Hard Heads, Soft Hearts: Tough-minded Economics For A Just Society [Paperback]

Alan S. Blinder (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 22, 1988

A hard-headed liberal economist, Alan Blinder clearly shows how economic policy is made in America and how good policies often make bad politics. He discusses liberal-conservative divisiveness and shows how it often prevents sound economic advice from being heeded. Blinder offers his own nonpartisan vision for the future of our economic society and challenges law-makers—Democrats and Republicans—to do better.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Princeton economist and Business Week columnist Blinder passes a farewell judgment on Reagan-era economics and offers other ideas. Among them: inflation is not all bad and unemployment may not be as "acceptable" as once thought. Economics under the current administration has been a "comic opera," claims the author, with Keynesian fine-tuning, be-all monetarism, "rational expectations" as a policy determinant, and supply-side "quackery" all backing and filling between academe and the White House. Blinder opposes trade protectionism, demonstrates how hard-headed yet soft-hearted 1986 tax reform came about and favors complex economics over elementary science by advocating cumulative and putatively irreversible industrial air and water pollution-for-a-fee.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

This sweeping and inspired treatise asks: How can our economic policies be efficient and yet shelter those members of society with the least lev-erage and resources? Blinder, a Princeton economist, says that economists are in agreement on what needs to be done in many policy areas. But economic policy is made by politicians, who "choose solutions they perceive to be politically correct." Blinder artfully lays out the conflict between economic goals and political desires and discusses protectionism, tax policy, unemployment, and environmental cleanup. A thoughtful, pragmatic, objective look at economic tradeoffs. Highly recommended for all business and economics collections. Gene R. Laczniak, Marquette Univ., Milwaukee
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Basic Books; 1st edition (January 22, 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0201145197
• ISBN-13: 978-0201145199
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #167,245 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My favorite book on economic policy, March 13, 1998

By 

Arnold Kling (Silver Spring, Md USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Hard Heads, Soft Hearts: Tough-minded Economics For A Just Society (Paperback)

If I were to teach an introductory economics course, this would be my first choice for a supplemental reading. Blinder does a terrific job of explaining the unique perspective that economists have on economic policy. I recommend this book frequently in conversations with people.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A good Keynesian analysis, May 20, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Hard Heads, Soft Hearts: Tough-minded Economics For A Just Society (Paperback)

Blinder renders a balanced analysis of governmental policy, criticizing Democrats and Republicans equally. I might even go as far as to say that he is objective. However, his policy prescriptions are very left-leaning. The reader will see clearly that Blinder makes many normative assumptions about the goal of policy and that those assumptions dictate unambiguously the liberal ends to which our resources and tax dollars should be directed. He gives a great explanation of how the deficit grew out of the Reagan administration's blunders, and I may even recommend this book for that alone. Overall, it is a good econ book for the initiated readers and everybody else, as it doesn't treat you like a dupe. Definitely preferable to The Armchair Economist, but you should balance your diet with a reading of Capitalism and Freedom. LEWIS GAINOR MIZZOU ECON

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great primer on economics, July 28, 2010

By 

R. Harris (Indianapolis, IN USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Hard Heads, Soft Hearts: Tough-minded Economics For A Just Society (Paperback)

Although it is out of print, it's well worth searching for a used copy, Although it is pretty dated in its discussion of tax reform, the rest of the book is a great introduction to economists' views on public policy for those who really don't want to read a lot of economic theory. The chapters on the environment and international trade are particularly good.