Economics is too important to be left to the economists.
Jim Stanford’s Economics for Everyone has quickly become a standard reference for economics literacy and popular education. Now published in 6 languages, the book is used in higher education, trade unions, and community education initiatives around the world. This new second edition has been completely revised and updated, with new statistics, cartoons, and anecdotes. The book also includes several all-new chapters – on inequality, on racism and discrimination, and on the lasting consequences of the 2008-09 global financial crisis.
Economics for Everyone is an antidote to the confusing and ideological way that economics is normally taught and reported. Stanford argues that economics is usually presented in a needlessly abstract and technical manner, but in reality anyone who works and struggles to balance their chequebook is an expert on the “economics of everyday life.” Chapters explain the basic working of the capitalist economy, later adding more complete descriptions of the financial industry, the natural environment, government, and globalization. The book concludes with a thorough evaluation and critique of existing capitalism, and presents ideas for changing it.
This concise and readable book provides non-specialist readers with all the information they need to understand how capitalism works (and how it doesn’t). The book will appeal to those working for a fairer world, and students of social sciences who need to engage with economics. It is written by Jim Stanford, one of Canada’s best-known economists, and illustrated with humorous and educational cartoons by Tony Biddle.
Read more about the book, its author and its illustrator.
Economics for Everyone is also supported with a comprehensive set of web-based course materials for popular economics courses, which you can find here.
On this site you will find:
Excerpts from the new edition of the book;
Companion instructional materials, including a course outline, sample lecture slides and exercises;
“How to” guides that will help you locate, understand, and analyze data on various aspects of the capitalist economy;
An online glossary of terms and concepts used in the book;
A list of progressive economics organizations, networks, and websites;
A list of films and other AV resources that can be shown in conjunction with the economics courses; and