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The Worldly Philosophers
The Worldly Philosophers: The Lives, Times And Ideas Of The Great Economic Thinkers | Robert L. Heilbroner
1 post | 1 read | 7 to read
The bestselling classic that examines the history of economic thought from Adam Smith to Karl Marx—“all the economic lore most general readers conceivably could want to know, served up with a flourish” (The New York Times). The Worldly Philosophers not only enables us to see more deeply into our history but helps us better understand our own times. In this seventh edition, Robert L. Heilbroner provides a new theme that connects thinkers as diverse as Adam Smith and Karl Marx. The theme is the common focus of their highly varied ideas—namely, the search to understand how a capitalist society works. It is a focus never more needed than in this age of confusing economic headlines. In a bold new concluding chapter entitled “The End of the Worldly Philosophy?” Heilbroner reminds us that the word “end” refers to both the purpose and limits of economics. This chapter conveys a concern that today’s increasingly “scientific” economics may overlook fundamental social and political issues that are central to economics. Thus, unlike its predecessors, this new edition provides not just an indispensable illumination of our past but a call to action for our future.
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This book was written in the 60's and could largely be described as a history of American capitalism. It features all the great economists - Smith, Marx, Mill, Keynes, and Galbraith, to name a few. Although it was written more than 50 years ago, the questions it poses still plague us today - Is capitalism sustainable? Big government vs. small government? Free market vs. moral imperative, Is economic growth unlimited?