How Economics Explains the World

Outline

How Economics Explains the World (2024) uses economics to tell the story of human history, from the first farmers and early trade to the industrial revolution and the modern global economy. Andrew Leigh shows how ideas such as incentives, specialisation, and innovation help explain why some societies grew rich and others did not. The book is a short, lively introduction to economic history.

• Economics can be used to tell the story of human history, from the first farmers to today's global economy.
• Incentives, specialisation and innovation are the core ideas Andrew Leigh uses to explain how societies change over time.
• The same economic ideas help explain why some societies grew rich while others did not.
• Early trade, the move to farming and the industrial revolution are key stages in the economic story the book follows.

Andrew Leigh is an Australian economist, author, and politician who has served as a member of the Australian Parliament and as a government minister. Before entering politics, he was a professor of economics at the Australian National University. His books include Randomistas, How Economics Explains the World, and The Shortest History of Economics.