bevansadvocate.bsky.social
he/him | Australian economist living in Sydney |
Views expressed are my own | Posts about Econ and welfare states
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Note that a few of these are second hand recommendations (recommended by folks I respect) I haven't read them all
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10) Thinking Like An Economist - Elizabeth Popp Berman
The practice of cost benefit analysis is so normalised these days it can be hard to remember it's a fairly recent invention. Berman charts this evolution, as well as often forgotten arguments against this approach at the time
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9) The Unaccountability Machine- @dsquareddigest.bsky.social
An incredible new work examining how large systems can create perverse outcomes, for which no one individual is "responsible" for. Somehow makes cybernetics engaging and accessible
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8) Power and Progress - @dacemoglumit.bsky.social + Johnson
Technological development is not something separate to political and economic power, the two are intimately connected. This fascinating work investigates this throughout history.
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7) An Economist’s Lessons on Happiness - Richard Easterlin
Easterlin is best known for his claim that happiness at a national level does not increase with income over time (Easterlin Paradox). This is a great intro to his work. Controversial but definitely worth engaging with.
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6) The Economic Consequences of the US Mobilisation for the Second World War - Alexander J Field
A fantastic work reassessing the long run growth effects of WW2 on the USA. Interesting implications for growth theory and TFP calculation
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5) The Rise and Fall of American Growth - Robert J Gordon
Gordon's charting of American technological change puts current debates in perspective. Though some describe him as a "techno-pessmist", his pessimism largely due to knowing just how dramatic past changes were.
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4) The Entrepreneurial State - @mazzucatom.bsky.social
Mazzucato focuses on the role of the state driving technological change, rather than simply creating the conditions for private actors. The iPhone for instance used technologies developed by the state, such as GPS and touch screens.
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3) Innovation in Real Places - Dan Breznitz
This work attempts to correct for a bias in our thinking about innovation, that it is synonymous is new inventions or high tech. Rather, innovation occurs at every stage of the production process, not just in silicon valley.
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2) Fully Grown - Dietrich Vollrath
A terrific, and highly accessible account of the productivity slowdown. Argues the primary drivers are signs of economic 'success': aging population and shift to services. Brilliant intro to growth accounting.
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I love that
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Yep!
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endowments (namely, capital) are unequally distributed, particularly since it's this inequality that results in the creation of the labour market. In short, if endowments were different: "everything including the output mix and relative prices, would be different, too." 3/3
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Thus, "The resulting Production and market- determined prices are technical, not historical, categories." By contrast, for Marx "The laws of production and the laws of distribution are the same laws" it then makes no sense to focus on changes in income distribution when 2/3