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What We Owe Each Other

A New Social Contract
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( 1,126 ratings, 145 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
In What We Owe Each Other by Minouche Shafik, the author explores the concept of the social contract, examining how it has evolved and proposing a new framework suited to contemporary society. Shafik delves into the obligations we have to one another, focusing on areas such as education, healthcare, and the environment, and suggests ways to create a fairer, more compassionate world.
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you are interested in exploring the role of social contracts in modern society and how we can create fairer, more compassionate communities. It offers insights into economic and social policies that benefit everyone, making it a thought-provoking read for those who care about societal well-being and mutual responsibility.

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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

A transformative new way of tackling the current divisions and future challenges that societies the world over now face from the Director of the LSE.

Longlisted for the 2021 FT / McKinsey Business Book of the Year Award

One of the world's most influential economists sets out the basis for a new social contract fit for the 21st century.

What We Owe Each Other by Minouche Shafik poses critical questions: What does society owe each of us? And what do we owe in return?

Our answer to these inescapable questions—known as the social contract—shapes our politics, economic systems, and every stage of life, from raising children and going to school to finding work and growing old. Yet today, many believe that this contract is not working for them.

Economist Minouche Shafik examines societies across the world and demonstrates that the urgent challenges of technology, demography, and climate require a major shift in priorities. This vision-changing book shows us the way to a new model that provides mutual security and opportunity—a social contract fit for the twenty-first century.

'Excellent... Shafik points us toward... a hopeful framework for social, economic and political renewal' - Michael J. Sandel

'Intelligent and lucid' - Martin Wolf, Financial Times

'A powerful and persuasive moral argument... rigorous and specific enough to help readers think practically about the policies needed' - Melinda Gates

'A necessary contribution at a turning-point in history... A must-read' - Ursula von der Leyen

A Prospect Magazine Best Book of 2021

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

What We Owe Each Other by Minouche Shafik is praised for its persuasive diagnosis of current societal issues, with ample policy suggestions and a wide-ranging, impressive scope. It eloquently argues for a new social contract focused on security, capability investment, and fair risk sharing. The book is lauded for its thoughtful content and illuminating exploration of societal interdependence.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781529112795

Publisher: Vintage Publishing

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 03 March 2022

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Vintage

Audience: General / adult, Tertiary education, Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 18.0mm

Width: 130.0mm

Height: 196.0mm

Weight: 180g

Pages: 256

About the Author

Nemat (Minouche) Shafik is the Director of the London School of Economics and Political Science. Born in Egypt, she emigrated as a child to the USA, later moving to the UK for post-graduate studies in economics. At 36, she became the youngest ever Vice President of the World Bank and has since held positions as Permanent Secretary of the UK's Department for International Development, Deputy Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund and as Deputy Governor of the Bank of England. In these roles she has worked on major policy upheavals across the globe, from the fall of the Berlin Wall, to the Arab Spring, to the financial crash in 2008 and the Eurozone crisis. Following her appointment as Director of the LSE in 2017, she launched a programme of research, 'Beveridge 2.0', to rethink the welfare state for the 21st century. She was made a Dame in the Queen's Birthday Honours list in 2015 and in 2020 was appointed a cross-bench peer in the House of Lords.

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