What We Owe Each Other: A New Social Contract for a Better Society

"Minouche Shafik's up-to-the-moment work of economic policy presents a powerful and persuasive moral argument. She calls for a more generous, more equal world and offers an analysis that is rigorous and specific enough to help readers think practically about the policies needed to bring that world into being. For societies asking how to rebuild, What We Owe Each Other is an important place to start."—Melinda Gates

"Informed by her many journeys to all corners of the world, Minouche Shafik weaves economics, philosophy, wisdom, and common sense into a social contract of simplicity, solidity, and harmony. A must-read recipe for the improvement of our life together."—Christine Lagarde, President of the European Central Bank

"What We Owe Each Other is a thought-provoking, beautifully argued, and easily accessible book. It is a must-read for all those seeking to understand why the bonds that bind society together are so frayed and what we can do about it to create a world fit for our children and grandchildren to live in."—Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of the World Trade Organization

"In this timely call for a new social contract, Minouche Shafik invites us to rethink what we owe one another as citizens, within and across generations. In the tradition of Beveridge, one of her predecessors as director of the LSE, Shafik points us toward a more generous social contract, one that shares risks and broadens opportunity. At a time when government seems broken, this excellent book offers a hopeful framework for social, economic, and political renewal."—Michael J. Sandel, author of The Tyranny of Merit: What's Become of the Common Good?

"We are hearing from many corners that things are broken in Western democracies. But how to fix them? This erudite book argues that we need to build a new social contract, recognizing our obligations to each other and to society and building a welfare state that avoids the mistakes of the past and is adapted to the challenges of the present. It is a thought-provoking addition to our current, urgent debates."—Daron Acemoglu, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

"A necessary contribution at a turning point in history. Minouche Shafik maps out the great challenges of our time and inspires us to rise to them. Her book is a must-read for policymakers—as well as anyone interested in making the world a better place."—Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission