TOP 5 Books Every Aspiring Economist MUST READ
A friend of mine has recently asked me to suggest a few books he should read to learn more about the economy. I am not happy with the answer I’ve given. The books that I’ve recommended to him are great, don’t get me wrong, they describe the economic processes in a way that is easy to digest. However, I think that the best way to understand economics is to read the landmark works that have been shaping this wonderfully sophisticated social science over time.
Here are the five books that are essential for every aspiring economist (used broadly) to read.
- Wealth of Nations (Adam Smith)
This book, published in 1776, lays out the basic tenets of the economic regime that you and I are most likely living in. Adam Smith is a famous proponent of the free markets, where individual self interest and freedom of exchange of goods and services are driving the economic machine. What is often overlooked is how well-written this books is. It’s absolutely readable, even though it’s >200 years old.
2. Capital (Karl Marx)
Das Kapital. Karl Marx. I associate this book and the author’s name with the horrific decades of suffering of my homeland, Ukraine, under the Soviet regime. As the inspiration for communist revolutions around the globe, Capital looks at the economy through the prism…