Fair Game: Lessons from Sport for a Fairer Society & a Stronger Economy

by Andrew Leigh

Every year, Australians break sporting world records through a combination of ingenuity, grit, and teamwork. Sport is a source of personal and national pride for millions. In this book, economist, politician, and triathlete Andrew Leigh argues that sport can embody both achievement and egalitarianism. On the starting line, what matters isn’t athletes’ wealth or connections but their hard work. In a fair tournament, the last-placed team starts the next year with a fighting chance to win the grand final. Yet, over the past generation, the Australian economy hasn’t matched the performances of our top sportspeople. The nation that brought home a glittering haul of medals from the Tokyo Olympics, and the urn from the last three Ashes series, has an economy that’s unfit for the challenges of the future. Productivity is in the doldrums, and student test scores are falling. The business startup rate has dropped, and markets aren’t as competitive as they should be. Leigh argues that we don’t have a shared national story about the kind of economy we want to build, or the kind of society we want to live in, and that this is where sport can provide the necessary inspiration.

Genres: Politics

96 pages, Paperback

Published December 1, 2022

About the author

Andrew Leigh is a member of the Australian Parliament. He holds a PhD from Harvard University, and is a fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences in Australia. Before being elected in 2010, he was a professor of economics at the Australian National University. His books include The Shortest History of Economics, The Luck of Politics and Randomistas.

Reviews

[Ryan B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Andrew Leigh has done a commendable job presenting the case for Australia to leverage our wonderful sporting pedigree to do better in politics and business and society. As a nation we famously punch well above our weight, but we don’t see the same level of accolades when it comes to other parts of our everyday life. Andrew’s an impressive individual, combining expert academic credentials with a super impressive set of running accomplishments. We both support the Indigenous Marathon Foundation, so he’s clearly one of the good guys I’d love more people to follow.

[Jack · Rating 2 out of 5]

Equity of opportunity is good, identitarian discrimination is bad. The author excuses the old belief that change takes time, but is time made for change?

[Bukhosibenkosi Masango · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story telling from Andrew; overall informative and invigorating.

[Malcolm · Rating 2 out of 5]

My review for this is now published at idrottsforum.