x-book ®

The Economists’ Hour

Author Binyamin Appelbaum
Narrator Dan Bittner
Publisher Pan Macmillan
Run Time 13 hours and 19 minutes
Format x-book®
Genre Central / national / federal government policies, Economic history, Politics and government, Popular economics, Society and Social Sciences.

Buy Now £7.99 Send as a gift

How does xigxag pricing work?

Listen to a sample

What to expect

The story of the economists who championed the rise of free markets and fundamentally reshaped the modern world.

As the post-World War II economic boom began to falter in the late 1960s, a new breed of economists gained in influence and power. Over time, their ideas curbed governments, unleashed corporations and hastened globalization.

Their fundamental belief? That governments should stop trying to manage the economy.

Their guiding principle? That markets would deliver steady growth and broad prosperity.

But the economists’ hour failed to deliver on its premise. The single-minded embrace of markets has come at the expense of economic equality, of the health of liberal democracy, and of future generations. Across the world, from both right and left, the assumptions of the once-dominant school of free-market economic thought are being challenged, as we count the costs as well as the gains of its influence.

Both accessible and authoritative, exploring the impact of both ideas and individuals, in The Economists’ Hour acclaimed New York Times journalist Binyamin Appelbaum provides both a reckoning with the past and a call for a different future.

Critics Review

Lively and entertaining . . . The Economists’ Hour is a reminder of the power of ideas to shape the course of history.

New Yorker

The New York Times financial writer maps the advance of economists-from the Kennedy administration onward-out of the academy and into government, elevating free markets in the sausage-making of public policy and sparking the inequity that plagues us today.

O Magazine

An entertaining and well-written look at how market-oriented ideas rose from the academy and transformed nations.

Tyler Cowen

Writing in accessible language of thorny fiscal matters, the author ventures into oddly fascinating corners of recent economic history . . . Anyone who wonders why government officials still take the Laffer curve seriously need go no further than this lucid book.

Kirkus

Binyamin Appelbaum has written a powerful must-read for all those interested in reinvigorating the credibility of economics, especially in policymaking circles.

Mohamed A. El-Erian

The wider story of the market-centric worldview provides the meat of Appelbaum’s narrative . . . The fact that such sophisticated people presided over a dangerous build-up in financial risk suggests that something larger was at work than a naive faith in markets. Appelbaum’s strength is that he generally acknowledges these complexities.

Atlantic

This thoroughly researched, comprehensive, and critical account of the economic philosophies that have reigned for the past half century powerfully indicts them.

Publisher Weekly (starred)

More from the same

Narrator

About xigxag and the x-book®

Enjoy the best audiobooks on xigxag, an innovative, user-friendly audiobook platform that makes it easy to find, purchase, and enjoy your favorite books in audio format. xigxag’s flexible pricing model offers bestselling audiobooks for less – affordable prices and the best audiobook deals with no subscription required. Give the perfect gift with our audiobook gift cards and in-app audiobook gifting options

xigxag’s groundbreaking listen-and-read x-book® technology offers a truly immersive digital book experience. Our technology combines the audiobook, text, and images into a brilliant integrated format, with exclusive audiobook features and a next-gen digital reading experience built in. The x-book selection can be easily discovered by looking for the purple x-book ribbon, or filtering by x-book when searching for a book.

xigxag’s commitment to sustainability and ethical practices ensures a guilt-free listening experience from an exceptional digital book platform – an exciting alternative to big tech. Enjoy audiobooks from the only B Corp certified UK audiobook service, a leader in audiobook innovation. Experience extraordinary customer service from their friendly UK support team.

Search effortlessly, read honest audiobook reviews evaluating both the book and the narration, and discover hidden gems. Download or stream top audiobook titles anytime, anywhere and get the best possible listening experience on the UK’s best independent audiobook app. Experience the future of audiobooks today.

Subscribe to our newsletter

Sign up to get tailored content recommendations, product updates and info on new releases. Your data is your own: we commit to protect your data and respect your privacy.

Find your favourite titles