Andrew Leigh, "How Economics Explains the World: A Short History of Humanity" (Mariner Books, 2024)

How Economics Explains the World: A Short History of Humanity (Mariner Books, 2024) is a book for anyone interested in understanding the economic forces that have shaped our world. Its blend of historical insight and contemporary relevance makes it a valuable addition to your bookshelf.

This small book indeed tells a big story. It is the story of capitalism – of how our market system developed. It is the story of the discipline of economics, and some of the key figures who formed it. And it is the story of how economic forces have shaped world history. Why didn’t Africa colonize Europe instead of the other way around? What happened when countries erected trade and immigration barriers in the 1930s? Why did the Allies win World War II? Why did inequality in many advanced countries fall during the 1950s and 1960s? How did property rights drive China’s growth surge in the 1980s? How does climate change threaten our future prosperity? You’ll find answers to these questions and more in How Economics Explains the World.

Andrew Leigh is an Australian economist, author, and politician currently serving as the Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury, as well as the Assistant Minister for Employment. A member of the Australian Labor Party, he has represented the electorate of Fenner in the House of Representatives since 2010. Before entering politics, he was a professor of economics at the Australian National University, specialising in public policy, inequality, and economic reform. Leigh is a prolific writer, having authored several books on economic and social issues, and is known for his commitment to evidence-based policymaking and fostering competition in the Australian economy.

“If you read just one book about economics, make it Andrew Leigh's clear, insightful, and remarkable (and short) work.” —Claudia Goldin, recipient of the 2023 Nobel Prize in Economics and Henry Lee Professor of Economics at Harvard University

One of The Economist's Best Books of the Year

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