23 Things They Don't Tell You about Capitalism

Ha-Joon Chang

Jan 2011 · Bloomsbury Publishing USA

About this ebook

INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER

"For anyone who wants to understand capitalism not as economists or politicians have pictured it but as it actually operates, this book will be invaluable."-Observer (UK)

If you've wondered how we did not see the economic collapse coming, Ha-Joon Chang knows the answer: We didn't ask what they didn't tell us about capitalism. This is a lighthearted book with a serious purpose: to question the assumptions behind the dogma and sheer hype that the dominant school of neoliberal economists-the apostles of the freemarket-have spun since the Age of Reagan.

Chang, the author of the international bestseller Bad Samaritans, is one of the world's most respected economists, a voice of sanity-and wit-in the tradition of John Kenneth Galbraith and Joseph Stiglitz. 23 Things They Don't Tell You About Capitalism equips readers with an understanding of how global capitalism works-and doesn't. In his final chapter, "How to Rebuild the World," Chang offers a vision of how we can shape capitalism to humane ends, instead of becoming slaves of the market.

Ratings and reviews

HA-JOON CHANG lacks the most solid knowledge of economics as it really works. But his unique perspective of focusing current myths on what they call capitalism is truly amazing. I have really enjoyed this book because we always think that it is communism the only one with myths, but crony capitalism also has its own, JOON discloses them in this super valuable book. A more transparent look at the real world.

H-J Chang's approach is a refreshing look at capitalism that is realistic and empirical - he looks less toward advancing ideological theories and more towards what actually happens. I came across this book in the library, and after I finished reading it, went out an purchased a copy for my personal permanent library. I'll be referring to this work again many times in the future.

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About the author

Ha-Joon Chang was born in Seoul, South Korea, and teaches Economics and Development Studies at the University of Cambridge. His books include the international bestseller Bad Samaritans: The Myth of Free Trade and the Secret History of Capitalism, Kicking Away the Ladder, winner of the Myrdal Prize, and 23 Things They Don't Tell You About Capitalism. Chang was awarded the Leontief Prize for Advancing the Frontiers of Economic Thought. He lives in Cambridge with his wife, Hee-Jeong Kim, and two children, Yuna, and Jin-Gyu.