--- product_id: 20970213 title: "Economics: The User's Guide" price: "£24.53" currency: GBP in_stock: true reviews_count: 11 url: https://www.desertcart.co.uk/products/20970213-economics-the-users-guide store_origin: GB region: United Kingdom --- # Economics: The User's Guide **Price:** £24.53 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** Economics: The User's Guide - **How much does it cost?** £24.53 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.co.uk](https://www.desertcart.co.uk/products/20970213-economics-the-users-guide) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description Economics: The User's Guide [Chang, Ha-Joon] on desertcart.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Economics: The User's Guide Review: Must-read for any "student" of economics - Ha-Joon Chang's "User Guide" is an accessible, engaging resource for anyone wanting to see the big picture in the complicated universe of economics. Also, the book layout, notes, and index make it an essential addition to any personal reference library. I share with some of the other comments from other readers that I wish I had read this as an undergraduate Econ major forty-plus years ago. The author analyzes vital concepts and the ABCs of economic theories, their strengths, and weaknesses in real-world settings. Chang also addresses the inseparability of economics and policy with their profound social implications, for example, the Pareto criterion about the "greater good." For a comprehensive understanding of the subject, this book is a must-read. However, a baseline of economic coursework (which everyone should have!) will be helpful for a greater appreciation. It is an excellent starting point for individuals seeking to broaden their understanding of the massive field of economics and its relevance to our lives. Review: A biased guide, but interesting and worthwhile nonetheless - Being a fan of his prior work, I was excited to see that Dr. Chang has written a book on general economics. For better or for worse, the book lived up to its name. This book initially felt to me like the manual that comes with a new gadget that you should really read before using it, but you put it away because the manual has way too many steps and words. The book begins with a detailed discussion on basic concepts like capitalism, money, monopoly, and proceeds to cover different schools of economic thought. Unlike his prior books, it did feel like I really needed to take notes along the way to keep up with the broad scope and depth of the book. I probably got on and off the book several times before I got into it enough to actually finish the book. But just like reading a manual is often times worth the effort and gives you a better sense of how to property use your gadget, the broad and detailed discussions of the book are definitely worth the read. In ways that perhaps only he can provide, Dr. Chang gives readers an alternative take on many of the concepts that mainstream economics or the media doesn’t talk much about, even in mundane subject like the definition of GDP. Perhaps it shouldn’t be too surprising given his background and his prior works that Dr. Chang would provide a different view on things than mainstream economists. However, it did feel like in many parts of the book that things were a bit biased and unjust in that alternative views and interpretation of the evidence was not provided enough, especially in discussing things outside his area of expertise. For example, in discussing ow the “unholy alliance” between short-term investors and professional managers have reduced the ability of corporations to make long-term investment, Dr. Chang cites evidence that the largest US companies now payout 94% of their profits to shareholders compared to 35 to 45% in the decades past. While this is true, the book fails to mention that the percentage of publicly traded firms distributing their profits via dividends or share repurchases has actually gone down over the years. So in recent decades, the payouts are more concentrated in the largest and most mature firms while other firms are more likely to retain profits. One could argue that this is exactly what you would want in an efficient economy where the profits of the old and mature companies to get redistributed to younger firms with more potential, and may have nothing to do with the markets becomes more short-term oriented. This is one of many places in the book where more balanced view would have helped the “users” to see a broader picture. But ultimately, the biases in the book is what makes this an interesting read, and I would not hesitate to recommend this book to anyone interested in delving a little bit deeper into some of the common issues in economics. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #148,288 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #22 in Macroeconomics (Books) #87 in International Economics (Books) #153 in Economic History (Books) | | Customer Reviews | 4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars (1,508) | | Dimensions | 5.5 x 1.05 x 8.25 inches | | Edition | Reprint | | ISBN-10 | 1620408147 | | ISBN-13 | 978-1620408148 | | Item Weight | 2.31 pounds | | Language | English | | Part of series | Pelican Books | | Print length | 384 pages | | Publication date | October 20, 2015 | | Publisher | Bloomsbury Publishing | ## Images ![Economics: The User's Guide - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/91o6rzxtcNL.jpg) ![Economics: The User's Guide - Image 2](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/91-AeZ7P3PL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Must-read for any "student" of economics *by D***R on January 17, 2024* Ha-Joon Chang's "User Guide" is an accessible, engaging resource for anyone wanting to see the big picture in the complicated universe of economics. Also, the book layout, notes, and index make it an essential addition to any personal reference library. I share with some of the other comments from other readers that I wish I had read this as an undergraduate Econ major forty-plus years ago. The author analyzes vital concepts and the ABCs of economic theories, their strengths, and weaknesses in real-world settings. Chang also addresses the inseparability of economics and policy with their profound social implications, for example, the Pareto criterion about the "greater good." For a comprehensive understanding of the subject, this book is a must-read. However, a baseline of economic coursework (which everyone should have!) will be helpful for a greater appreciation. It is an excellent starting point for individuals seeking to broaden their understanding of the massive field of economics and its relevance to our lives. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ A biased guide, but interesting and worthwhile nonetheless *by S***N on June 6, 2020* Being a fan of his prior work, I was excited to see that Dr. Chang has written a book on general economics. For better or for worse, the book lived up to its name. This book initially felt to me like the manual that comes with a new gadget that you should really read before using it, but you put it away because the manual has way too many steps and words. The book begins with a detailed discussion on basic concepts like capitalism, money, monopoly, and proceeds to cover different schools of economic thought. Unlike his prior books, it did feel like I really needed to take notes along the way to keep up with the broad scope and depth of the book. I probably got on and off the book several times before I got into it enough to actually finish the book. But just like reading a manual is often times worth the effort and gives you a better sense of how to property use your gadget, the broad and detailed discussions of the book are definitely worth the read. In ways that perhaps only he can provide, Dr. Chang gives readers an alternative take on many of the concepts that mainstream economics or the media doesn’t talk much about, even in mundane subject like the definition of GDP. Perhaps it shouldn’t be too surprising given his background and his prior works that Dr. Chang would provide a different view on things than mainstream economists. However, it did feel like in many parts of the book that things were a bit biased and unjust in that alternative views and interpretation of the evidence was not provided enough, especially in discussing things outside his area of expertise. For example, in discussing ow the “unholy alliance” between short-term investors and professional managers have reduced the ability of corporations to make long-term investment, Dr. Chang cites evidence that the largest US companies now payout 94% of their profits to shareholders compared to 35 to 45% in the decades past. While this is true, the book fails to mention that the percentage of publicly traded firms distributing their profits via dividends or share repurchases has actually gone down over the years. So in recent decades, the payouts are more concentrated in the largest and most mature firms while other firms are more likely to retain profits. One could argue that this is exactly what you would want in an efficient economy where the profits of the old and mature companies to get redistributed to younger firms with more potential, and may have nothing to do with the markets becomes more short-term oriented. This is one of many places in the book where more balanced view would have helped the “users” to see a broader picture. But ultimately, the biases in the book is what makes this an interesting read, and I would not hesitate to recommend this book to anyone interested in delving a little bit deeper into some of the common issues in economics. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Detailed but very accessible overview of economics *by A***V on December 12, 2022* This book just has so much in it. An overview of the whole history of economics, indeed, and delivered in a very accessible way. The details are explained right alongside their importance and the motivation for why they matter and how you've seen them in the world around us. Of course, the amount of information is too much to retain more than a vague understanding of the full contents from a simple read-through but aside from being easy to reread, its organized well and easy to reference specific points. Excellent overall. --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.co.uk/products/20970213-economics-the-users-guide](https://www.desertcart.co.uk/products/20970213-economics-the-users-guide) --- *Product available on Desertcart United Kingdom* *Store origin: GB* *Last updated: 2026-05-17*