Here Partha Dasgupta, an internationally recognized authority in economics, presents readers with a solid introduction to its basic concepts, including efficiency, equity, sustainability, dynamic equilibrium, property rights, markets, and public goods. Throughout, he highlights the relevance of economics to everyday life, providing a very human exploration of a technical subject. Dasgupta covers enduring issues such as population growth, the environment, and poverty. For example, he explores how the world's looming population problems affect us at the local, national, and international level.
Economics has the capacity to offer us deep insights into some of the most formidable problems of life. Here, Dasgupta goes beyond the basics to show it's innate effects on our history, culture, and lifestyles.
About the Series: Combining authority with wit, accessibility, and style, Very Short Introductions offer an introduction to some of life's most interesting topics. Written by experts for the newcomer, they demonstrate the finest contemporary thinking about the central problems and issues in hundreds of key topics, from philosophy to Freud, quantum theory to Islam.
ISBN-13: 9780192853455
Media Type: Paperback
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Publication Date: 03-05-2007
Pages: 192
Product Dimensions: 6.55(w) x 4.45(h) x 0.47(d)
Series: Very Short Introductions
Partha Dasgupta is Frank Ramsey Professor of Economics, University of Cambridge and Fellow of St John's College. Among his many published books and articles is the widely acclaimed Human Well-Being and the Natural Environment.
Table of Contents
Preface x
List of illustrations xiii
List of tables xiv
Prologue 1
Macroeconomic history 14
Trust 30
Communities 64
Markets 72
Science and Technology as institutions 90
Households and firms 100
Sustainable economic development 117
Social well-being and democratic government 139
Epilogue 158
Further reading 161
Index 163
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