More : เปิดประวัติศาสตร์เศรษฐกิจหมื่นปี

by Philip Coggan, พลอยแสง เอกญาติ (Translator)

ลองหันไปมองรอบตัว ซ้าย ขวา หน้า หลัง คงปฏิเสธไม่ได้ว่ารอบตัวของเราเต็มไปด้วยสิ่งที่ล้วนเกี่ยวข้องกับกิจกรรมทางเศรษฐกิจ ไม่ว่าจะเป็นสินค้าอุปโภคบริโภค ระบบการเงิน ตลอดจนการคมนาคมขนส่ง แม้กระทั่งสิ่งที่พื้นฐานที่สุดในชีวิตประจำวันอย่าง “ยาสีฟัน” เราอาจมองเห็นเพียงส่วนประกอบพื้นฐาน ตัวยา ฝา หลอด กล่อง แต่จะมีสักกี่คนที่เห็นลึกไปถึงกระบวนการขุดค้นวัตถุดิบ สายพานการผลิต ตลอดจนการขนส่งมาสู่พ่อค้าคนกลาง กระบวนการเหล่านี้ผ่านมือคนนับพัน และผ่านวิวัฒนาการมานับหมื่นปี

MORE เปิดประวัติศาสตร์เศรษฐกิจ จะพาคุณสืบย้อนไปยังจุดเริ่มต้นของมวลมนุษยชาติ ที่ซึ่งระบบเศรษฐกิจได้เริ่มต้นขึ้น กระทั่งวิวัฒนาการมาสู่ระบอบเศรษฐกิจและอุตสาหกรรมที่ทำให้หนังสือในเล่มนี้ได้มาอยู่ในมือคุณ

Genres: Economics, History, Nonfiction, Politics, Finance, Business, Audiobook

688 pages, Paperback

Published October 1, 2022

About the author

Philip Coggan is a British columnist and author of books on economics. He currently writes for The Economist. Previously, he worked for the Financial Times for 20 years.

Reviews

[Anthony D · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was an interesting glance over the world economy. I should have read this before reading Hayek, Keynes, Marx, Friedman, Mises, Picketty and Sowell (and before listening to about 150 hours of EconTalk). It would have been a good primer.
Unfortunately the book is incredibly superficial. I guess that’s what is to be expected in a book with this scope covered in so few pages. My hopes were for a nuanced discussion of economic theory applied across the ages. Instead the book follows a standard “this happened then this happened and then this happened” format. The chapters covering one specific aspect of economics are somewhat interesting, but not enough to redeem this book.
If that were the case I’d just give this book 3 stars but I’m knocking off another point for it’s obvious leftward lean. It treats Hayek and Friedman like people who have had their theories definitively disproven. Yet these debates continue to rage today (and yes I level the same criticism at those who say Keynes has been proven wrong also). Towards the end, when it mentions China as an example of “good” economic policy, I had to cringe.
I’d recommend this book to high school students who want a very basic overview of world economic history. But only if I knew they were open minded enough to discuss the nuance afterwards.

[Russell Choy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably one of my more abused books - a lot of creases and scruffs.

It’s a very comprehensive read but it’s for precisely this reason that I couldn’t retain a lot of information from it

[Daniel Gusev · Rating 5 out of 5]

More of a compendium of great facts from other books and present, modern-time statistics artfully presented, articulated - crafted in a single story of progress.

If driven by amassment of wealth that the title implies or the capitalisation of wealth built by a catalyst of multiple effects - is up to a reader to decide.

Hoarding, saving, improving, slashing costs, gaining efficiency through tech or regulation - the story traces back the birth of societal network to its modern status.

A great journey well told.

[Vibhor Sahay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was my first book read dedicated to Economics.

Good comprehensive history - kudos to Coggan for compressing it in only 350 pages. Also enjoyed the economist viewpoint of inflation vs interest rates.

I had hoped more from the book since it came from an Economist writer. Its articles are succint and leave you wondering and thoughtful, some of which I missed in a few chapters in the book.

[Pete · Rating 4 out of 5]

More : The 10,000 Year Rise of the World Economy (2020) by Phillip Coggan is another account of the world’s rise from poverty to affluence over the past millennium. Coggan is a British business journalist who writes for The Economist. The writing is excellent as to be expected of any Economist writer.

More starts with chapters on the ancient economy, how Rome and the Han dynasty in China changed things and how agriculture changed over time. Europe’s post medieval revival is also described. Coggan also has a chapter on energy and how important it has been for global economic prosperity and the importance of fossil fuels to humanity’s rise from penury. The great change and Europe’s rise also gets a chapter. There are also separate chapters on Manufacturing and Transport.

The book then becomes an economic history of the past 200 years. This is also very interesting, but the book feels a bit like there are two books, the first on economic history over a longer period and the second of modern economic history. The modern economic history is also very interesting. Coggan knows his subject in depth and writes very well.

More is a very good book, or perhaps even two very good books joined together. It’s full of fascinating facts about many aspects of economic history. Coggan weaves a tale about economic history that is well worth reading.

[Tom McEnery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic economic history, going to read this again and take notes it was so good

[Richard Brooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book I've read by Philip Coggan. I saw it advertised in the Economist (Coggan writes for the Economist), so it was on my list to read since then.

I'm a sucker for any book that offers a big picture comprehensive overview of a topic. I'd also recently read another book by Coggan - Money Machine, a primer on the City's institutions - which I liked, so was looking forward to reading this one.

Overall, I really enjoyed it. As a seasoned journalist, Coggan writes really well. His prose is crisp, clear and easy to read, but also engaging too. He knows how to tell a good story to keep you interested.

My only two minor criticisms are these:

- Firstly, it's a ludicrously big topic to claim to cover. I thought given how big this topic is, that the book would be focused more specifically on the international trade aspect of the "rise of the World Economy". But actually Coggan attempts to give an overview of pretty much all core aspects of economic development - i.e. he doesn't just look at the rise of globalisation and international trade, but the rise of the modern, capitalist economy within countries too. Given this gargantuan task (and even he admits how challenging it was), to be fair, I think he does a pretty good job. But obviously there isn't time to give everything the depth of focus it deserves. In my opinion, he races through economic history up until the industrial revolution of the 18th century in Britain, whereupon he slows down to a more sensible pace. It was at this point in history that the economy we live in today began to emerge, so I sense that this is more Coggan's comfort zone and sphere of expertise, so inevitably the book skews towards the modern period.

- Secondly, in a few places, I felt Coggan's more "ideological" views crept in to his overview, disguised as neutral "facts". To be honest, I don't know for sure exactly his views on economics and politics, but as a previous writer for the Financial Times and now staff at the Economist (which is pro free markets, and pro free trade), this I imagine gives a sense of his positions. Generally speaking, I really enjoy reading the Economist. However, I do feel sometimes it's a bit lazy in repeating the same faith in markets and free trade as an article of faith, rather than going a bit deeper into the analysis to give a more balanced view. In the case of the Economist, I suppose it justifies this through its explicit editorial policy of what the Economist believes in, but with Coggan as independent author as opposed to Economist staff, there is freedom for him to state his own position more freely. I know from the writings of academics like Ha Joon Chang that a lot of the "neoliberal Washington consensus" set of policies which are associated with free trade have been very controversial and often ineffective. And, for example, in the case of Chang's native South Korea, there is evidence to show that some protectionism of "infant industries" does work - and indeed Britain, America and the EU have all protected domestic industries against foreign competition, both historically and still in the contemporary context. So in some places I felt when Coggan came to the end of a chapter and his summing up was pretty much "openness to free trade = good", this was over-simplistic and over-stated.

It was similar when I read Empire by Niall Ferguson. With both authors, their overviews of economic history were more nuanced, than their ultimate summings up - with the summings up reflecting their ideological views more than the facts support, in my opinion.

However, I think Coggan was pretty balanced overall. For example:

- When he criticises socialist regimes in USSR and Venezuela, for example, it's more about underlining the facts - i.e. rampant inflation and citizens unable to eat properly.
- He doesn't come across as a neo-liberal, anti-state extremist, and in fact points out that public sector spending in rich countries remains 30-50% of the economy, and shows no signs of "withering away" any time soon. More than this, he explicitly defends the state as having vital roles (for the economy) in providing public goods - education, health, law, welfare, research funding, etc.
- He also comes out as pretty critical of the British in India, for example, pointing out how little economic development the British had overseen during the Raj.

He doesn't talk much about environmental issues (although does a bit), and doesn't talk much about the case against openness to free trade. Being pro free trade and pro economic growth are where he seems to be most unswerving in his support, while admitting a role for the state.

I think if you bear in mind some slight ideological bias in a few places, then I think this is a pretty good overview. I think that ideological bias is about selecting which facts to include, and which to omit. But overall, I think it's a pretty even-handed account.

One final thing to mention for anyone considering reading this book: It's not purely chronological. Firstly, it is chronological broadly, but 20th century onwards, he'll write about rich nations and the developing world/emerging markets in separate chapters. Also, and I really liked this aspect, Coggan pulls out particular themes, and has stand-alone chapters on those themes, which he sees as central to economic development. Topics like transport, agriculture, manufacturing, central banks, the role of government, technology and innovation, etc. all get their own chapter, which I found really interesting and useful.

So overall, if you're looking for a whistle stop overview of economic history, including key topics and themes, then I think this is a really good, well written overview.

My only word of caution is to bear in mind how big this topic is, and how, inevitably, Coggan has to choose which facts to omit and which to include. Broadly I think he does a great job at covering all the key debates and developments in a balanced way, but in a few places I feel he's omitted a few inconvenient facts which would slightly muddy his broad message that economic growth + free trade are good.

[James Latham · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not a history of economic development

Maybe a history of economies/economics? Maybe it was just a mis-match of what I wanted/expected and what it delivers? I wanted to understand economic development from ancient to modern times, why did the romans not develop more? But for the 10,000 years, you get 10% on the the first 8000 years and 90% on the last 200 years. More than anything it skits around from cotton production in Japan, to Bretton woods, to the Sue’s canal, not stopping enough to say much about anything. Case in point in mentions “fractional banking” a few times and never said what it is. Many time while skimming over some subject (because the new one is just around the corner) there is some statement which needs some explanation, but there isn’t time! Just so frustrating.

[Shawn Yip · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was honestly quite tedious to get through. For starters, the title is a misnomer. The book disproportionately focuses on advancements from the 17th century onwards. The segment on the Chinese imperial economy in Zheng He’s time was excellent, but too brief.

Some might say the book is comprehensive and well-curated. But to me it reads like a series of disconnected fun facts with no central narrative nor theme to unite them. Maybe that’s a testament to the pretty mature lens through which he understands economic history? I also disliked how he wrote about the Euro, Venezuelan and Greek crises. Again it was stringing together a bunch of fun facts without a sufficiently meticulous approach to causation. Plus, while some chapters claim to explain the theories of Keynes, Hayek, Friedman etc, it really just skims over the nuanced bits resulting in an unfortunately superficial exposé. At times the tone adopted seems as if Coggan came up with a better, ‘zeitgeisty’ framework with which we can explain our economy. Sadly untrue.

All in all, the rave reviews scattered across the front and back of the book remind me of that one Vietnamese communist party meme with the generals in full dress. “The Homies and I giving one another medals” vibes are strong with this one.

[Ajay · Rating 4 out of 5]

An expansive and accessible take on the rise of the modern world economy. I found this book to be easy and fun to read, and can be best thought of as a great primer on economics. You'll learn more reading this book then spending a semester in an econ 101 class. And maybe even more then you would in a whole undergraduate econ degree.

The author opens with a very crucial disclaimer -- Coggan is a writer for The Economist, not an academic or expert. I really appreciated this because in the areas where I disagreed with his understanding or focus, it was understandable given his background. For readers, know that this book represents a primer / introduction to the field, and shouldn't be taken as fact or comprehensive. I particularly disagreed with his take on trade where all the evidence in the book pointed to a more nuanced discussion of trade-offs, but he ended with a conclusion that misrepresented the facts.

The book can get a bit lost in clear themes and focus when following linear history, but the book truly shines when diving deep into the evolution of agriculture, transportation, and manufacturing.

[Paweł Rusin · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took me a lot of time to get through this, not sure why. I think it was fairly good coverage of the history of the world economy. Maybe except for a couple of first chapters that really didn't teach you anything if you stayed awake at the high school history lessons.

The biggest positive of this book was that it didn't take sides in all the hot economic discussions of our times such as capitalism vs interventionism or gold standard vs fiat money. In my experience, books that try to sell interventionism would focus on the Great Depression and go silent on stagflation in the '70s, while the free market books would do the opposite. It was a refreshing experience to go through the partial account of the main economic events of modern times and learn that extreme approaches of any kind rarely lead to positive outcomes.

[Brian Gowthorpe · Rating 4 out of 5]

I nearly stuck to 3 stars but it is a very capable piece of work which confidently covers a lot of ground. Much of it is familiar stuff but I guess that just indicates the sort of stuff that I have read. His main point is that trade is really important. It leads to the spread of ideas, innovation and wealth. Mankind has benefited greatly (although there have been damaging impacts) from increased life expectancy, better sanitation and higher standards of living. The format - an historical narrative followed by thematic chapters - leads to some duplication, which is a little irritating but perhaps inevitable. It was striking how the last 100 years has seen some remarkable recoveries from economic disasters in a way that does not seem to have previously been so achievable.

[Roel Peters · Rating 2 out of 5]

More like 1 chapter on the first 9800 years and the 200 year rise of the world economy.
- Due to this focus on the most recent 200 years, this reads like the synopsis of an economics minor.
- It's a dull rambling of cherry-picked facts and figures.
- The figures are often besides the point, badly framed (like stuff that 'doubles' or increases 10percentage points without mentioning the base) and from dubious sources.
- Many topics deserve a lot more nuance and aren't as straightforward as the author claims.

[Joel Gn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Economics is arguably a discipline that is informative but not interesting. It helps to know why fresh graduates can't find a job with decent wages, or how the prices of our daily essentials fluctuate so we don't go around heaping blame on politicians who, in spite of what they say, can't really control all the variables that lead to the pinch in our pockets. For what that's worth, there is a healthy dose of clarity and I daresay optimism in Coggan's historical analysis, but his work certainly won't help anyone game the stock market.

[Joao · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great concise deeply packed history of world economy. If you want to have an understanding of how things evolved, with a great description of the impact and timeline of agriculture, the industrial revolution, the correlation between energy production and economic prosperity and 20th century (World wars, 1929 crash and bank insolvencies, USA prosperity, etc), then I totally recommend this great book.

[Jeneva Izorion · Rating 4 out of 5]

เล่าภาพรวมของเศรษฐกิจโลกตั้งแต่ยุคดึกดำบรรพ์มาจนถึงราว ๆ กลางปี 2020 คนเขียนคงทำการบ้านเยอะมาก ๆ เพราะมี fact เล็กน้อยเชื่อมโยงได้ตลอด และก็มีพูดถึงโซนที่ไม่ค่อยได้พูดถึงมากเท่าไหร่ในเล่มอื่น เช่น ละตินอเมริกา แอฟริกา

แต่ไม่ค่อยชินกับวิธีเล่าของเค้าเท่าไหร่ แบบพูดถึงเศรษฐกิจยุคนึงอยู่ แล้วก็ตัดไปพูดถึงส่วน ๆ นึงเลย [ฟีลแบบอ่านยุคโบราณ ๆ แล้วบทต่อมามันเอ๊ะ สมัยใหม่เลย]

อ่านได้เรื่อย ๆ แต่ต้องอดทนนิดหน่อย ช่วงหลัง ๆ รู้สึกว่ามันยาก [เพราะเศรษฐกิจมันก็ซับซ้อนขึ้นด้วย/หรือว่าเบล้อเองก็ไม่รู้]

[Basili · Rating 4 out of 5]

A comprehensive summary of economic growth over the last 10,000 years, More is a massive report that distilled theory and academic research to convey how growth has evolved. It is less detailed than tomes of similar themes, but it nonetheless provides a balanced view on issues that are still relevant today.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Expansive explanation of the world economy as we know of it today told in clear chapters focused on a certain time or topic. Provides a holistic and seemingly balanced view on all facets of the economy, from ancient times to the present. A great read for someone who enjoys reading about social sciences and is keen to understand the drivers of the world economy.

[Ramil Kazımov · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gerçi isminde "Paranın Tarihi" yazıyor ama kendisi günümüz burjuva ekonomisini anlatıyor. Okuyucuyu pek sıkmadan anlatması artısı ama pek öyle büyük beklentiniz olmasın arkadaşlar. Kısaca kitab ekonomik ilişkilerin tarihini anlatıyor. Günümüz ekonomisini bazı açılardan anlamak için beklentiyi hafif tutaraktan okunabilir.

[not.a.nice.guy_ · Rating 5 out of 5]

An easy history of economics.

"When we think about history, the temptation is to focus on revolutions, wars and kings - what was once described as "maps and chaps". And when we do discuss economics, the focus is on the current measures of inflation and employment, and the complex equations and jargon that academics use to explain them. It is easy to miss the big picture." (1)

[Jeffrey Cavanaugh · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fair history of economic progress from antiquity to just before the Covid-19 pandemic. Suitable perhaps for an educated layman wanting to know a bit more, but for the most part the subject is too broad for the book to go into anything beyond the most perfunctory details.

[Paul Graham · Rating 3 out of 5]

https://www.goodreads.com/review/edit...#

[Paulo Ramos · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is a good book to have an overview of the economical evolution, but, as expected in one single book, there are no a deep analysis of each. It is good journey

[Ryan · Rating 2 out of 5]

A compilation of facts more than an elucidation of the proposed thesis. I expected more.

[Johnny · Rating 5 out of 5]

A pleasant wide sweep of history, politics, and economics compiled from a range of books and articles. It sets context and motivates reader to dig deeper & read more.

[Mohamad Jaber · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting book. I really enjoyed his historical narration of the development of his je economy.

[Mel Stead]

Reviewed in the August 2022 issue of the Socialist Standard:

https://socialiststandardmyspace.blog...

[Johan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Way too shallow.

[Gabrielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75

[Eric Davies · Rating 3 out of 5]

2nd half is more focused. Because it is very broad some interesting but incomplete anecdotes. The point of the book? Trade is old and good.