Economics: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions)

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For example, he explores how the world's looming population problems affect us at the local, national, and international level. With the exception of a few striking examples in South and South East Asia, though, most of the ex-colonies have either remained poor or become poorer still. Dasgupta develops his own way of approaching and his position of questions of economics, neither of which might be fully shared by all members of his profession. If you are an economist by nature or trade, you will probably find this book more enjoyable than I did.

As an 'introduction', this book is an extremely heavy read for anyone not already intimately familiar with economics (and even then, it would probably still be a tough book to get through).Partha Dasgupta is Frank Ramsey Professor of Economics, University of Cambridge and Fellow of St John's College. 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. Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Springer;Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences, vol. The discipline also tries to identify ways to influence these processes so as to improve the prospects of those who are hugely constrained in what they can be and do. The author tells us in his introduction that he wants to convey how economists think and how they approach problems and this is achieved to a degree.

Instead, Dasgupta offers the lay reader an example of how economists define problems and issues and try to solve them. Economics: A Very Short Introduction describes the lives of two children who live very different lives in different parts of the world: in the Mid-West USA and in Ethiopia. Professor Sir Partha Sarathi Dasgupta (born November 17, 1942), FBA, FRS, is the Frank Ramsey Professor of Economics at the University of Cambridge, United Kingdom; Fellow of St John's College, Cambridge; Honorary Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge; and Professor of Environmental and Development Economics at the University of Manchester.

Becky's father is a successful attorney in a law firm while Desta's father is a subsistence farmer on a small plot. Dasgupta's approach is heavily analytical and quantitative, relying on mathematical modeling, statistics, and game theory. I think it could have benefited from more examples, but I guess it couldn't have been a very short introduction with them, could it? Dasgupta sets out to use “economics” to explain the differences in standard of living between Becky (American) and Desta (Ethiopian). Dasgupta was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for his work in economics and has written many important books and studies.

Dasgupta covers the subject broadly, as is appropriate for a short monograph of this sort, with the narrative held together by contrasting the circumstances of two similar imaginary girls on opposite ends of the world's economic landscape. Here, Dasgupta goes beyond the basics to show it's innate effects on our history, culture, and lifestyles. If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here.

I was looking for a relatively comprehensive introduction to economic theories that this book does not offer. I wouldn't say this is a quick 'intro' into the subject; I have read many other books which deserve that title ahead of this book. Dasgupta is the Frank Ramsey Professor of Economics at the University of Cambridge and a Fellow of St. It leaves me with a picture of economics as a field which goes hand in hand with sociology, neither of which can be fully understood without the other. The book becomes broader in scope and probably more controversial in the latter chapters as Dasgupta describes hidden environmental costs, human capital, and natural resources such as air, water, and the ocean fishery in ways that the author claims are not usually followed by other economists.

About the Series: Combining authority with wit, accessibility, and style, Very Short Introductions offer an introduction to some of life's most interesting topics. Instead, it gives a brief but incredibly insightful overview of the language and logic of economics.A few stimulating passages here and there, but overall just aimless droning that did not add an iota to my analytical toolbox. The content is very intriguing and Dasgupta takes a more political/philosophical approach to economics, which is very appealing in my opinion. Dasgupta gradually introduces jargon and concepts as he compares aspects of the socioeconomic context of a child who lives in a wealthy country against that of a child in a country which is poor.