Alternative Ideas from 10 (Almost) Forgotten Economists

Book excerpt: "Irene van Staveren's latest book is a perfect blend of theoretical economics, history of thought and contemporary policy making. Van Steveren mixes biographical details and theoretical contributions from ten notable economists with a focus on present day economic problems, especially those that have arisen since the financial crisis-cum-recession of 2008-09. The book is perfect for students who want to learn non-mainstream approaches to economics while also focusing on problems that exist in the here and now." - Philip Pilkington, Macroeconomist at GMO LLC and author of The Reformation in Economics How should we address today's big problems, and what we can take from icons of economics past? How would John Maynard Keynes have resolved today's debt problem, or how would Adam Smith have assessed the European carbon emission trading market? This book applies the ideas of ten renowned economists (Marx, Minsky, Keynes, Knight, Bergmann, Veblen, Sen, Myrdal, Smith, Robinson) to real world economic problems, directly or indirectly related to the causes and consequences of the 2008 financial crisis. Each chapter presents an economist, and structures the 'problem', the 'insight' (the economist's idea), the 'economist' (short bio), and two 'practices' offering real-world alternatives.This book presents a lively and original approach that will be of interest to economists and non-economists alike, discussing key elements of an economics for a postcapitalist economy and connecting policy insights to real-world problems of today.