What do you think?
Rate this book
El choque de ideas económicas
Este libro nos acerca a las más señaladas disputas entre economistas, y a la relación entre los planteamientos teóricos y los grandes experimentos de política económica de los últimos cien años. White nos ofrece una lúcida visión del liberalismo económico, la economía mixta, el socialismo y el fascismo, los locos años veinte, las teorías del ciclo económico y la Gran Depresión, la economía institucionalista y el New Deal, la revolución keynesiana, la influencia de la guerra en las doctrinas económicas, las nacionalizaciones y la planificación centralizada.
En definiva, un viaje por las ideas que han marcado el pensamiento económico hasta su forma actual: ¿Cómo combatir la pobreza, la desigualdad, el paro? ¿Cómo promover un crecimiento equilibrado? ¿Austeridad, gasto público, regulación, privatizaciones? ¿Una política monetaria restrictiva o laxa? ¿Qué tipo de reforma del mercado laboral? ¿Ahorro, consumo, inversión, productividad? En la actualidad, cuando el eje central de todo proyecto político es su programa económico, la lectura de esta obra ayuda a entender la raíz de las opciones que pugnan por el poder.
En definiva, un viaje por las ideas que han marcado el pensamiento económico hasta su forma actual: ¿Cómo combatir la pobreza, la desigualdad, el paro? ¿Cómo promover un crecimiento equilibrado? ¿Austeridad, gasto público, regulación, privatizaciones? ¿Una política monetaria restrictiva o laxa? ¿Qué tipo de reforma del mercado laboral? ¿Ahorro, consumo, inversión, productividad? En la actualidad, cuando el eje central de todo proyecto político es su programa económico, la lectura de esta obra ayuda a entender la raíz de las opciones que pugnan por el poder.
536 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2012
42 people are currently reading
754 people want to read
About the author
Lawrence H. White
33 books17 followersProfessor of economics at George Mason University. Fairfax, Virginia.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
March 31, 2013
One seldom expects a text-book to blow you away, and one on the history of economic thought isn't exactly riveting. I feel on some level this book should have earned more stars, but a few thins kept my enjoyement limited.
Ultmately I was looking for a survey work on the history of economic idea's, and I got this at measure, however I felt the work itself was not merely betraying a bias, but fundementally about that bias. I felt it covered favoured terrain in a much more systematic way that it did work that didn't fall into a somewhat narrow purview. Now obviously the author is going to bring his bias with him regardless, and perhaps I'm reading into the book my expectations rather than it's purpose, but I wanted a book to present me economic idea's, not to try and convince me of the validity of a particular set of them.
As a historical overview... it wasn't bad, though it did miss a great deal of context. Still it was worth the read. I wouldn't really recommend it, but it is better than a couple other similar works I've examined.
Ultmately I was looking for a survey work on the history of economic idea's, and I got this at measure, however I felt the work itself was not merely betraying a bias, but fundementally about that bias. I felt it covered favoured terrain in a much more systematic way that it did work that didn't fall into a somewhat narrow purview. Now obviously the author is going to bring his bias with him regardless, and perhaps I'm reading into the book my expectations rather than it's purpose, but I wanted a book to present me economic idea's, not to try and convince me of the validity of a particular set of them.
As a historical overview... it wasn't bad, though it did miss a great deal of context. Still it was worth the read. I wouldn't really recommend it, but it is better than a couple other similar works I've examined.
January 16, 2025
This was my second time reading the book, and it remains a masterful exploration of the key debates (mainly the Hayek-Keynes debate and the Socialist Calculation debate) that shaped economic thought over the last century. Although focused on the 20th century, the ideas trace their roots back to Adam Smith and retain continued relevance today. True to his word, the narrative is Tarantino-esque. Highly recommend.
May 11, 2021
An academic discussion of economist’s ongoing debates, this book allowed me to grow in my economic understanding of wholistic economic thought. I’ve come to learn there’s never a “right” answer... exploration is part of my field of study :)
November 22, 2021
Overview:
Economic ideas clashed on the role of government and the process of competition. Discussing the different roles of monetary policy to economic crisis management. Many of the ideas were taken up by governments, creating experiments which determined which ideas had merit and problems. All ideas presented had problems with application. What matters is how to ameliorate the ideas. Not only are economic ideas disputed, but whether economic ideas themselves hold value. From those that consider them useless given that those in power will utilize policies which are then adopted by academics who maintain the views. To application of even derelict ideas to the detriment of policy. No matter the claims of economists, many ideas and policies persist, even those that contradict their claims. While academics discuss the economy as is, policy advice is laden with what the economy should be.
Socialism is normally described as government control over various aspects of the economy. But there are different techniques involved in commanding the economy. Capitalism is normally described leaving the economy in the guidance of private control directed by profit and loss. But there is a need to delineate capitalism guided by the government known as state and crony capitalism from the guide of free market as free-market capitalism. Those promoting decentralized ownership with competitive markets wanted them for the benefit of workers and consumers, not businessmen.
Some of the leading figures in the clash of economic ideas were John Maynard Keynes, and F.A. Hayek. While Keynes wanted government to take more control over the economy, but did not want to abolish the market. Hayek wanted to reduce government’s interference with market forces, but did not want to abolish the government.
The price system enables coordination between individuals. When the Bolsheviks outlawed private property, they removed the price system which led to economic disaster. As the alternative was starvation, many sectors of the economy readmitted market exchange, which improved economic conditions. The profit system decentralizes production decision makers, while discouraging wasteful decisions. The market economy acts as a discovery mechanism of alternative options.
Caveats?
The book is sometimes well written, other times more difficult. The problem is that for some chapters and ideas, it is less a clash and more a bash of ideas. In which the perceived wrong idea is not necessarily given an appropriate understanding to what the idea entails, and as to why there were individuals who believe them.
Economic ideas clashed on the role of government and the process of competition. Discussing the different roles of monetary policy to economic crisis management. Many of the ideas were taken up by governments, creating experiments which determined which ideas had merit and problems. All ideas presented had problems with application. What matters is how to ameliorate the ideas. Not only are economic ideas disputed, but whether economic ideas themselves hold value. From those that consider them useless given that those in power will utilize policies which are then adopted by academics who maintain the views. To application of even derelict ideas to the detriment of policy. No matter the claims of economists, many ideas and policies persist, even those that contradict their claims. While academics discuss the economy as is, policy advice is laden with what the economy should be.
Socialism is normally described as government control over various aspects of the economy. But there are different techniques involved in commanding the economy. Capitalism is normally described leaving the economy in the guidance of private control directed by profit and loss. But there is a need to delineate capitalism guided by the government known as state and crony capitalism from the guide of free market as free-market capitalism. Those promoting decentralized ownership with competitive markets wanted them for the benefit of workers and consumers, not businessmen.
Some of the leading figures in the clash of economic ideas were John Maynard Keynes, and F.A. Hayek. While Keynes wanted government to take more control over the economy, but did not want to abolish the market. Hayek wanted to reduce government’s interference with market forces, but did not want to abolish the government.
The price system enables coordination between individuals. When the Bolsheviks outlawed private property, they removed the price system which led to economic disaster. As the alternative was starvation, many sectors of the economy readmitted market exchange, which improved economic conditions. The profit system decentralizes production decision makers, while discouraging wasteful decisions. The market economy acts as a discovery mechanism of alternative options.
Caveats?
The book is sometimes well written, other times more difficult. The problem is that for some chapters and ideas, it is less a clash and more a bash of ideas. In which the perceived wrong idea is not necessarily given an appropriate understanding to what the idea entails, and as to why there were individuals who believe them.
March 8, 2022
Впервые взявшись за эту книгу, у меня проскочила мысль, что она полностью завязана на самом глобальном экономическом эксперименте человечества — Советский Союз. В подтверждение этого тезиса может служить фотография Александра Земляниченко, сделанная 31 января 1990 года, когда в стране открылся первый ресторан McDonnald's (как бы он не стал последним, учитывая нынешние события). Однако это книга не такая узконаправленна, чем я думал.
При прочтении у меня постоянно возникала мысль, что она очень похожа на великий труд Альфреда Маршалла «Принципы экономической науки», который был, по сути, учебником по политической экономии. Эта работа, можно сказать, является неким продолжением Маршалловского труда, вот только Лоуренс Уайт не брал всю экономическую теорию в целом. Он взял чуть более узкую тему — экономические эксперименты в XX веке — и постарался описать их в контексте той поры, как развивалась экономическая мысль, почему Кейнс и Хайек спорили друг с другом, как становилась разрушенная послевоенная Германия экономически развитым государством.
Огромный плюс автору можно поставить за то, что он воссоздал ту полемику, которая существовала тогда. В течение книги мы видим абсолютно разные точки зрения разных экономистов, как они видели ту или иную ситуацию. Это позволяет объективно оценивать как сами экономические эксперименты, так и экономистов, которые их проводили. А также автор провел колоссальную работу с источниками, о чем может говорить объемное количество примечаний в конце работы.
Но и здесь не без греха. К сожалению, сама работа очень обрывиста, один тезис сменяется другим без какого-либо перехода. Это мешает восприятию и чтению, однако этот минус не такой существенный, чтобы снимать чуть больше чем единицу.
При прочтении у меня постоянно возникала мысль, что она очень похожа на великий труд Альфреда Маршалла «Принципы экономической науки», который был, по сути, учебником по политической экономии. Эта работа, можно сказать, является неким продолжением Маршалловского труда, вот только Лоуренс Уайт не брал всю экономическую теорию в целом. Он взял чуть более узкую тему — экономические эксперименты в XX веке — и постарался описать их в контексте той поры, как развивалась экономическая мысль, почему Кейнс и Хайек спорили друг с другом, как становилась разрушенная послевоенная Германия экономически развитым государством.
Огромный плюс автору можно поставить за то, что он воссоздал ту полемику, которая существовала тогда. В течение книги мы видим абсолютно разные точки зрения разных экономистов, как они видели ту или иную ситуацию. Это позволяет объективно оценивать как сами экономические эксперименты, так и экономистов, которые их проводили. А также автор провел колоссальную работу с источниками, о чем может говорить объемное количество примечаний в конце работы.
Но и здесь не без греха. К сожалению, сама работа очень обрывиста, один тезис сменяется другим без какого-либо перехода. Это мешает восприятию и чтению, однако этот минус не такой существенный, чтобы снимать чуть больше чем единицу.
May 3, 2023
Es el libro perfecto para entender el debate que ha marcado el rumbo del pensamiento económico. Contextualiza perfectamente cada corriente de pensamiento económico, tanto a nivel histórico como a nivel de política económica.
Trata temas muy diversos a nivel económico: política monetaria, política fiscal, comercio internacional, mercado bancario...
Considero recomendable tener conocimientos previos de economía, ya que el autor a menudo utiliza nociones técnicas para aplicar las reflexiones de distintos autores, lo cual se acentúa en la parte central del libro.
Es un libro totalmente recomendable para aquellos que quieran indagar en los distintos matices del pensamiento económico y huir de la diferenciación (a veces absurda) del pensamiento económico en dos ramas distintas: liberalismo vs intervencionismo.
Como economista, una lectura obligatoria.
Trata temas muy diversos a nivel económico: política monetaria, política fiscal, comercio internacional, mercado bancario...
Considero recomendable tener conocimientos previos de economía, ya que el autor a menudo utiliza nociones técnicas para aplicar las reflexiones de distintos autores, lo cual se acentúa en la parte central del libro.
Es un libro totalmente recomendable para aquellos que quieran indagar en los distintos matices del pensamiento económico y huir de la diferenciación (a veces absurda) del pensamiento económico en dos ramas distintas: liberalismo vs intervencionismo.
Como economista, una lectura obligatoria.
October 27, 2024
Academically stimulating. There were lots of new insights in this book that I hadn’t been exposed to, for example the role of Hayek’s ideas on information aggregation in inspiring wikipedia, the differences in sovereign borrowing ability under the gold standard vs floating currency systems, and the findings of Barro on the size of the Keynesian multiplier. There were some sections I was sceptical of(I think the impact of the Mont Pelerin Society is probably exaggerated by White). Overall, very good.
This book also managed to illustrate the banking vs currency school debate in a way I could understand, which other books have failed at.
This book also managed to illustrate the banking vs currency school debate in a way I could understand, which other books have failed at.
April 28, 2022
It wasn't my cup of tea. I did not like the text. I think I would fancy a comparison of the theories with formulas, but it was all words. May be it did not go well for me also because I started to read it from Chapter 10 for a book club.
I read the chapter for India, it was interesting a bit, but I was skim reading there too. The following chapter was boring, I skim read it, did not understand much from that level of reading, and decided that at this rate I could just skip everything altogether.
I read the chapter for India, it was interesting a bit, but I was skim reading there too. The following chapter was boring, I skim read it, did not understand much from that level of reading, and decided that at this rate I could just skip everything altogether.
January 30, 2024
Another great book with much information, education, history and entertainment. How can a book on economic be entertaining you say? By being well-written to the point the author is considering the questions of the reader in the explanation and story. I am (seriously) no economist; And I'd have to read this a couple times so I wasn't missing important points. But IMO this is a very well written book which succeeds in educating the reader regardless of the level of understanding of the economic ideas and social systems described. Oh yes, It's very well footnoted to dig further into ideas.
January 5, 2024
Es un libro amplio de economía, enfatiza ligeramente en temas monetarios y bancarios, pero también economía del desarrollo, las instituciones etc. Es muy interesante estudiar las ideas de los diferentes pensadores en sus contexto histórico y político. Por supuesto, algunos capítulos son más interesante que otros por la variedad de episodios que relata. Pero es un excelente libro.
April 18, 2019
Though at some points wordy, this book provides a great overview of the many different analysis one can take to look at the interactions in the economy. From the early theories of mertcantilism to the more recent theories by Keynes, each theory is addressed with its harbingers and details.
September 29, 2021
By far the best history of political economy "textbook" I have ever read.
November 4, 2021
Excelente para entender los distintos pensamientos económicos puesto en el contexto de cada época.
March 29, 2022
A fantastic resource for anyone interested in a detailed overview of the history of economic thought since Adam Smith.
February 4, 2023
Enjoyable, though somewhat scattered. I think it could have been condensed a fair amount, but he had some great stuff in here overall.
June 8, 2013
An interesting book about economics, especially about intellectual struggles in the discipline, with special focus in this century and the previous one, but tracing the origins of some ideas back to early economists and philosophers. Keynesians vs. Austrians vs. Monetarists, debates on public debt and deficits, the "socialism calculation debate", public goods vs. public choice: most important debates are present in this book, mostly with straightforward explanations of the arguments in both sides.
However, it is in some of the explanations where the book falters a little. The book is for non-economists, I think, since it does explain some basic concepts. But some explanations are hard to follow. Examples include the one about the "real bills doctrine" and descriptions of some Keynesian models. The book is great in the sense that you get all the big titles of the main big ideas of current discussions of economics, but you'll need to do some research on your own to understand even basic things of some of the ideas discussed, even if you have some knowledge of economics.
However, it is in some of the explanations where the book falters a little. The book is for non-economists, I think, since it does explain some basic concepts. But some explanations are hard to follow. Examples include the one about the "real bills doctrine" and descriptions of some Keynesian models. The book is great in the sense that you get all the big titles of the main big ideas of current discussions of economics, but you'll need to do some research on your own to understand even basic things of some of the ideas discussed, even if you have some knowledge of economics.
August 10, 2017
Simply put, this book was brutal. While the first chapter caught my attention with fun gossip about some of the great economists and the final few chapters refocused on current debates in economics, the bulk of this book was overwhelmed with excruciating, uninteresting details about economists lives and details of certain events. The book opens by stating that it will not unfold linearly and will move back and forth through time like a quentin tarantino film, but this is not for dramatic purpose, it is due to the fact that the chapters are generally quite disjoint from one another. After reading this, I can rest assured however that the debate between communism and capitalism is finished--unfortunately, this question still keeps some people up at night...
April 14, 2015
A wide-ranging overview of important 20th century economic debates, accessible to anyone familiar with basic micro/macro. Elements of economic history flesh out what's really an intellectual history of economics. Strong emphasis on market-oriented thinkers and schools, especially the Austrian and Chicago schools, though the views of opposing schools are discussed. A conclusion would have been nice.
June 7, 2016
One of the best books on economics and economic theory I have ever read. Clear and wide ranging, it should be read by anyone who wants to familiarise themselves with economic policy debates.
May 17, 2013
See review at http://edsteffes.wordpress.com/2013/0...
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews