Economics for the Common Good

Jean Tirole, Winner of the 2014 Nobel Prize in Economics
Selected for Bloomberg View's "Must-Reads of 2017: Monopolies, Sexism and Economics
One of Financial Times (FT.com) Best Books of 2017: Economics
Longlisted for the 2017 Financial Times and McKinsey Business Book of the Year Award
One of Bloomberg's Best Books of 2017
One of Choice Reviews' Outstanding Academic Titles of 2018
One of Project Syndicate's Best Reads in 2017 (chosen by J. Bradford DeLong)
Winner of the 2018 George S. Eccles Prize for Excellence in Economic Writing, Columbia Business School
One of the Microsoft Best Business Books of 2017
One of the Times Higher Education Books of the Year 2017, chosen by Sir Anton Muscatelli

From the Nobel Prize-winning economist, a bold new agenda for the role of economics in society.

When Jean Tirole won the Nobel Prize in Economics, he suddenly found himself being stopped in the street by strangers and asked to comment on current events far from his own research. His transformation from academic economist to public intellectual prompted him to reflect more deeply on the role economists and their discipline play in society. The result is Economics for the Common Good, a passionate manifesto for a world in which economics can help us improve the shared lot of societies and humanity as a whole.

To show how, Tirole shares his insights on a broad range of questions affecting our everyday lives and the future of our society, including global warming, unemployment, the post-2008 global financial order, the euro crisis, the digital revolution, innovation, and the proper balance between the free market and regulation.

Compelling and accessible, Economics for the Common Good sets a new agenda for the role of economics in society.

'Required reading for anybody who wants to understand today's economy.' - Olivier Blanchard, former Chief Economist of the International Monetary Fund

'A constructive critique of economists with a strong defence of the subject they study.' - Martin Sandbu, Financial Times

'An ambitious yet accessible summary of [Tirole's] ideas on the proper role of economists and the value of their ideas in informing government, business and social life...Tirole has a patient, explanatory style.' - Philip Delves Broughton, Wall Street Journal

'Explains in straightforward language what academic economists do, how they think about society and human behavior, and what advice they tend to offer governments about some of the biggest challenges they face.' - Foreign Affairs

'Spells out the usefulness of rigorous economic thinking for society in deep, yet accessible, language...[A] great book, rich with insights.' - Markus Brunnermeier, Finance & Development