A Brief History of Price
This book is an attempt to explain to the layperson what contemporary economics is about. It starts on the assumption that most economics is just refined common sense and clearly explains the key ideas associated with each issue. All the main topics of academic economics are considered: the theory of individual choice, the labour market, the competition between firms, international trade, economic growth, the stock market, unemployment, and money. The general principles are sketched first without maths or diagrams, and then discussed in the context of topical problems such as the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe, the lack of development in the third-world countries, the contrast between market forces and the protection of the environment, showing how economics is not necessarily a dry academic pursuit.
A Brief History of Price
Explaining to the layperson what contemporary economics is about, this book starts on the assumption that most economics is just refined common sense, and explains the key ideas associated with each issue. It also contains an annotated list of books and articles, broken down by chapters.
Government and the American Economy
The American economy has provided a level of well-being that has consistently ranked at or near the top of the international ladder. A key source of this success has been widespread participation in political and economic processes. In The Government and the American Economy, leading economic historians chronicle the significance of America’s open-access society and the roles played by government in its unrivaled success story. America’s democratic experiment, the authors show, allowed individuals and interest groups to shape the structure and policies of government, which, in turn, have fostered economic success and innovation by emphasizing private property rights, the rule of law, and protections of individual freedom. In response to new demands for infrastructure, America’s federal structure hastened development by promoting the primacy of states, cities, and national governments. More recently, the economic reach of American government expanded dramatically as the populace accepted stronger limits on its economic freedoms in exchange for the increased security provided by regulation, an expanded welfare state, and a stronger national defense.
A History of the Screenplay
The screenplay is currently the focus of extensive critical re-evaluation, however, as yet there has been no comprehensive study of its historical development. International in scope and placing emphasis on the development and variety of screenplay texts themselves, this book will be an important and innovative addition to the current literature.
The Great Wave
Fischer has examined price records in many nations, and finds that great waves of rising prices in the 13th-, 16th-, 18th-, and 20th centuries were all marked by price swings of increasing volatility, falling wages, a growing gap between rich and poor, and an increase in violent crime, family disintegration, and cultural despair. 109 graphs & charts. 7 maps.