The Economists’ Voice: Top Economists Take On Today's Problems

by Joseph E. Stiglitz (Editor), Aaron Edlin (Editor), J. Bradford DeLong (Editor)

In this valuable resource, more than thirty of the world's top economists offer innovative policy ideas and insightful commentary on our most pressing economic issues, such as global warming, the global economy, government spending, Social Security, tax reform, real estate, and political and social policy, including an extensive look at the economics of capital punishment, welfare reform, and the recent presidential elections.

Contributors are Nobel Prize winners, former presidential advisers, well-respected columnists, academics, and practitioners from across the political spectrum. Joseph E. Stiglitz takes a hard look at the high cost of the Iraq War; Nobel Laureates Kenneth Arrow, Thomas Schelling, and Stiglitz provide insight and advice on global warming; Paul Krugman demystifies Social Security; Bradford DeLong presents divergent views on the coming dollar crisis; Diana Farrell reconsiders the impact of U.S. offshoring; Michael J. Boskin distinguishes what is "sense" and what is "nonsense" in discussions of federal deficits and debt; and Ronald I. McKinnon points out the consequences of the deindustrialization of America.

Additional essays question whether welfare reform was successful and explore the economic consequences of global warming and the rebuilding of New Orleans. They describe how a simple switch in auto insurance policy could benefit the environment; unravel the dangers of an unchecked housing bubble; and investigate the mishandling of the lending institutions Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. Balancing empirical data with economic theory, The Economists' Voice proves that the unique perspective of the economist is a vital one for understanding today's world.

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Genres: Economics, Nonfiction

328 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

Joseph Eugene Stiglitz, ForMemRS, FBA, is an American economist and a professor at Columbia University. He is a recipient of the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences (2001) and the John Bates Clark Medal (1979). He is also the former Senior Vice President and Chief Economist of the World Bank. He is known for his critical view of the management of globalization, free-market economists (whom he calls "free market fundamentalists") and some international institutions like the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.

In 2000, Stiglitz founded the Initiative for Policy Dialogue (IPD), a think tank on international development based at Columbia University. Since 2001, he has been a member of the Columbia faculty, and has held the rank of University Professor since 2003. He also chairs the University of Manchester's Brooks World Poverty Institute and is a member of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences. Professor Stiglitz is also an honorary professor at Tsinghua University School of Public Policy and Management. Stiglitz is one of the most frequently cited economists in the world.

Reviews

[Marc · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since this book is now 10 years old, and the topics are largely contemporary, there are some really interesting "blasts from the past", as well as a bit of fun hindsight that a reader can lend.

There are essays on the Bush/Kerry election + positions, Iraq War Part II, the real estate bubble, social security privatization, etc. The essays are "accessibly academic", although still a bit dry. I think the sections on social security and tax reform stand out as the most interesting.

There is also a kind of hilarious back-and-forth essay battle on the deterrence effect of the death penalty.

I'm looking forward to reading the new version that recently came out with new essays.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm really enjoying this book as a way to educate myself on the primary "issues" of the day. I appreciate that the book generally gives views on both sides of issues coverered and the arguments presented are based on data and thoughtfully constructed.

[Robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

Considering the top names involved in this compilation, it was surprisingly disappointing. The chapters said very little and had no depth to them. There was only about 3 chapters that I would recommend, the rest was only average.

[Mckinley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short informative essays.