Cox's book comes from both its clear exposition and its brevity. He offers only a few paragraphs on each topic but that is enough for people see both error and truth. Sometimes just mapping out the logic beyond the gut reaction is enough to highlight an economic truth. He does this for nearly all the topics that confront us daily. "Many people only have a moment. That's why the guide is essential. It is probably the shortest and soundest guide to economic logic in print. May it be burned into the consciousness of every citizen now and in the future."

Economics is a complex subject filled with a maze of confusing terms and details which can be difficult to explain. Even economists have trouble defining exactly what economics means. Yet, there is no doubt that the economy and the things we learn through economics affect our everyday lives. You will learn: * Why do so many people have trouble with money. * How to improve an economy. * Ways to handle debt. * Ways to make money. * How to use money. * How to keep your money. * Ways to invest. * The Laws of Economics. * And a lot more.

The fourth edition of a popular guide to the key issues in tax reform, discussing the current system and alternative proposals clearly and without a political agenda. As Albert Einstein may or may not have said, "The hardest thing in the world to understand is the income tax." Indeed, to follow the debate over tax reform, the interested citizen is forced to choose between misleading sound bites and academic treatises. Taxing Ourselves bridges the gap between the two by discussing the key issues clearly and without a political agenda: Should the federal income tax be replaced with a flat tax or sales tax? Should it be left in place and reformed? Can tax cuts stimulate the economy, or will higher deficits undermine any economic benefit? Authors and tax policy experts Joel Slemrod and Jon Bakija lay out in accessible language what is known and not known about how taxes affect the economy, offer guidelines for evaluating tax systems, and provide enough information to assess both the current income tax system and the leading proposals to reform or replace it (including the flat tax and the consumption tax). The fourth edition of this popular guide has been extensively revised to incorporate the latest information, covering such recent developments as the Bush administration's tax cuts (which expire in 2011) and the alternatives proposed by the President's Advisory Panel on Federal Tax Reform. Slemrod and Bakija provide us with the knowledge and the tools—including an invaluable voter's guide to the tax policy debate—to make our own informed choices about how we should tax ourselves.

Citizen's Guide to U.S. Economic Growth: and the Bush-Kerry Economic Debate is written for the person who wants to be informed about the fundamental issues affecting the growth of the U.S. economy and who also wants an understanding of the policy differences between the 2004 presidential candidates, President Bush and Senator Kerry, on issues affecting U.S. economic growth. The concepts discussed in Citizen's Guide are important to all Americans because the application of these concepts by policy makers can have a significant impact on the growth of the U.S. economy, which determines the level of your standard of living. Find out what the candidates' economic policies will mean for your future and for the future of the United States.

What happens with the economy when the economists are sleeping? Nightlife Cities is a citizen's guide to night-time economics, written for those who want to understand how the economy works at night but have no interest in conventional jargon or equations. Economist Sergey Avetisyan explains the general principles underlying different urban economic ideas: leisure industry, assemblage urbanism, deindustrialization, and so on. In straightforward language, the author shows how to critique municipal policies in terms of the incentives they create, rather than the goals they proclaim. With clear explanations of the entire field, from urbanization and the rise and fall of the alcohol industry to the international developed cities, this is the first book for anyone who wishes to understand how the night-time economy functions. This book is not an introduction to city life but more a presentation on an interesting aspect of urban economics. Securely, you can enjoy and learn a lot from this book.

Economics really is just common sense, but few understand the basics. This book explains the basics of economics in simple, easy-to-understand language. Topics include most of the themes presented in an Economics 101 course, as well as a number of end-of-chapter discussions on the policies relevant to economics today.

Praise for Mind Over Matter Why Intellectual capital is tHe Chief Source of Wealth "Ron Baker has written another great book on the thoughts and theories on intellectual capital.As usual, he has an awesome depth of content, knowledge, and thought. A great read." --Reed Holden, founder, Holden Advisors Corp., www.holdenadvisors.com, and coauthor, The Strategy and Tactics of Pricing and Pricing with Confidence: 10 Ways to Stop Leaving Money on the Table "At a time when the virtues that made America great--individualism, hard work, and free trade--are openly debated by well-meaning politicians, Ron Baker gives us Mind Over Matter. It is a story detailing the triumph of human spirit, imagination, and creativity. Ron tells us what the 'knowledge economy' really means. He gives a prescription for transforming human and intellectual capital into the foundation for sustainable prosperity. Mind Over Matter is a provocative book deserving of a thoughtful read. It is a timeless message to be treasured for generations." --Robert G. Cross, Chairman and CEO, Revenue Analytics, Inc., www.revenueanalytics.com "Ron Baker is an absolute master at challenging the 'physical fallacy,' e.g., the basis on which we assign value to businesses by focusing on tangible rather than intangible assets. This book builds on his previous books and helps the reader understand how critical intellectual capital is to the key to success in the twenty-first century. Ron pulls from the greatest business thinkers and economists,?from Drucker to Karl Sveiby as well as current company success stories to fund his rich gold mine of proof. The biggest benefit of the book is to change the paradigm of those who are the passive keepers of the 'books.' This is a must-read for anybody who wants to flourish in the age of intellectual capital." --Sheila Kessler, PhD, President, Competitive Edge, www.CompetitiveEdge.com "This book helps us understand some of the origins and sources that have led Ron Baker to the many contributions he has made to our understanding of good practice in running professional businesses." --David Maister, author and leading consultant to professional firmswww.davidmaister.com "Reading Ron Baker's book was the only delightful incident that robbed my sleep on the flight to Frankfurt today. It was sheer pleasure--I must have entertained or annoyed fellow passengers with repeated nodding and several exclamations. Baker has a terrific style that captures my mind while he entertains and educates by showing lines of connection between authors, incidents, and theories that I have never seen before. He hardly uses the 'You have to do this and that' approach, which I despise in most business books. I sum it up in two words: outstanding stuff!" --Friedrich Blase, Kerma Partners, www.kermapartners.com "This is a wonderful read for anyone who wants to explore the power of constructive thinking. In Mind Over Matter, Ron examines the power of creative thought over the conventional wisdom that you must make a tangible product for wealth to be created. The opening chapter sets a wonderful stage for the book, which develops the power of the new business equation and the underlying theory of the various types of intellectual capital. This is a must-read book for every business leader." --Peter Byers, Chartered Accountant, Byers & Co. Ltd, New Zealand "Peter Drucker coined the term knowledge worker a half century ago. We are all still only beginning to fully comprehend the implications. In Mind Over Matter, Ron Baker has switched on a beacon for us to follow. If we have the courage to embrace the concepts Ron posits, perhaps it will be less than another half century before we begin to reap the rewards as individuals and as

Put values—and value—over volume with a professional services subscription model Professional firms are built on relationships. But you wouldn't know it by observing their predominant business model — a model centered on selling transactions and inputs, not outcomes that deepen and strengthen relationships. Time’s Up! offers you a guide to building a more valuable firm, one where relationships and lifetime customer value are at the center of how you create and capture value. You’ll learn how to: Create customer lifetime values that far exceed acquisition and retention costs Move customer relationships to the center of your firm Leverage the collective knowledge of your customers Elevate customers from where they are to their desired future by providing transformations, where the customer is the product. Only uncommon offerings command uncommon prices. Time’s Up! introduces you to a revolutionary new business model that transforms your firm, your teams and your results with the customer right at the center of the process.

Praise for IMPLEMENTING VALUE PRICING A Radical Business Model for Professional Firms "Ron Baker is the most prolific and best writer when it comes to pricing services. This is a must-read for executives and partners in small to large firms. Ron provides the basics, the advanced ideas, the workbooks, the case studies—everything. This is a must-have and a terrific book." —Reed K. Holden founder and CEO, Holden Advisors, Corp., Associate Professor, Columbia University www.holdenadvisors.com "We've known through Ron Baker's earlier books that he's not just an extraordinary thinker and truly brilliant writer—he's a mover and a shaker on a mission. This is the End of Time! Brilliant." —Paul Dunn Chairman, B1G1® www.b1g1.com "Implementing Value Pricing is a powerful blend of theory, strategy, and tactics. Ron Baker's most recent offering is ambitious in scope, exploring topics that include economic theory, customer orientation, value identification, service positioning, and pricing strategy. He weaves all of them together seamlessly, and includes numerous examples to illustrate his primary points. I have applied the knowledge I've gained from his body of work, and the benefits to me—and to my customers—have been immediate, significant, and ongoing." —Brent Uren Principal, Valuation & Business Modeling Ernst & Young® www.ey.com "Ron Baker is a revolutionary. He is on a radical crusade to align the interests of service providers with those of their customers by having lawyers, accountants, and consultants charge based on the value they provide, rather than the effort it takes. Implementing Value Pricing is a manifesto that establishes a clear case for the revolution. It provides detailed guidance that includes not only strategies and tactics, but key predictive indicators for success. It is richly illustrated by the successes of firms that have embraced value-based pricing to make their services not only more cost-effective for their customers, but more profitable as well. The hallmark of a manifesto is an unyielding sense of purpose and a call to action. Let the revolution begin." —Robert G. Cross, Chairman and CEO, Revenue Analytics, Inc. Author, Revenue Management: Hard-Core Tactics for Market Domination

Life in the Market Ecosystem, the second book in the Nature of Liberty trilogy, confronts evolutionary psychology head on. It describes the evolutionary psychologists’ theory of gene-culture co-evolution, which states that although customs and culture are not predetermined by anyone’s genetic makeup, one’s practice of a custom can influence the likelihood of that person having children and grandchildren. Therefore, according to the theory, customs count as evolutionary adaptations. Extending that theory further, as entire systems of political economy—capitalism, socialism, and hunter-gatherer subsistence—consist of multiple customs and institutions, it follows that an entire political-economic system can likewise be classified as an evolutionary adaptation. Considering that liberal-republican capitalism has, insofar as the system has been implemented, done more to reduce the mortality rate and secure human fertility than other models of societal structure, it stands to reason that liberal-republican capitalism is itself a beneficent evolutionary adaptation. Moreover, as essential tenets of Rand’s Objectivism—individualism, observation-based rationality, and peaceable self-interest—have been integral to the development of the capitalist ecosystem, important aspects of the Objectivism are worthwhile adaptations as well. This book shall uphold that position, as well as combat critiques by evolutionary psychologists and environmentalists who denounce capitalism as self-destructive. Instead, capitalism is the most sustainable and fairest political model. This book argues that of all the philosophies, Objectivism is the one that is most fit for humanity.