How Economics Explains the World: A Short History of Humanity: A Brief and Powerful Economic History with Timeless Lessons, Learn How Markets Mold Society

In How Economics Explains the World, Harvard-trained economist Andrew Leigh examines human history through the lens of microeconomics and macroeconomics. Spanning from the dawn of agriculture to artificial intelligence, the book explores how ingenuity, greed, and the desire for betterment have shaped our past, present, and future. The work covers the development of capitalism and the modern market system, traces key figures in economic thought, and demonstrates how economic forces have influenced world history. It addresses specific historical questions: Why didn't Africa colonize Europe? What were the effects of trade and immigration barriers in the 1930s? Why did the Allies win World War II? Why did inequality decline in many advanced countries during the 1950s and 1960s? How did property rights drive China's growth in the 1980s? How does climate change affect future prosperity? The book presents fundamental economic concepts and frameworks—including supply and demand, market failures, and their applications to trade and climate change—while introducing major economic thinkers from Adam Smith to John Maynard Keynes. All of this is accomplished in under 200 pages using clear, accessible language.