Corruption, the pandemic and the war and its blunt effects on the economy are topics covered in the books indicated by Martin Wolf, the chief economics commentator at the British newspaper Financial Times, for the second half of the year.
See below the works suggested by Wolf, followed by the columnist’s observations.
21st Century Monetary Policy: The Federal Reserve from the Great Inflation to Covid-19
[Política monetária do século 21: o Federal Reserve da grande inflação à Covid-19]
By Ben Bernanke – WW Norton & Company
To criticize something intelligently, you have to understand it. Ben Bernanke, one of the world’s leading monetary economists and chairman of the Fed (Federal Reserve) during the global financial crisis, is ideally able to explain the economic forces and ideas behind central bank policies, especially the Fed, over the course of the year. last half century. The book is characteristically well argued. But ironically, shortly after the Fed adopted its new framework aimed at achieving “maximum employment,” rising inflation brought back the worries of the 1970s. Apparently, nothing is forever.
Why We Fight: The Roots of War and the Paths to Peace
[Por que lutamos: as raízes da guerra e os caminhos para a paz]
By Christopher Blattman – Viking £18.99/Penguin $32
Christopher Blattman, a professor at the University of Chicago, has written a remarkable book on one of the most important questions in human behavior: why do we fight? He notes that the vast majority of conflicts do not turn violent. When he does, it is because the incentives for a deal are insufficient. Blattman offers five reasons why this is so. We are seeing one of them now. Vladimir Putin started a war because he thinks it’s in his best interest, and in Russia today, nobody else’s interests matter.
Gambling on Development: Why Some Countries Win and Others Lose
[Apostando no desenvolvimento: por que alguns países ganham e outros perdem]
By Stefan Dercon, Hurst £25/$34.95
Stefan Dercon, director of the Center for the Study of African Economies at the University of Oxford, asks the most important question in economics: why do some developing countries develop while others do not? There has been a lot of progress. But this progress has also been extremely divergent. The answer, he argues, lies not in policies themselves, much less in providing foreign aid or transforming global institutions, but in the politics of the economy: development will happen if elites decide that it is in their interest to deliver. This “development bargain” is the key: it’s as simple – and difficult – as that.
Can’t We Just Print More Money?: Economics in Ten Simple Questions
[Não podemos simplesmente imprimir mais dinheiro? Economia em dez perguntas simples]
By Rupal Patel and Jack Meaning – Cornerstone Press £14.99
If you think you should understand how economists think but have no idea where to start, this book is the answer. Written by two economists at the Bank of England, it offers a clear explanation of basic economics, covering supply and demand, weather, labor markets, growth, trade, inflation, money, personal investment, financial crises, and why we can’t just print more. money. The bank is to be congratulated on this educational effort. Buy this book for the inquiring person – young, old or in between.
Rebuilding the World Trading System
[Reconstruindo o sistema de comércio mundial]
By Andrew Stoeckel – Stoeckel Group £15/ $17.49
Andy Stoeckel is one of Australia’s leading trade economists. At a time when attacks on international trade are widespread, he wrote a short and compelling pamphlet on how to rescue this foundation of global prosperity. His argument is simple: without strong and independent domestic institutions charged with distinguishing the national interest in trade from narrow protectionist interests, the survival of a global trading system based on open rules is doomed.
Disorder: Hard Times in the 21st Century
[Desordem: tempos difíceis no século 21]
By Helen Thompson – Oxford University Press £20/$27.95
Helen Thompson is a professor of political economy at the University of Cambridge. In this ambitious book, she attempts to elucidate the economic and political forces that shape (and reshape) our world. Her story has three elements: first, the geopolitics of energy, especially oil; second, the economy, especially money and energy economy; third, national politics, especially in Western democracies, notably the rise of plutocracy. The book is as disturbing as it is thought-provoking.
Fragile Futures: The Uncertain Economics of Disasters, Pandemics, and Climate Change
[Futuros frágeis: A economia incerta de desastres, pandemias e mudança climática]
By Vito Tanzi – Cambridge University Press £20/ US$24.99
In different ways, the pandemic and climate change force us to recognize the inevitable reality of uncertainty. Vito Tanzi, former head of the fiscal affairs department at the International Monetary Fund, has some crucial implications. One is that we can and should much better use fiscal policy in response to shocks: in the case of Covid-19, for example, we should have placed a temporary tax on the rich. More fundamentally, our interconnected world needs more and better global governance.
Growth for Good: Reshaping Capitalism to Save Humanity from Climate Catastrophe
[Crescimento para o bem: remodelando o capitalismo para salvar a humanidade da catástrofe climática]
By Alessio Terzi – Harvard University Press £23.95/ US$29.95
Should we give up economic growth, or even reverse the growth we’ve had over the past two centuries, to stop climate change? The author, an economist working at the European Commission, argues that such demands are neither necessary nor feasible: they are utopian fantasies. What is needed are practical and politically acceptable options. A successful policy will recognize the need for market incentives, active government, social cohesion and international cooperation. Above all, technology is our friend, not our enemy.
The Enablers: How the West Supports Kleptocrats and Corruption – Endangering Our Democracy
[Os facilitadores: como o Ocidente apoia os cleptocratas e a corrupção, pondo em risco nossa democracia]
By Frank Vogl – Rowman and Littlefield £25/$32
Frank Vogl has campaigned against the evils of corruption for decades. In this hard-hitting and sober book, he explains not just how pervasive it is today, but that Western governments, businesses, and professionals empower the kleptocratic regimes behind much of it. That’s not just a bad thing in itself. It is a threat to the legitimacy and perhaps the survival of our democracies. The “klepto-money” that floods our economies is a poison that weakens us and strengthens our enemies.
Translated by Luiz Roberto M. Gonçalves
I have over 8 years of experience in the news industry. I have worked for various news websites and have also written for a few news agencies. I mostly cover healthcare news, but I am also interested in other topics such as politics, business, and entertainment. In my free time, I enjoy writing fiction and spending time with my family and friends.
