First published 2010
Public policy emerges from the tension between market forces and government action. Charles Wheelan builds his analysis on economic fundamentals to examine when markets serve society well and when they fail. His framework demonstrates that private markets often deliver optimal outcomes for the most people. Government steps in only when markets cannot achieve this result. Wheelan draws from his background as author of Naked Economics to make complex policy questions accessible. The book establishes economics as the lens through which to evaluate policy choices. Students gain tools to assess whether proposed interventions will improve or worsen social outcomes. This approach cuts through political rhetoric to focus on measurable effects and tradeoffs in policy design.
Genres: political-science, economics, non-fiction, government, public-policy, academic
Vibes: thought-provoking
Tropes: academic
582 pages · Hardcover · W W Norton & Co Inc