Bad Samaritans

The Myth of Free Trade and the Secret History of Capitalism

Business & Finance, Economics, Economic History
Cover of the book Bad Samaritans by Ha-Joon Chang, Bloomsbury Publishing
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Ha-Joon Chang ISBN: 9781596917385
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing Publication: August 9, 2010
Imprint: Bloomsbury Press Language: English
Author: Ha-Joon Chang
ISBN: 9781596917385
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Publication: August 9, 2010
Imprint: Bloomsbury Press
Language: English

"Lucid, deeply informed, and enlivened with striking illustrations." -Noam Chomsky

One economist has called Ha-Joon Chang "the most exciting thinker our profession has turned out in the past fifteen years." With Bad Samaritans, this provocative scholar bursts into the debate on globalization and economic justice.

Using irreverent wit, an engagingly personal style, and a battery of examples, Chang blasts holes in the "World Is Flat" orthodoxy of Thomas Friedman and other liberal economists who argue that only unfettered capitalism and wide-open international trade can lift struggling nations out of poverty. On the contrary, Chang shows, today's economic superpowers-from the U.S. to Britain to his native Korea-all attained prosperity by shameless protectionism and government intervention in industry. We have conveniently forgotten this fact, telling ourselves a fairy tale about the magic of free trade and-via our proxies such as the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, and World Trade Organization-ramming policies that suit ourselves down the throat of the developing world.

Unlike typical economists who construct models of how the marketplace should work, Chang examines the past: what has actually happened. His pungently contrarian history demolishes one pillar after another of free-market mythology. We treat patents and copyrights as sacrosanct-but developed our own industries by studiously copying others' technologies. We insist that centrally planned economies stifle growth-but many developing countries had higher GDP growth before they were pressured into deregulating their economies. Both justice and common sense, Chang argues, demand that we reevaluate the policies we force on nations that are struggling to follow in our footsteps.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

"Lucid, deeply informed, and enlivened with striking illustrations." -Noam Chomsky

One economist has called Ha-Joon Chang "the most exciting thinker our profession has turned out in the past fifteen years." With Bad Samaritans, this provocative scholar bursts into the debate on globalization and economic justice.

Using irreverent wit, an engagingly personal style, and a battery of examples, Chang blasts holes in the "World Is Flat" orthodoxy of Thomas Friedman and other liberal economists who argue that only unfettered capitalism and wide-open international trade can lift struggling nations out of poverty. On the contrary, Chang shows, today's economic superpowers-from the U.S. to Britain to his native Korea-all attained prosperity by shameless protectionism and government intervention in industry. We have conveniently forgotten this fact, telling ourselves a fairy tale about the magic of free trade and-via our proxies such as the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, and World Trade Organization-ramming policies that suit ourselves down the throat of the developing world.

Unlike typical economists who construct models of how the marketplace should work, Chang examines the past: what has actually happened. His pungently contrarian history demolishes one pillar after another of free-market mythology. We treat patents and copyrights as sacrosanct-but developed our own industries by studiously copying others' technologies. We insist that centrally planned economies stifle growth-but many developing countries had higher GDP growth before they were pressured into deregulating their economies. Both justice and common sense, Chang argues, demand that we reevaluate the policies we force on nations that are struggling to follow in our footsteps.

More books from Bloomsbury Publishing

Cover of the book Early Greek Lawgivers by Ha-Joon Chang
Cover of the book DJ Culture in the Mix by Ha-Joon Chang
Cover of the book The Actor's Business Plan by Ha-Joon Chang
Cover of the book Greek Sanctuaries and Temple Architecture by Ha-Joon Chang
Cover of the book Jawbreaker's 24 Hour Revenge Therapy by Ha-Joon Chang
Cover of the book Bf 109 Aces of North Africa and the Mediterranean by Ha-Joon Chang
Cover of the book The Islamic-Byzantine Frontier by Ha-Joon Chang
Cover of the book Women and Borders by Ha-Joon Chang
Cover of the book Bowling by Ha-Joon Chang
Cover of the book The Legal Order of the Oceans by Ha-Joon Chang
Cover of the book Reckless by Ha-Joon Chang
Cover of the book Duels and Duelling by Ha-Joon Chang
Cover of the book Early Roman Warrior 753–321 BC by Ha-Joon Chang
Cover of the book Youth and Education in the Middle East by Ha-Joon Chang
Cover of the book Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose by Ha-Joon Chang
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy