What do you think?
Rate this book
How Capitalism Will Save Us: Why Free People and Free Markets Are the Best Answer in Today's Economy
Has capitalism failed? Is it fundamentally greedy & immoral, making the rich richer? Are free markets Darwinian places where the ruthless crush smaller competitors, where vital products & services are priced beyond the ability of many to afford them?
Capitalism is the world's greatest economic success story. It's the optimal way to provide for the needs of people & foster the democratic & moral values of a free society. Yet the worst recession in decades has widely & understandably shaken faith in our system. Even before the current crisis, capitalism received a bad rap from a culture ambivalent about free markets & wealth creation. This crisis of confidence is preventing a full recognition of how we got into the mess we're in today—& why capitalism continues to be the best route to prosperity.
How Capitalism Will Save Us transcends labels by showing how economies really work. When free people in free markets have energy to solve problems & meet others' needs, they turn scarcity into abundance & innovate. The freedom of democratic capitalism is what enabled Ford to take a plaything of the rich & to make it affordable to workers. In the capitalist system, economic growth doesn't mean more of the same. It's about change increasing overall wealth, giving people better lives.
Capitalism is the world's greatest economic success story. It's the optimal way to provide for the needs of people & foster the democratic & moral values of a free society. Yet the worst recession in decades has widely & understandably shaken faith in our system. Even before the current crisis, capitalism received a bad rap from a culture ambivalent about free markets & wealth creation. This crisis of confidence is preventing a full recognition of how we got into the mess we're in today—& why capitalism continues to be the best route to prosperity.
How Capitalism Will Save Us transcends labels by showing how economies really work. When free people in free markets have energy to solve problems & meet others' needs, they turn scarcity into abundance & innovate. The freedom of democratic capitalism is what enabled Ford to take a plaything of the rich & to make it affordable to workers. In the capitalist system, economic growth doesn't mean more of the same. It's about change increasing overall wealth, giving people better lives.
357 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2009
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
June 22, 2020
This book was published following the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis and was very much needed considering all the anti-capitalist rhetoric that was going around. Forbes and his co-author take apart the myths surrounding capitalism such as that it creates corruption and only benefits the few elite. The authors also show how Keynesian economics actually stifles growth and doesn’t actually stimulate the economy. I'm glad I decided too pick up the updated and revised version of this book.
Edit (4/30/20): grammar mistakes fixed
Edit (4/30/20): grammar mistakes fixed
March 29, 2010
This book is selective in its coverage and poorly written. Instead of providing actual arguments and evidence, the authors dole out unsupported statements as if they were facts. Here's a paragraph from page 187-188 of the hardcover book to illustrate my point:
"Increased fuel-efficiency standards actually encourage consumption. Believing their vehicles are energy efficient, people have fewer qualms about driving more and having bigger cars. The number of miles driven and the number of vehicles have virtually doubled since the mid 1970s. The same phenomenon has been observed with refrigerators. As they became more energy efficient, people bought bigger and bigger models. In other words, government regulations have improved fuel efficiency, but they haven't curtailed energy usage."
OK, this is bad reasoning. There are more cars since the 1970s because there are more drivers than there were back then-- interestingly, we also have more and bigger sofas than we had in the 1970s, an indication that these phenomena are part of a broader trend in American consumerism. In any event, fuel efficiency standards did not lead to more cars, any more than they led to bigger sofas. Correlation does not prove causation. And imagine what our cities would be like if our vehicles were still as gas guzzling and polluting as they were a few decades ago.
"Increased fuel-efficiency standards actually encourage consumption. Believing their vehicles are energy efficient, people have fewer qualms about driving more and having bigger cars. The number of miles driven and the number of vehicles have virtually doubled since the mid 1970s. The same phenomenon has been observed with refrigerators. As they became more energy efficient, people bought bigger and bigger models. In other words, government regulations have improved fuel efficiency, but they haven't curtailed energy usage."
OK, this is bad reasoning. There are more cars since the 1970s because there are more drivers than there were back then-- interestingly, we also have more and bigger sofas than we had in the 1970s, an indication that these phenomena are part of a broader trend in American consumerism. In any event, fuel efficiency standards did not lead to more cars, any more than they led to bigger sofas. Correlation does not prove causation. And imagine what our cities would be like if our vehicles were still as gas guzzling and polluting as they were a few decades ago.
May 29, 2018
3.5 stars
Mixed feelings about this one. I agree with 98% of Steve Forbes's points.* From a theory standpoint, so behind this one.
But he isn't the most...interesting writer. Only a few years since my Updated and Revised Edition was published and it already feels somewhat dated. I think it is because he emphasizes "current" events so heavily to make his points.
Further, despite the title, this isn't a book you give someone who doesn't already love the free market. It is a nice summary of pro-free market arguments, but it is too selective to be persuasive. I don't see this changing any minds.
Good statistics and relevant questions and answers. Glad I read it. Just...falls short of what it could be.
*I'm still a fan of a fair tax and he didn't really give both sides of that story.
Mixed feelings about this one. I agree with 98% of Steve Forbes's points.* From a theory standpoint, so behind this one.
But he isn't the most...interesting writer. Only a few years since my Updated and Revised Edition was published and it already feels somewhat dated. I think it is because he emphasizes "current" events so heavily to make his points.
Further, despite the title, this isn't a book you give someone who doesn't already love the free market. It is a nice summary of pro-free market arguments, but it is too selective to be persuasive. I don't see this changing any minds.
Good statistics and relevant questions and answers. Glad I read it. Just...falls short of what it could be.
*I'm still a fan of a fair tax and he didn't really give both sides of that story.
February 22, 2012
OK, before you get your panties all in a twist, let's remember who's writing the book and particular bias. Hey, he's Steven Forbes, businessman, net worth $430 million, and editor-in-chief of Forbes, son of Malcolm Forbes, grandson of B. C. Forbes. Enough said. He comes from money and he is money. He's not working class and never has been. He's not a left-wing demagogue, pundit, social engineer or radical economist looking to blame all economic ills on capitalism. So from that perspective, this book is going to praise capitalism not bash it. OK, now we can move forward keeping particular bias in mind--hopefully an open one.
Contrary to popular liberal belief, to a great degree Forbes is right. In a perfect world capitalism based in limited govt. regulation, free markets, and free enterprise where people vote freely with their dollars as to whether a product and / or services lives or dies is a Godsend. However, as Noam Chomsky will tell you, it's really been state-capitalism for nearly the last eighty years where govt. bailouts and intervention has turned us more into a socialist than democratic state (but have we ever been a true democracy? With the Fed. Act of 1913 pretty much nips that idea in the bud, eh? Hell, even Jefferson believed in the idea of the intelligentsia running the country full of poor, ignorant slobs--yes, you and me).
And he does nip some general ignorance in the bud regarding certain issues:
-- “Free markets are best at serving the needs and wants of people.”
--”Self-interest -- not greed -- compels people in free markets to meet the needs and wants of others.”
-- “Only a dynamic, entrepreneurial private sector is capable of producing the growth and prosperity that we take for granted in a free society. Government command-and-control economies simply can’t do it.”
-- “Profit is a vital barometer in a democratic capitalist economy and the key source of investment capital.”
-- “The most effective regulation in the Real World establishes the ‘rules of the road’ and does not attempt to micromanage markets.”
-- “The best economic stimulus results when government unleashes the private sector by lowering tax rates and opening up markets. Government efforts to ‘stimulate’ or ‘fine-tune’ the economy -- through spending or monetary policy -- have never produced sustained long-term growth.”
All true, but what he isn't telling us is what Prof. Richard Wolff (Harvard, Stanford, Yale) is professing: there are seismic failures within the structures of American-style capitalism.
So as per usual, you can't just read one book on a topic as complex as economics and expect to get all you need to obtain a general understanding. You need to piece it together by reading several books written by several authors with differing biases, keeping in mind those biases and not freaking out or panicking when you see something that is"all wrong" in your opinion. And keep in mind, everyone has their blind spots, especially you, Mr. and Mrs. know-it-all reader (you know who you are.) Peace!
P.S.
Good book to read is Common Sense Economics. Simple and to the point. Smart people making a complex issue so easy to understand even school kids are getting a kick out of it. Good read.
Contrary to popular liberal belief, to a great degree Forbes is right. In a perfect world capitalism based in limited govt. regulation, free markets, and free enterprise where people vote freely with their dollars as to whether a product and / or services lives or dies is a Godsend. However, as Noam Chomsky will tell you, it's really been state-capitalism for nearly the last eighty years where govt. bailouts and intervention has turned us more into a socialist than democratic state (but have we ever been a true democracy? With the Fed. Act of 1913 pretty much nips that idea in the bud, eh? Hell, even Jefferson believed in the idea of the intelligentsia running the country full of poor, ignorant slobs--yes, you and me).
And he does nip some general ignorance in the bud regarding certain issues:
-- “Free markets are best at serving the needs and wants of people.”
--”Self-interest -- not greed -- compels people in free markets to meet the needs and wants of others.”
-- “Only a dynamic, entrepreneurial private sector is capable of producing the growth and prosperity that we take for granted in a free society. Government command-and-control economies simply can’t do it.”
-- “Profit is a vital barometer in a democratic capitalist economy and the key source of investment capital.”
-- “The most effective regulation in the Real World establishes the ‘rules of the road’ and does not attempt to micromanage markets.”
-- “The best economic stimulus results when government unleashes the private sector by lowering tax rates and opening up markets. Government efforts to ‘stimulate’ or ‘fine-tune’ the economy -- through spending or monetary policy -- have never produced sustained long-term growth.”
All true, but what he isn't telling us is what Prof. Richard Wolff (Harvard, Stanford, Yale) is professing: there are seismic failures within the structures of American-style capitalism.
So as per usual, you can't just read one book on a topic as complex as economics and expect to get all you need to obtain a general understanding. You need to piece it together by reading several books written by several authors with differing biases, keeping in mind those biases and not freaking out or panicking when you see something that is"all wrong" in your opinion. And keep in mind, everyone has their blind spots, especially you, Mr. and Mrs. know-it-all reader (you know who you are.) Peace!
P.S.
Good book to read is Common Sense Economics. Simple and to the point. Smart people making a complex issue so easy to understand even school kids are getting a kick out of it. Good read.
February 17, 2013
As someone who works in finance, has a good grasp of economics and believes that capitalism and the free-market system is necessary to a healthy, self-sufficient and progressive society, I found "How Capitalism Will Save Us" to be a simple, straightforward look at a subject that is constantly and hotly discussed and debated, even by those with little to no understanding of the topic.
I appreciated the the way it was written so that those who are not too familiar with how finance and economics work could get a better understanding of the topic. If anyone knows the topic, it is Steve Forbes. I admire how he has taken the knowledge he has and used it to create a fabulous financial legacy for his heirs. I admire the fact he shared this information with anyone who cares to learn what Mr. Forbes knows and uses in his business dealings.
Because he shared his knowledge, many who didn't really understand about capitalism and free-markets have an opportunity to finally learn just what it is. That gives them the opportunity to make more informed choices and more informed decisions about their own business and household economies. I think it is a very good book.
I appreciated the the way it was written so that those who are not too familiar with how finance and economics work could get a better understanding of the topic. If anyone knows the topic, it is Steve Forbes. I admire how he has taken the knowledge he has and used it to create a fabulous financial legacy for his heirs. I admire the fact he shared this information with anyone who cares to learn what Mr. Forbes knows and uses in his business dealings.
Because he shared his knowledge, many who didn't really understand about capitalism and free-markets have an opportunity to finally learn just what it is. That gives them the opportunity to make more informed choices and more informed decisions about their own business and household economies. I think it is a very good book.
November 22, 2011
I lost my patience with this book about a third of the way through when he just kept touting how government interventions were detrimental to economies, and then just suddenly accepting bailouts as necessary. To simplify an issue so much as to bash all economic problems as caused by government and then accept government bailouts as necessary is just a hypocrisy of distasteful magnitude. Furthermore, he sounds like an out of touch grandpa, complaining about the revering of Marx on college campuses... the man clearly has not been on a campus in 20 years. He also often avoids answering questions he himself brings up (Example: "Q- Does Capitalism involve greed? A- Capitallism involves trust!" What type of stupid answer is that?).There's got to be books that better address the nature of capitalism than this demagoguery.
September 21, 2010
For someone who is trying to have a better understanding of economic principles, I found this book to be very straight forward. It's a common sense explanation of how the "rich" people fuel the economy by investing in companies which creates jobs and puts cash flow into the economy. "Rich" people are always portrayed as the bad guy, but without them, our economy would completely collapse. And we have a choice about which "rich" guy gets our money. If they provide us with a good product (like Apple) then we pay them, they get rich, they provide more jobs, they reinvest the money in other companies which creates more jobs, etc. If we don't like the product (like GMC), then we don't buy the product, the company fails, people lose jobs temporarily, but a better company replaces it and hires all the people who lost their jobs. The 2nd scenario was not allowed to happen when the government bailed out GMC, which goes against free choice and cost the people a lot of money. The government bailed out GMC with your paycheck. We'll see where GMC is 10 years from now. It's simple. If a company does bad business (let's face it, GMC doesn't make the best cars), people will stop buying the product, and the company goes down. A better company will replace it. If people are left to control the market, it will always self correct when it gets off kilter. When the government tries to intervene in this process, it ends up hindering the process. There are so many examples in this book to prove the points, you'll be amazed that so many people don't understand the idea of free markets.
April 14, 2010
I like the approach that Forbes uses in this book: he takes a common misconception about capitalism, forms it as a question, then provides a well-thought out answer. He doesn't talk down to or bash those who have these misconceptions; he just explains how real-world economics works.
December 16, 2009
Excellent explanation of how capitalism works. Obama and the current administration should read and study THIS book instead of Marxist theory.
November 12, 2010
How Capitalism Will Save Us: Why Free People and Free Markets Are the Best Answer in Today's Economy by Steve Forbes and Elizabeth Ames blames the Great Recession on Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and former Federal Reserve Chairman, Alan Greenspan's low-interest-rate, weak-dollar policies. Capitalism's bad “Rap” is nothing new, as Forbes points out. Still, the fiscal crisis has prompted many to ask for more government regulation, so Forbes's argument on how the “invisible hand” of the market will restore the economy is well-timed. Much of the text is footnoted with supporting material, but the occasional undocumented allegation, for example, “the IRS gives taxpayers on its hotline wrong information at least 25 percent of the time,” shows carelessness. That, combined with a tone that some will find condescending, (for example, in the prominent labeling of “Real World Lessons”) throughout the book, undermine the message.
January 7, 2010
I have watched Steve Forbes on the Fox Business segment and I thought he was just another conservative ideolog, but this book was a refreshing take on economics, socio-economics, politics and business.
The connections he draws between profits and capitalism were profound and gave me a better understanding to the working of an economy and the state of an economies in various other countries.
If you want a better but simpler understanding of the current affairs (sub-prime burst, bail out, unions, health care etc) I would recommend you read this book.
I had hoped that the authors would have suggested solutions to the current crisis we are facing but alas that was not to be.
The connections he draws between profits and capitalism were profound and gave me a better understanding to the working of an economy and the state of an economies in various other countries.
If you want a better but simpler understanding of the current affairs (sub-prime burst, bail out, unions, health care etc) I would recommend you read this book.
I had hoped that the authors would have suggested solutions to the current crisis we are facing but alas that was not to be.
November 18, 2011
This is a really good book on free-market capitalism. I especially like the format of the book, it takes many of the societal stereotypes about capitalism and answers them in 3-10 page answers. My only criticism of the book is some statistics are not sourced when they should be. There are 17 pages of end notes, and much is accounted for, it's just every once in a while there are is some statistic given that really needs to be sourced. Critics of the text will use this to try and tear it down, but the overall argument of the work is sound.
I highly encourage any American to read this. Too many Americans discount economics as unimportant and boring.
I highly encourage any American to read this. Too many Americans discount economics as unimportant and boring.
February 22, 2012
This should be required reading in introductory accounting courses. The examples are timely and relevant. I take issue with the writers' rationale for the bailout of GM and Chrysler and the text got repetitive in places but other than these, I have no complaints.
October 8, 2012
In this book, Steve Forbes make a very measured and reasonable argument in favor or capitalism. I learned a lot from his arguments and I look forward to reading his newest book because I always learn something from him.
June 23, 2010
Great book even just to read pertinent topics or to pick up & read some between other books.
January 18, 2021
Garbage
June 23, 2017
I found this book on my 12-year old niece's desk, so I had to read it. At 12 one cannot possibly understand the essence of the question which is the title of this book, let alone comprehend the physiological, financial and material crisis that millions of americans experience during the market crashes.
Let us start with the tile. It is a "how" question. The book spends most time talking about the idealistic features of capitalism; the ideal "usage" is quite simple- it is everything Regan implemented, except that the outcome is assessed too early after the policy implementation, with assessment stopped when the outcome departed from the desired path and had to be fix. Assessment is a choice made by a human with the desired conclusion vividly held in mind. This is followed by the word "save". This is an admission that there is a problem which capitalism has not been able to fix, but it is promised that it will. The first edition of this book came out pre-2007 crash which begs the question of why the need for salvation given that these were the glory days of capitalism. The author appears to have been writing to excuse capitalism for a mistake allowed under its structure which was about to burst. Then there is the verbal tense: "will". If capitalism has not succeeded for as long as it has been employed why should the confidence in its future success be high. If all things fail, why do you need to excuse the expected failures, why not build a case for the long-term benefits of the system. The book is full of excuses. There is "us", a collective term, which people who buy the book intuitively understand as "I". What this book emphasizes is that for most the "us" is really "I", as far as the rest go, due to luck or bad decisions, well, they are just out of luck and will not be saved. The word "us" allows the reader to join the club of "Forbes" but let's not forget that the man is swimming in money, and the reader is most likely not. Let's not forget that the word "free" is featured twice. There is the word "people" and the word "market". Free and people are what we would like to think we are but people are definitely not free. People respond to changes in the economical enviornment (market) which is , like it or not, run by the government. There is nothing the market can do about it because money-printing is government job as stated in the consitution. Markets are not a natural phenomenon, markets are man-made and man-run designs; the rules are not derived, they are designed. Efficiency can only be claimed if there is some form of dynamic learning -nothing is learned, the economic market is short-term, narrow-window prediction driven ; however invisible the invisible hand is, there is a group of men behind it, some smart, some stupid, who easily make reckless, politically, short-term-large-gain motivated decisions.
Economics as an intellectual field is quite rewarding, but let's not forget that economics provides us with models which are artificial approximations, or what we want to believe are close approximations, to reality. They are good for explaining the past but rather short-lasting when predicting the long-term future, precisely because as in nature, large colonies of individuals develop group behaviors which do change in unpredictable ways. If this were not the case, if low probability events were not allowed to occur and to change the path of human growth in significant ways we would be still sitting on a log trying to start a fire with some flints.
The book as most books for lay persons is full of statements without any support, or statements carefully cherry-picked to confirm the bias of the authors. This, of course, is a short coming of the capitalistic principle of demand and supply. If consumers did not seek such publications-quick fixes, and false "Dr Oz" hopes- these publications would not have existed. This type of literature is hardly an optimal solution to the layperson who is navigating ever more complex network of possible pathways during any decision process; it is misleading and misguiding at best.
Time spent reading this book is not wasted. It can be recooped by taking down notes on suspicious or inconsistent statements and seeking sources to build a reliable view. One case to the contrary, one case in support are not proofs. Many like the author hide behind the vagueness of popular, engaging terms, and shy away from the real numbers. Laypersons do understand numbers, but the numbers, and the scales are not convenient to present. This book is deficient in the absence of quantified evidence and relevant scale and reference.
Let us start with the tile. It is a "how" question. The book spends most time talking about the idealistic features of capitalism; the ideal "usage" is quite simple- it is everything Regan implemented, except that the outcome is assessed too early after the policy implementation, with assessment stopped when the outcome departed from the desired path and had to be fix. Assessment is a choice made by a human with the desired conclusion vividly held in mind. This is followed by the word "save". This is an admission that there is a problem which capitalism has not been able to fix, but it is promised that it will. The first edition of this book came out pre-2007 crash which begs the question of why the need for salvation given that these were the glory days of capitalism. The author appears to have been writing to excuse capitalism for a mistake allowed under its structure which was about to burst. Then there is the verbal tense: "will". If capitalism has not succeeded for as long as it has been employed why should the confidence in its future success be high. If all things fail, why do you need to excuse the expected failures, why not build a case for the long-term benefits of the system. The book is full of excuses. There is "us", a collective term, which people who buy the book intuitively understand as "I". What this book emphasizes is that for most the "us" is really "I", as far as the rest go, due to luck or bad decisions, well, they are just out of luck and will not be saved. The word "us" allows the reader to join the club of "Forbes" but let's not forget that the man is swimming in money, and the reader is most likely not. Let's not forget that the word "free" is featured twice. There is the word "people" and the word "market". Free and people are what we would like to think we are but people are definitely not free. People respond to changes in the economical enviornment (market) which is , like it or not, run by the government. There is nothing the market can do about it because money-printing is government job as stated in the consitution. Markets are not a natural phenomenon, markets are man-made and man-run designs; the rules are not derived, they are designed. Efficiency can only be claimed if there is some form of dynamic learning -nothing is learned, the economic market is short-term, narrow-window prediction driven ; however invisible the invisible hand is, there is a group of men behind it, some smart, some stupid, who easily make reckless, politically, short-term-large-gain motivated decisions.
Economics as an intellectual field is quite rewarding, but let's not forget that economics provides us with models which are artificial approximations, or what we want to believe are close approximations, to reality. They are good for explaining the past but rather short-lasting when predicting the long-term future, precisely because as in nature, large colonies of individuals develop group behaviors which do change in unpredictable ways. If this were not the case, if low probability events were not allowed to occur and to change the path of human growth in significant ways we would be still sitting on a log trying to start a fire with some flints.
The book as most books for lay persons is full of statements without any support, or statements carefully cherry-picked to confirm the bias of the authors. This, of course, is a short coming of the capitalistic principle of demand and supply. If consumers did not seek such publications-quick fixes, and false "Dr Oz" hopes- these publications would not have existed. This type of literature is hardly an optimal solution to the layperson who is navigating ever more complex network of possible pathways during any decision process; it is misleading and misguiding at best.
Time spent reading this book is not wasted. It can be recooped by taking down notes on suspicious or inconsistent statements and seeking sources to build a reliable view. One case to the contrary, one case in support are not proofs. Many like the author hide behind the vagueness of popular, engaging terms, and shy away from the real numbers. Laypersons do understand numbers, but the numbers, and the scales are not convenient to present. This book is deficient in the absence of quantified evidence and relevant scale and reference.
February 8, 2019
I too have mixed feelings about this book. I have read and watch documentaries against capitalism, but I wanted to see the other side. Steve Forbes does offer a few valid arguments for capitalism like how businesses can innovate and use resources more efficiently than the government. Or how government-run programs (e.g. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac) and entitlements (e.g. social security, Medicare, Medicaid) are a disaster - which Forbes argues that a few smart people in the government cannot possibly know how to direct over 300 million of its citizens. It is best to leave it to millions of businesses to act on their self-interest. People only perform a transaction of both satisfied their self-interest which in itself is more effective than the government trying to figure out what is good for its citizen and the economy.
I also like how Forbes describes taxation as an inefficient use of resources. Businesses who are taxed heavily would forgo investments and lower-risk taking activities required for innovation. Lower taxes would allow businesses to use the money to innovate and hence multiply wealth in the economy. In times of economic challenges, Forbes argues that increasing taxes to finance government programs lead to mismanagement of resource and no further growth. Frederic Bastiat’s Broken Window Fallacy explains this. If government decrease taxes, businesses will hire more workers and increase output.
I have to read F.A. Hayek and Milton Friedman because Forbes seem to have been heavily influenced by these two economists. I will go over this book the second time after I have done so. For now, I give it 3 stars.
I also like how Forbes describes taxation as an inefficient use of resources. Businesses who are taxed heavily would forgo investments and lower-risk taking activities required for innovation. Lower taxes would allow businesses to use the money to innovate and hence multiply wealth in the economy. In times of economic challenges, Forbes argues that increasing taxes to finance government programs lead to mismanagement of resource and no further growth. Frederic Bastiat’s Broken Window Fallacy explains this. If government decrease taxes, businesses will hire more workers and increase output.
I have to read F.A. Hayek and Milton Friedman because Forbes seem to have been heavily influenced by these two economists. I will go over this book the second time after I have done so. For now, I give it 3 stars.
March 28, 2021
Incredibly hard to get through, never made it to the end.
April 24, 2010
ow Capitalism Will Save Us is closely aligned with Steve Forbes’s public persona. Here the take-no-prisoners defender of capitalism – a stance that built his family’s media empire – romps in full battledress across the book’s pages. Published last November, Forbes and Ames run briskly through a long list of media comments bandied about during this terrible recession before vigorously countering, with “real-world lessons”, each critique suggesting America’s brand of capitalism desperately needs to be curtailed. Every comment from “Don’t drug makers gouge consumers in a free-market?” to “Isn’t the free-market prescription for the economy essentially to ‘do nothing’?” is tackled head on in some detail. Richard ( www.richardcmorais.com )
November 25, 2013
I thought it was pretty straight forward. It is set up where a question is posed then it has a one sentence answer, folowed by a more lengthy answer. It has a lot of research put into it and answers a lot of questions people right now have about our economy and the merits of capitalism. I learned some new things and ideas. I felt there were a couple of times that they missed some things or didn't explain the background on different situations enough, but it was designed to have relatively short answers. Overall a pretty good read.
December 7, 2013
A book about economics in a single lesson! The content runs parallel to the Ayn Rand ideology. The book shows the difference between greed and self-interest. It makes the case that the individuals are truly free, politically and economically,under a Democratic Capitalistic System.
"Bashing rich people may be good for getting votes during political campaigns. They make their fortunes by meeting the needs and wants of other people."
"Bashing rich people may be good for getting votes during political campaigns. They make their fortunes by meeting the needs and wants of other people."
December 12, 2016
I found many interesting ideas in this book... format is good to go back and reference but harder to read straight through... The summary at the back of the book is excellent...
November 23, 2010
I enjoyed this book more for the varied questions that it brought up than for the content. While skimming some details and containing an obvious bias, the authors were able to clarify the ideological divide facing our nation. I look forward to fact checking and exploring different arguments that arose in my head while reading the book.
May 15, 2011
Feel good, basic primer on capitalism. I like Forbes, I like capitalism. This book is as basic as it gets. Better primers can be found in Hazlitt's Economics in One Lesson, Friedman's Free To Choose, or Sowell's Basic Economics.
January 26, 2015
Forbes is an ebullient booster of free market economics and in this work lays out a series of objections and responses in a variety of areas where market forces are in play. He writes clearly and succinctly, unlike many writers in economic theory.
February 4, 2011
A must read for kids in high school
Read
December 11, 2010Another good read by Steve Forbes on the economy.
March 19, 2015
Whew! Good think he didn't become president. Good primer on economic theory though.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews