經濟學家眼中的世界(40周年好評增修版)：一本讀懂經濟學的優劣與局限，剖析政府、市場和公共政策，探索人類的幸福

by Steven E. Rhoads, 史蒂芬．羅德

★英國《金融時報》經濟類年度好書
★美國《華爾街日報》政治類年度好書
★半世紀以來經濟學相關作品十大佳作

　　「我愛極了這本書！
　　40年前，它首次帶領我認識經濟學家獨特的世界觀。
　　新版保留一切優點，還更新許多精彩內容！」
　　——2002年諾貝爾經濟學獎得主丹尼爾．康納曼，好評推薦

　　◤經濟學家看世界，與消費者、政治人物、企業領袖有何不同？
　　個人利益能控制行為、影響社會運作，也帶領我們通往幸福嗎？◢

失業、通膨、物價上漲，固然是重要的經濟大議題。然而教育、住房、醫療、勞工、環境等政策，才是更與經濟學息息相關、影響你我日常生活的關鍵。

本書透過各種精彩的時事案例，清晰、生動、易懂的解說，深入探討經濟學家的思維，以及他們對社會的重大影響力。更加入與經濟學相輔相成的哲學思考、正向心理學研究，深度解析針對人類幸福的有趣發現。

經濟學的影響力無遠弗屆，更引領著政府政策的方向，而其精髓是帖良藥，但它不一定苦口，可以變得比想像中更有趣，也更具啟發性！

　　◤經濟思考的最佳入門．經濟觀念的可口解說
　　現代民主國家的公民，都必須理解的經濟學基礎知識！◢

▍「經濟學跟你很有關係！」
　　．蓋了社區活動中心，會犧牲低收入戶的權利？
　　．反正有健保，多看病沒事，沒事多看病？
　　．上路要收費，再也不塞車？
　　本書第一部分將探討機會成本、邊際主義、經濟誘因等經濟學的基本概念，如何大大改進公共政策，改變你我的生活。

▍「經濟學能讓你過得更好！」
　　．公家單位的效率就是差？
　　．幫富人減稅，大家都有好處？
　　．沒人坐的火車，還要花大錢維修？
本書第二部分將深入討論資源配置、經濟效率、成本效益等個體經濟學的核心思想，怎麼讓社會順利運作，打造更加平等的環境。

▍「經濟學家眼中的世界跟我們很不一樣！」
　　．餐點標示熱量，能幫助我們減肥？
　　．投票選出的民意代表，能爭取我們需要的福利？
本書第三部分將從福利經濟學、公中政策的決議出發，毫無保留地抨擊經濟學家的盲點及相關局限，並提出如何通往幸福之路的有趣發現。

Genres: Economics, Nonfiction

448 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1984

Reviews

[Anisha · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book did exactly what the cover said; it gave a very clear, simple understanding of how the majority of economists view the world. Those economists mostly being the neo-liberals who dominate the White House and the global monetary institutions.

This view is over simplistic and reduces humans and all life to quantifiable values and numbers. It's a belief that prays to the unfettered market as the source of all truth and value. Rhoads' uses plenty of case studies and examples in his book to show this "view of the world" which give narrative to this belief, and anyone with a tiny bit of critical analysis will be able to see how these have been construed and have glaringly obvious gaps.

Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone with a critical eye to understand the frightening viewpoint that dominates our world today. Maybe if more people truly understood the ruiling view, we would have better public conversations about the kind of world we want to live it, and I doubt it would be one proposed here.

[Richard Marney · Rating 4 out of 5]

As advertised, a very worthwhile read.

In describing the book to a colleague just now, I likened its content to a “this is really how you should think about all this theory and applications” conversation with a knowledgeable and realistic graduate teaching assistant when an intermediate economics undergraduate.

The author writes in a conversational style chock full of instructive examples, free (most of the time) from personal, political biases.

Whilst there are many excellent sections in the book, my favorite dealt with externalities and the extension of the discussion into a debate around incentives.

😎😎

[Samuel]

A surprisingly compelling read, and one I would very much recommend to anyone wanting a foundation in economics. I found myself in the first half being sucked into why economists are surely right in their methodology and reverence for markets, and why most government intervention is foolish, only then in the second half to be shown why economic narrow-mindedness is as much a folly. Overall therefore a very balanced account of economic thinking, with reasonable criticism and workable solutions. Very pleased to own this book.

[Rodger Friesen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thoughtful view of economics and its utility to the everyday citizen. It captures the sentiment that economists know the cost of everything and the value of nothing elegantly.

[Terrae · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not an economics book. It is an earnest attempt to create more rational voters.