Customer Reviews

The Fortune Encyclopedia of Economics

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It's too bad that this excellent resource is out of print. I bought my copy when it was first published in the early '90s and have consulted it regularly ever since. Each article is clearly written and is nicely balanced -- neither too advanced nor vacuous. Editor David Henderson deserves loud applause for assembling such a stellar collection of essays.

This encylopedia is fantastic!!!!! The authors write clearly and sensibly. I find it to be an extremely useful and convenient reference source. Armen Alchian's essay on property rights is particularly fine. I hope it is back in print soon.

It's too bad that this excellent resource is out of print. I bought my copy when it was first published in the early '90s and have consulted it regularly ever since. Each article is clearly written and is nicely balanced -- neither too advanced nor vacuous. Editor David Henderson deserves loud applause for assembling such a stellar collection of essays.

Actually I am not surprised to see that this so called encyclopedia is out of print. This is an extremely right wing take on most economic theories. Its views on private property and it defense of capitalism and poverty are quite laughable. The book contains articles from economists both right and left but maybe that it a part of the problem. The issue each is allowed to speak on is probably the crux of the matter. The leftys were obviously set up to give this tome some credibility.

The chapter on Milton Friedman is clearly written by a supporter while the chapter on Galbraith is written by a critic and detractor. In today's world much of Friedman has been proved wrong and Galbraith borders on genius. Many of the articles speak with the voice of authority - as much as to say; This is the correct path and this is incorrect. And very often the author is speaking authoritatively for the incorrect side of the issue - at least according to my economic principles and the economists whom I have read. There are different schools in economics and they clearly don't agree. Any encyclopedia should take this factor into account. This volume does a very inadequate job. It was published in 1993. It even has a chapter on Reaganomics - as if there were really such a thing.

From what we all have seen in our present economic world all economists should be advancing their theories with humility. An "encyclopedia" I would expect to be more objective and present opposing theories to even popular theories. This book has "right" stamped all over it. If this were your only guide to economic thought your education would be severely deficient. By the time I finish almost any article in this volume I'm screaming and running to other sources. This is a poor book in my opinion.

I am so glad I bought this book for 50 cents at a yard sale. If I had paid 18 dollars for it I would be screaming. I am going to put my copy up for sale on Market Place and use the money I get to by a real economics encyclopedia - if there is such a thing.

Richard Edward Noble - The Hobo Philosopher - Author of:

"America on Strike" American Labor - History

This book is perfect for anyone age 14 and up trying to understand economics.Too many economics books muddy up the waters with dry bones statistics and other irrelevancies.This book presents the Big Picture of what REALLY matters...money flows,monetary policy,interest rates,wealth confiscation by inflation,free trade,right of contract,riskless society, etc..all of it in short little,to the point essays..like bullet point articles,explaining everything in language designed to impart knowledge..not to impress the reader with how smart the writer thinks he is.No wonder that Book Whatever in the review took issue with it's exposing of the failures of Marxism..they don't like to be reminded of them and of the misery their policies have perpetuated on mankind.