{"product_id":"free-lunch-thinking-how-economists-ruin-the-economy-9781847942753","title":"Free Lunch Thinking: How Economists Ruin the Economy","description":"\u003cb\u003eWhy most economic assumptions made by governments are wrong\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Economic theories and models shape our everyday lives. They are relied on by politicians when tax rises or cuts are being considered. They inform debates about everything from bonuses for CEOs to minimum wage rates to the level of job protection enshrined in law. They determine what levels of tobacco or gas taxes are charged, and influence government approaches to issues as diverse as obesity and climate change. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e The question is: are policy makers right to be so slavishly reliant on them? Tom Bergin is skeptical, and in \u003ci\u003eFree Lunch Thinking\u003c\/i\u003e he subjects eight of the most prevalent economic mantras to close scrutiny, assessing how they play out in practice. Again and again, he shows how individuals, companies and markets fail to respond to policy changes as theory predicts. He exposes the missed opportunities and wasted resources that result. And by tracing the development of key economic tenets, he demonstrates how their champions' tendency to believe in phenomena for which they have little hard evidence leaves accepted economic wisdom frequently being more about faith than facts. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003eHis book both exposes and challenges lazy thinking. It also sets out a path for more considered future.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Penguin Group\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 10\/01\/2022\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9781847942753\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 320\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.81lbs","brand":"Tom Bergin","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42325200896181,"sku":"9781847942753","price":16.96,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0473\/0804\/6492\/products\/img_c179be81-6bfd-40f2-b00f-533ecb14b040.jpg?v=1660017430","url":"https:\/\/pastforward.org\/products\/free-lunch-thinking-how-economists-ruin-the-economy-9781847942753","provider":"Past Forward","version":"1.0","type":"link"}