Ha-Joon Chang on Economics - but not as you know it

Описание: The talk is based on Ha-Joon Chang's forthcoming book, Economics: The User's Guide, the first volume in the new Pelican Paperback series, which is being revived after 30 years' hiatus. The book has been written as an introduction to economics for the general public.

In the talk, Dr Chang will discuss the limitations of economics as it is practised today and suggest ways to have it better serve humanity. He will emphasise that, unlike what most economists tell us, economics is not a 'science' but a political argument.

Starting with what he calls the 'Singapore Problem', he will argue that there are many different ways of 'doing' economics', with three varieties for free-market economics alone. He will argue that these different approaches should be cross-fertilised with one another in order to provide a richer understanding of the complex world. He will also discuss some important topics that are neglected in economics today — especially production and work, as opposed to exchange and consumption. He will conclude his talk by arguing that, given the political nature of economic arguments, everyone needs to learn some economics and act as responsible 'economic citizens', in challenging the necessary but inevitably narrow judgments of professional economists.

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Public Lecture
Economics -- but not as you know it

Speaker:
Dr Ha-Joon Chang, Reader, Faculty of Economics, University of Cambridge

Date: Thursday, 17 April 2014