Book Description
This book provides the first clear, comprehensive, and accessible account of complex adaptive social systems, by two of the field's leading authorities. Such systems--whether political parties, stock markets, or ant colonies--present some of the most intriguing theoretical and practical challenges confronting the social sciences. Engagingly written, and balancing technical detail with intuitive explanations, Complex Adaptive Systems focuses on the key tools and ideas that have emerged in the field since the mid-1990s, as well as the techniques needed to investigate such systems. It provides a detailed introduction to concepts such as emergence, self-organized criticality, automata, networks, diversity, adaptation, and feedback. It also demonstrates how complex adaptive systems can be explored using methods ranging from mathematics to computational models of adaptive agents.
John Miller and Scott Page show how to combine ideas from economics, political science, biology, physics, and computer science to illuminate topics in organization, adaptation, decentralization, and robustness. They also demonstrate how the usual extremes used in modeling can be fruitfully transcended.
Customer Reviews:
Annie Wu -- Book #1.......2007-08-10
I am a purchasing agent who buys books for my faculty, and as far as I know, this faculty member is very impressed with this particular book.
The Emergence of Convergence .......2007-08-04
At the time of writing this review, this book isn't searchable through Amazon, that's too bad because if you're reading the reviews wondering if it's worth buying, just browsing through any page from the intro or appendix B would clearly resolve any remnant hesitation. This book is a must have for anyone even remotely interested in complex adaptive systems. Scott Page and John Miller dress the landscape and state of the art of computational social science, the issues are motivated from the ground up and the existing approaches to resolve them explicitly detailed, yet using clear and jargon free language. For example, descriptions of the many concepts repeatedly used in the scientific method (of CAS et al) such as ergodicity or optimization theory are refreshing and insightful, simply stuff you don't get from textbooks, but rather that one would learn over years of experience doing.
In summary, the authors are handing us an expert summary of literature and developments of a complex field in a concise, fun and delightful read, it would be a shame to miss it.
Average customer rating:
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The Gaming Industry: Introduction and Perspectives
Univ. of Nevada, Las Vegas, William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration International Gaming Institute
Manufacturer: Wiley
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Casino Operations Management
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Casino Accounting and Financial Management
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Casino Dictionary: Gaming and Business Terms
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Introduction to Casino and Gaming Operations (2nd Edition)
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Casino Surveillance and Security: 150 Things You Should Know
ASIN: 0471129275 |
Book Description
An authoritative introduction to the world of professional gaming and casino management, from the authorities on the subject, the faculty of the UNLV International Gaming Institute: Vincent H. Eade, Director David J. Christianson, Dean William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration
Contributing faculty members: Frank D. Borsenik Leslie E. Cummings Robert J. Martin John T. Bowen Bernhardt Fried Andrew Nazarechuk Pearl Brewer Zheng Gu John M. Stefanelli Anthony N. Cabot Jim Kilby
This is the book for anyone interested in pursuing or advancing a career in the gaming or casino industry, the ideal reference for hospitality students as well as professionals. Completely up-to-date and reflecting current academic and technological trends in the field, as well as the legislative developments permitting gambling casinos in almost every state, The Gaming Industry:
- Covers the historical background and regulatory aspects of gaming
- Explores all facets of casino operations—from food and beverages to cage operations, auditing, marketing, and reporting
- Examines the mathematics and utility analysis of gaming, including all newly introduced technologies and related practices for gaming and casino operations
- And much more...
Customer Reviews:
Fantastic Book.......2005-06-14
I read this book, along with "Casino Operations Management" by Kilby, Fox, and Lucas. Both books were EXTREMELY helpful. They both start by assuming you know nothing about the gaming industry. They then show you the history and the evolution of the industry and then take you under the covers to show you the hows and whys of casino management and its decisions. I would HIGHLY recommend both books to anyone looking to gain insight into this fascinating industry.
Book Description
At the time of his death in 1950, Joseph Schumpeter--one of the great economists of the first half of the 20th century--was working on his monumental History of Economic Analysis. A complete history of efforts to understand the subject of economics from ancient Greece to the present, this book is an important contribution to the history of ideas as well as to economics. Although never fully completed, it has gained recognition as a modern classic due to its broad scope and original examination of significant historical events. Complete with a new introduction by Mark Perlman, who outlines the structure of the book and puts Schumpeters work into current perspective, History of Economic Analysis remains a reflection of Schumpeters diverse interests in history, philosophy, sociology, and psychology. Major topics include the techniques of economic analysis, contemporaneous developments in other sciences, and the sociology of economics; economic writings from Plato and Aristotle up through the time of Adam Smith, including the medieval scholastics and natural-law philosophers; the work of Malthus, Mill, Ricardo, Marx, and the important European economists; the history, sociology, psychology, and economics of the period 1879-1914; and modern economic developments. Schumpeter perceived economics as a human science, and this lucid and insightful volume reflects that perception, creating a work that is of major importance to the history of economics.
Customer Reviews:
Economics for adults.......2004-07-05
This book is one of the greats. Written by a master of economic theory, it reflects his learning and insight. But have no mistake, Schumpeter expects you to meet him half-way, so if you like to be spoon-fed and prefer pictures to words, this is not the book for you. The book needs to be read together with the original material: Schumpeter is not a substitute for, but a guide to the material he writes about. To criticise this book for not being light reading is simply to misunderstand this: to understand important thoughts requires some thinking and if you are not prepared to do the work, you shouldn't fool with this book. While Blaug's book is a decent solid survey, the only work which begins to rival Schumpeter's in erudition and incisiveness is Marx's Theories of Surplus-Value, which covers a narrower period. If you respect this book and *really* study it, the effort repays handsomely. Enjoy!
The beginnings of economic concepts in full detail.......2003-11-11
The objective of Schumpeter, one of the greatest economists of all times, is to portray in a very comprehensive detail, all the philosophical thinking that conduced to contemporary Economic Analisys, since the beginning of the ancient greek thought.
To me, that had a very great misconception about the works of Joseph Alois Schumpeter, this book was a revelation, be it for the immensity of his erudiction both as an historian, philosopher and economist, be it for the ingenuity in which he presents many new ideas and perspectives regarding economic analisys.
He is sometimes difficult to follow, not helped by the many and extensive footnotes he appends the book with, and by the many quotations he does in foreign languages, which he usually do not translate, be it in ancient Greek, Latin , French or German. Also , the book was unfinished in his lifetime and had to be edited by his wife, who was also deceased before the full completion of the giantic task. Even so, the book has some 1.300 pages and covers the full range of all the relevant economic thougth until the time of its publication.
A warning sign of caution must be addressed to the non-professional readers not not fully interested in the magnitude of such a scope, that is, of addressing the formative ideas of each and every important concept in economic analisys in a so complete way. This can be an overkill for you. But if you are interested in Medieval thought, the concepts exposed by , for instance, Saint Thomas and many others, this is a very good reading. Enjoy it
Complex and Sophisticated History of Economic Theory.......2000-11-18
The legendary History of Economic Analysis is without a doubt one of the greatest books of economic history ever written, but one should examine what kind of reading they're looking for before he or she embarks on this thousand page text. Schumpeter's unfinished history is divided into sections by ideology and time-period which is particularly useful but once you penetrate the well-organized table of contents, the writing becomes arcane and complex.
For a reader well-grounded in economic theory and history, I am sure that this is a bible; but for a curious reader interested in the history of economics (in a more political as opposed to theoretical perspective) this book may not be right. Highly footnoted and not very smooth writing, as well as obscure references to economists and theories results in a history that is very demanding of the reader. If you are looking for an economic history text that reads like From Dawn to Decadence you may be seriously disappointed, as I had been, but if you are a serious student of economics and are willing to spend the time to deliberate over Schumpeter's words then History of Economic Analysis is right for you.
THE masterpiece in history of economic thought.......2000-04-20
After the considerable success of his then only in germanpublished Little Sketch of Doctrines and Methods, and while he wasteaching at Harvard, Schumpeter started working on a book wich would cover the ground of Little Sketch an beyond. What began just as leisure would become THE masterpiece in History of Economic Thought. Schumpeter spent ten years in this colossal effort and unfortunately did not finish it before his death. Nevertheless, nowhere else you will find a book more powerful and more profound on this theme. By History of Economic Analysis Schumpeter means the history of efforts made in the pursuit of comprehending economic phenomena, from Antiquity to present; not a book on history of ideologies. Schumpeter places the authors in their times and contexts, and tries to understand how they proceeded in analysing economic reality. A must for anyone interested in economic theory, history and philosophy.
Amazon.com
Over 150 years ago, Scottish essayist Thomas Carlyle dubbed economics the "dismal science." But it certainly doesn't seem that way in the skillful hands of Todd G. Buchholz, author of New Ideas from Dead Economists. In this revised edition of a book first published in 1989, economics is accessible, relevant, and fascinating. It's even fun--for example, when he uses the cast of Gilligan's Island and Henny Youngman jokes to explain complex economic theories. "Why not have the last laugh on Carlyle by using the dead economists themselves to reverse their bad reputations and to teach the lessons they left to us?"
Buchholz surveys and critiques economic thought from Adam Smith's invisible hand of the 18th century to the depression-fighting ideas of the Keynesians and money-supply concepts of the 20th-century monetarists. He also relates classic economic principles to such modern-day events as the fall of communism, the Asian financial meltdown, and global warming. Buchholz includes plenty of anecdotes about the lives of the great economists: Karl Marx, for instance, was an unkempt slob; David Ricardo, the early-19th-century English politician and economist, was among the rare economists to get rich trading stocks; and Maynard Keynes was so homely his friends called him "Snout." Here's a lively and authoritative read for those interested in the past, present, and future of economics. --Dan Ring
Book Description
Featuring brand new sections on the remarkable shifts in the world economy, this economic study is a relevant, entertaining, and fascinating guide for those seeking both a solid lesson on the development of economic theory throughout the past two hundred years and a balanced perspective of our current economic state on the brink of the millennium. By applying age-old economic theories to contemporary issues, Todd Buchholz helps readers to see how the thoughts and writings of the great economists of the past have vital relevance to the dilemmas affecting all our lives today.
Customer Reviews:
Much humor from a "dismal scientist".......2007-08-26
Luckily, economics got that "dismal science" label a long time ago, because this book is quite the opposite. Written in both lively style and learned content, the reader will want to go through each chapter wondering "who's next on the chopping block?" And who would have expected to find this gem in a normally dry-sounding field (economics), or a self-serving field (biography). Lest anyone be turned off by the relatively un-recent publication date (1989), the author has updates covering fairly recent events.
This book adds a nice thought just by itself: humor and economists. Marx and laughter. Adam Smith and mirth, etcetera. The story covers the really big names in the field in chronological order, and you just know that each personality coming up will get the same fair treatment: a description of the old economists' philosophies and systems, the good parts, the bad parts, the dumb parts, and what they said about each other. At the end, just as we figure out what the author REALLY thinks is the best economic structure, we find the answer is more along the line, "it depends." How can you not like a work like this!
Dead economists. Some books are not that good, but have a great title (e.g., "Blink" or "Feel the Fear but Do It Anyway"). Many, many are the other way around, such as "Rise & Fall of the Roman Empire." "Dead Economists" is both. Do read it.
Best book on economics I've ever read.......2007-05-21
I try to buy all of my books on Amazon due to the low prices, but this is one book that I picked up at a local chain and just couldn't put down. All of the truly great economic thinkers are profiled in depth here; their lives and their ideas. The interesting thing is that the ideas of Adam Smith, David Ricardo, and John Stuart Mill are timeless - they still pan out to this day - whereas the "ideas" of moribund "thinkers" like the cultists von Mises, Rand, and Rothbard were outdated before they were conceived. But it's not just classical economists who are profiled here - Malthus, Keynes, and even Marx are given a fair shake - and to be truthful, each and every one of them (Marx included) has an interesting perspective that you will be smarter for having considered (and in his case, hopefully rejected). All in all, I highly recommend this book for anyone who believes in true capitalism, not the anarchist utopianism of the Libertarian Party or the corporate cronyism of the modern GOP. The new mantra should be, "What would Adam Smith do?"
A Mixed Bag.......2006-12-06
This books generally delivers what it promises, a review of major thoughts from economists evaluated (somewhat) in a modern context. If that's what you are looking for, it's probably worth reading. However I had three problems with the book. First, he says some incredibly, bizarrely wrong things (quantum mechanics is not a hard science, the internet was invented by private industry, California may float away into the ocean). Even though they are topics outside of economics, they made me generally suspicious of his knowledge. Second, from some of his comments it is clear his writing has a political/philosophical bias but he never comes out and states what it is. Since I'm not an economist (after all, that's why I'm reading this book), it seems impossible to figure out what his bias is and how to correct for it. Third, perhaps a minor point, but he keeps drifting slightly off-topic in order to include a cute saying or clever remark. I mostly found this annoying, but other readers might find it helps keep the book light and fun.
Great Title -- Trivial Contents.......2006-11-23
When I first saw this book, I thought this sounds really interesting. It is, if you like to read trivia about economists, most of whom are dead. There are loose connections made to miscellaneous events in modern times, but the bulk of the book combines jokes that have been around for decades (as dead as the economists) with mini-biographies more suited to a fan magazine, focusing on John Stuart Mill's dysfunctional childhood, John Maynard Keynes' marriage to a ballerina, John Kenneth Galbraith's height, Thorstein Veblen's odd mode of dress and his lecture on cannibalism, and similar delicacies.
My impression is that the author found no use for this information when he was studying economics, but hated to throw out his boxes of notes. So he came up with a great, if dishonest, title and packaged the miscellany for sale. If you have no real interest in economics, but love gossip columns and want to sound like you know something about famous economists, this is the book for you.
A pretty good introduction to economic theory.......2006-09-15
This book would make an excellent pre-100 level textbook for students interested in economics. Buchholz covers all major economic theories and their proponents from Adam Smith's Invisible Hand to the most currently vocal Rational Expectations theory. The detail never gets so deep as to actually present charts and diagrams, but is solid enough that the reader comes away with a general understanding of each theory.
The book suffers a little in the beginning as Buchholz seems uncomfortable simply presenting the dry facts and ends up regaling the reader with anecdotes and economist in-jokes that may play in the classroom but fall flat in textual form.
Buchholz really hits his stride when he starts talking about Keynes, though. Perhaps it is the benefit of having multiple economic theories at odds with each other by the early 20th century that make writing about it so easy. Whatever the case, his coverage from Keynes to the modern day is exceptionally well done. Focusing less on the character of the men and more on the value of their theories, Buchholz clearly describes Keynesian, Monetary, and Rational economic theories. He proceeds to play them off each other to the delight of the reader. Where the first part of the book failed to be dynamic, the latter half is exceedingly entertaining and informative.
The problem is that I'm not interested to know that Smith was a klutz or that Malthus was well-polished. Those things are only used by Buchholz to bring life to these dead economists. He could have brought them more to life with more focus on what keeps them alive than the things buried with them.
I recommend this book to anyone with an interest in getting an overview of economic thought. It will introduce you to just about all the important economic theories that have made an impact as well as the latest 'cutting edge' theories that present alternatives to the existing body of work. I hope to find a book that can replicate Buchholz's success with the modern era theories for those economists that I feel he short-shrifted in this one.
Book Description
This book introduces students to new ways of thinking about culture and development. The book integrates the recent scholarship in the area of cultural studies within the existing frameworks of development studies, which have primarily focused on issues of political economy and structural transformation. Rather than viewing culture as simply an attribute of the societies undergoing development, this text critically examines how development itself operates as a cultural process. The authors draw on theories of modernity, poststructuralism and post-colonial studies to show how development institutions, processes and practices are inevitably caught up in a web of cultural presuppositions, values and meanings.The authors use the themes of gender, tradition and identity, human rights and new communication technologies to explore the challenges that processes of cultural change pose to conventional understandings of development. The book concludes by considering the move beyond development to a post-development paradigm.The book is made up of thematic chapters which include outlines and overviews of the specific topics, as well as case studies to illustrate the issues. The authors have designed the book specifically for students and teachers and the material included has been class-tested during their own teaching.
Book Description
This is an examples-driven treatment of introductory economic dynamics for students with a basic familiarity of spreadsheets. Shone approaches the subject with the belief that true understanding of a subject can only be achieved by students themselves setting out a problem and manipulating it experimentally. Although all economics students now have access to spreadsheets, they are often used for little more than graphing economic data. This book encourages students to go several stages further and set up and investigate simple dynamic models. A web-site for students and instructors is included that contains an additional 100 questions for students and 100 for instructors.
Download Description
An examples-driven treatment of introductory economic dynamics for students with a basic familiarity with spreadsheets. Shone approaches the subject with the belief that true understanding of a subject can only be achieved by students themselves setting out a problem and manipulating it experimentally. Although all economics students now have access to spreadsheets, they are often used for little more than graphing economic data. This book encourages students to go several stages further and set up and investigate simple dynamic models. The book presents the essentials of macro and micro economic dynamics, including: demand and supply dynamics, Keynesian dynamics, IS-LM, Inflation-unemployment, dynamics of the firm, rational expectations and saddle points, fiscal dynamics and the Maastricht Treaty and Chaos theory. The Book contains 50 exercises. The support website contains an additional 100 questions for students and 100 for lecturers. Visit www.cambridge.org/resources/economics
Book Description
Economics has the capacity to offer us deep insights into some of the most formidable problems of life, and offer solutions to them too. Combining a global approach with examples from everyday life, Partha Dasgupta describes the lives of two children who live very different lives in different parts of the world: in the Mid-West USA and in Ethiopia. He compares the obstacles facing them, and the processes that shape their lives, their families, and their futures. He shows how economics uncovers these processes, finds explanations for them, and how it forms policies and solutions. Along the way, Dasgupta provides an intelligent and accessible introduction to key economic factors and concepts such as individual choices, national policies, efficiency, equity, development, sustainability, dynamic equilibrium, property rights, markets, and public goods.
Customer Reviews:
Very disappointing.......2007-09-25
If you're looking for a VSI to Econ 101 and 102, skip this book. The treatment of microeconomic basics consists of exactly 14 pages. Macroeconomic theory gets a whopping 4 pages. The rest consists mainly of a political tract on wealth and poverty. It's the first VSI whose title amounts to a misrepresentation.
A short but ethical introduction to economics.......2007-07-23
Partha Dasgupta writes in his Preface of A Very Short Introduction: "... in one way or another we are all economists. ... As economics matters to us, we also have views on what should be done to put things right when we feel they are wrong. And we hold our views strongly because our ethics drive our politics and our politics inform our economics. .... I should ... offer an account of the reasoning we economists apply in order to understand the social world around us and then deploy that reasoning to some of the most urgent problems Humanity faces today." As it is fairly obvious from the quoted passage Partha Dasgupta is a concerned and ethical person; thus, he frames his discussions of many economic concepts, such as "grim strategy" (you come to know what strategy the overpaid executives of failing companies apply when planning to quit their positions) and "ideal market," with the life stories of his metaphorical grandchildren, Becky and Desta, representing the post-industrial developed society and the economically under-developed society respectively. Partha Dasgupta's narrative is at times dry - as one expects from a book of economics - but with the framing device of practical examples he added a breath of life to his exposition. I recommend this book to anybody who has always been interested in economics but has not had much time to read a lengthy book of economics.
Average customer rating:
- So what are you trying to say now?
- Not technical, not intuitive
- A wonderful text
- Read the fine print before you buy...
- Not for the Mathematically-Inclined
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An Introduction to Game Theory
Martin J. Osborne
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
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ASIN: 0195128958 |
Book Description
Game-theoretic reasoning pervades economic theory and is used widely in other social and behavioral sciences. An Introduction to Game Theory, by Martin J. Osborne, presents the main principles of game theory and shows how they can be used to understand economic, social, political, and biological phenomena. The book introduces in an accessible manner the main ideas behind the theory rather than their mathematical expression. All concepts are defined precisely, and logical reasoning is used throughout. The book requires an understanding of basic mathematics but assumes no specific knowledge of economics, political science, or other social or behavioral sciences. Coverage includes the fundamental concepts of strategic games, extensive games with perfect information, and coalitional games; the more advanced subjects of Bayesian games and extensive games with imperfect information; and the topics of repeated games, bargaining theory, evolutionary equilibrium, rationalizability, and maxminimization. The book offers a wide variety of illustrations from the social and behavioral sciences and more than 280 exercises. Each topic features examples that highlight theoretical points and illustrations that demonstrate how the theory may be used. Explaining the key concepts of game theory as simply as possible while maintaining complete precision, An Introduction to Game Theory is ideal for undergraduate and introductory graduate courses in game theory.
Customer Reviews:
So what are you trying to say now?.......2007-04-19
It is a totally disaster to buy a poor book such like this.
I am really frustrated to find out that the author can not make difference between a relation and a function, just in the chapter 2.
It is incredible it was published by Cambridge University Publishng.
I would rahter recommend "Game Theory" by Drew Fudenberg and Jean Tirole(MIT Press). It is much clear but lacking of various examples.
Even one star is exaggerated.
Not technical, not intuitive.......2006-11-27
As part of my M.Sc. in Operations Research and Decisions, I took two courses that are developed to teach the basics and slightly advanced concepts of Game Theory: 'Models of conflict' and 'Economic models of games with incomplete information'. Since I am highly interested in the subject, I decided to buy a book that summarizes the field in an intuitive (but not shallow) way. I left the mathematical theorems and proofs for the class. The professor that teaches both courses indicated this book to me and despite the high price I decided to buy it.
I believe that I did not receive what the book promised on its description. While the book does not intend to be a mathematics coursebook, it is not an intuitive overview as well. In the end, it got stuck in middle! The book reminds me of a quote by Laurence J. Peter: "Some problems are so complex that you have to be highly intelligent and well informed just to be undecided about them."
The book explains most of the theoretical concepts and gives very interesting historical information on Game Theory and its thinkers. However, it is surely TOO high-priced.
A wonderful text.......2006-10-19
Osborne has a few quirks, for example about the (m/f) personal pronoun and other matters. He also offers 2-page explanations of things that most writers can deal with in a paragraph (e.g. Prisoners' Dilemma, Battle of the Sexes, Boxed Pigs orChicken").
Nonetheless the whole approach of this book is beautiful and accurate.
Read the fine print before you buy..........2006-09-07
As a grad student preparing for his comprehensive exams, I searched long for an exemplary introduction to game theory. The descriptions of this book which I found on the web led me to believe Osborne's book was the one I needed. The book starts off promising enough. The preface exclaims that "the only way to appreciate the theory....is to put it into action" and that over 280 exercises will allow you to do this.
Then comes the part they don't tell you - those 280+ exercises have no solutions. They are not included in the text. Even after contacting the author he refused access to the solutions.
So what may have just been the best intro to game theory ever done is useless to a self-motivated learner. The only purpose I can see that it serves is as a required text book for a course.
Bottom line - unless you HAVE to have this for a class, don't waste your money. It will be very wisely spent elsewhere.
Not for the Mathematically-Inclined.......2006-07-31
I used Osborne's book for an introductory course on game theory I took as an undergraduate. While Osborne provides a great general overview of game theory, I find this book lacking in a number of respects.
First, theorems are presented in this book inuitively, as opposed to rigorously. Therefore, in place of using proofs to justify a theorem or a given result, many of the theorems are illustrated through words. This method, however, proves to be confusing at many points in the book.
In addition to this, the book is heavily invested in the use of examples to illustrate the numerous applications of particular theorems or results. While I generally applaud the extensive use of examples, this also proves to be very confusing at times since the logical steps Osborne seems to make are not always explicitly stated. This caused me some trouble in trying to solve several problems in the textbook. The one saving grace was that Osborne has posted several (though not all) solutions on his website.
This book does require knowledge of algebra and a little calculus. Some microeconomic theory wouldn't hurt, either--especially for the sections on Stackelburg and Cournot duopolies. Becuase most economics programs in the US stress mathematics, I would recommend an alternative textbook that is more rigorous. Principally, I used Roger Myerson's "Game Theory: Analysis of Conflict" to supplement the shortcomings of this book. Myerson's book is thoroughly rigorous and is, I believe, used as a graduate textbook for game theory in many departments. If, however, you are interested in a general overview of the field or do not feel comfortable with technical mathematics, I would definately recommend this book.
Book Description
What is capitalism? Is capitalism the same everywhere? Is there an alternative? The word 'capitalism' is one that is heard and used frequently, but what is capitalism really all about, and what does it mean? The book begins by addressing basic issues such as 'what is capital?' before discussing the history and development of capitalism through three detailed and absorbing case studies ranging from the tulipomania of seventeenth-century Holland to the recent Enron crisis in America. Fulcher addresses important present day issues, such as New Labour's relationship with capitalism, the significance of global capitalism, and distinctive national models of capitalism. He also explores whether capital has escaped the nation-state by going global, emphasizing that globalizing processes are not new. He discusses the crisis tendencies of capitalism, such as the Southeast Asian banking crisis, the collapse of the Russian economy, and the 1997- 1998 global financial crisis, and asks whether capitalism is doomed. The book ends by asking whether there is an alternative to capitalism, discussing socialism, communal and cooperative experiments, and the alternatives proposed by environmentalists.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent but omits ecological challenges.......2006-03-13
This was the first book I read in the "Very Short Introduction" series. I was surprised by how substantial it is. It also seems quite balanced. References, suggestions for further reading and a 5 page index are included.
My overall impression is how strong capitalism is world-wide. That supports Fulcher's conclusion that reform must take place within capitalism rather than seeking a replacement for capitalism. However, when Fulcher writes that a "search for an alternative to capitalism is fruitless ... and no final crisis is in sight, or, short of some ecological catastrope, even really conceivable", how improbable is that ecological catastrophe?
As the globe warms and the oceans die, will the rich hold out expecting to be able to use their wealth to make their lives bearable as the rest of us suffer? Just how will capitalism respond to a growing pressure for sustainability? By not exploring the ecological challenges to capitalism, Fulcher has indeed introduced capitalism but not addressed its fate and ours later in this century. Although this is a "very short introduction", Michael Newman's "Socialism: A Very Short Introduction" and Colin Ward's "Anarchism: A Very Short Introduction" do address the ecological issue. Even if socialism and anarchism seem improbable and reform is possible within capitalism, it would have been useful to hear Fulcher's impression of whether and how capitalism might address the challenge of ecological sustainability.
Thought Provoking.......2004-12-26
Teaching capitalism in today's world is like describing water to a fish; we are surrounded by it, can't live without it and are unaware of the alternatives. Most have never experienced the depression, many have forgotten the days when communism was actually a threat. We are blind to the absolutely crucial nature of how our world works. Although we watched the stock market plummet in 1987 and have all learned valuable lessons from the internet boom & bust, I picked up this book because I wanted to know a bit more about how the scholars view capitalism.
The book takes the reader through a history of capitalism while briefly summarizing everything you forgot from college economics. While the discussion of the development of capitalism focused on some interesting questions of historical interpretation, the strength of this work is the description and analysis of how the capitalistic system works differently in different countries.
The power of capitalism is set forth as its ability to adapt. Where other systems--feudalism, communism, socialism, etc--failed was that they could not adapt to change. The book was an excellent overview; it was current, easy to read, and contains a fine list of resources for further study.
Average customer rating:
- Excellent one volume intro to how all the issues connect.
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Global Issues: An Introduction
John L. Seitz
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Book Description
The new edition of this text has been fully updated throughout and features expanded sections on issues such as global warming, biotechnology, and energy.Global Issues is an introduction to the nature and background of some of the central issues - economic, social, political, environmental - of modern times. It will provide the basis for a stimulating course for beginning students in departments of geography, politics, sociology and environmental science. The book opens with an overview of the complex political, cultural and natural origins of world problems and of why some nations are rich and some are poor. The author then discusses in depth such issues as population growth, hunger, the extinction of species, global warming and climatic change, ozone depletion, energy conservation, deforestation, and the misuse of technology.The book covers a range of perspectives on a variety of societies, developed and developing. The author writes clearly, stressing the need, by argument and by exemplification, for informed, critical thinking. Students are shown both the decisions that have been made - and the resulting failures and successes - and the choices that must now be faced if crucial problems are to be solved.The book is extensively illustrated with diagrams and photographs, contains guides to further reading, media, and internet resources, and includes suggestions for discussion and studying the material.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent one volume intro to how all the issues connect........1999-05-04
I used this book as text for high school "Global Studies" courses, and thought it was terrific in its understandable but not watered down treatment of the big issues -- war, hunger, women's rights, population, environment, etc. Shows how these issues relate to each other. It was a stretch for 9th graders, but would be perfect for high school seniors or college intro.
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