Economics [Hardcover]

Campbell R. McConnell (Author), Stanley L. Brue (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0072284315 | ISBN-13: 978-0072284317 | Publication Date: September 1999 | Edition: 14

The twelfth edition of "Economics" continues in the vein of its overall message: people who comprehend principles will have a great advantage functioning in - and making sense of - the emerging world. The new edition has been revised, polished and updated. A sample of the book's new discussions and analyzes include: the switch to GDP accounting; Soviet economy in transition; economics and the environment; the crisis in American financial institutions; economics of information; strategic behaviour; public choice and tax analysis; and more. The book is divided into two sections - Macroeconomics and Microeconomics - which are also available as separate texts.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover
• Publisher: Richard D Irwin; 14 edition (September 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0072284315
• ISBN-13: 978-0072284317
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.5 x 2.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,426,682 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Average., June 30, 1999

By 

Edward Mariyani-Squire (Sydney, Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Economics: Principles, Problems, and Policies,14th Edition (Hardcover)

In my experience, students usually violently disagree on the quality and difficulty of this text. Predictably, the division goes something like this: Camp 1 - it's too difficult, in places there is not enough explanation, and the writing style is turgid. Camp 2 - it rambles on for too long on irrelevant issues, it does not provide all the necessary formulae (let alone working out), and is basically high school material.

In my opinion, there is truth in both camps' evaluations. In places it does tend to ramble - especially with respect to boring examples, and it does not provide the necessary mathematical appendices for those students going on to intermediate study. In addition to these (justified) student-based complaints, I have my own: the first chapter on methodology is, as with just about every textbook written these days, pathetic. It does no service to the discipline of economics to patronisingly peddle the line that "economics is a science" when there is abolutely no evidence of a properly developed (let alone explained) scientific approach being used in the textbook itself. Introductory economics texts have to move into the late 20thC and admit that economics is not infact a covert physical science, and further, does face serious methodological questions about what it is actually capable of knowing. My other complaint is that there is no systematic linking together of the microeconomic (quasi-)normative chapters (e.g. the economising problem, general equilibrium, functions of government, and the section on current social issues). A more coherent approach that at least introduced students to Arrow, Rawls, Nozick and Sen would not only bring dispirate ideas neatly together, but would also supply students with a basic grounding in distributional theories of justice which they should encounter in more advanced subjects.

That said, some criticisms are unwarranted. For example, I don't believe that the text is 'too hard'. I have always found this complaint somewhat puzzling, given that it is probably the easiest text this side of the bombasically simple "Principles of Economics" by N. Gregory Mankiw. One suspects that this reaction is due largely to first year university students not having much experience with economics texts (i.e., not realising that it only gets MUCH harder from first year onwards). Also, it must be said that on the whole it is reasonably balanced in its political inclinations (in that it does not rant about the evils of trade unions or oligopolies). Finally, while the text does ramble, it is nonetheless well written. For the most part, those students coming to economics for the first time should have little difficulty in comprehending what is being articulated.

In the final analysis, the 'pros' and 'cons' balance each other out, making for an eminantly average textbook. This is not to say it's Bad - it's merely to say that buying it will not set you 'afire with desire' to do more economics...just like most textbooks currently on the market.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A detailed presentation of economic theory with real world applications., April 16, 2006

By 

Srinidhi Anantharamiah (Melbourne, Florida) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Economics: Principles, Problems, and Policies (Paperback)

As an instructor of economics, I would say McConnell and Brue's book is probably the best text to introduce students who may have no background or appreciation for the study of economics. It is well written and contains clear, concise analyses to examine important concepts and principles that have taken centuries to theorize and to validate. The authors also use several real world examples and case studies to help the reader apply economic concepts to business and societal problems. I still remember using an earlier edition of this text when I was an undergraduate student a number of years ago. I found it meaningful and practical then , and I find it quite valuable now as a teacher. Some things never change!

I would higly recommend this text to students taking their introductory courses in economics. The material presented is quite relevant to the development of an understanding and appreciation of how humans and society satisfy their unilimited wants and needs given scarce resources and limited choices. I like to refer to it as "the philosophy of life." It never put me to sleep!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not too cute, May 25, 2006

By 

Karl Miran - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Economics: Principles, Problems, and Policies (Paperback)

Having taught Economic Theory in both college and HS settings since 1980, I feel confident that this text is the most useful in introducing students to this discipline. Straightforward where it can be, but acknowledging the complexities that do exist in the study of economics, the authors provide a meaty text that serves as a great companion to a knowledgeable teacher. The teacher's own style and emphases can be integrated with the material that McConnell and Brue explore.