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mikkelmiguelon's review
2.0
I will happily agree, that I may not have consumed the content of this book properly, as I was listening to it. Digesting a book like this, was probably better done by reading.
That being said, I find some flaws in the Mission Economy. The whole narrative is around the moon landing and how that serves as the epitome for how a government should run a mission driven project. Besides that a good part of the book is unnecessarily spent on retelling the successes of NASA, it is just one example for just one country, the USA.
The type of problems that Mazzucato suggests to be solved through a new kind of capitalism (climate change, gender inequality etc) are happening on a global scale. Living in Singapore, I am not entirely sure if her proposition can be used outside of the USA or the EU. I would’ve found her case to be stronger had she also addressed the application of governmental moonshots in China and India.
The book was also rather repetitive and difficult to follow (again, maybe the audiobook). A well written article would’ve perhaps served just as well.
Insightful I found the notion of pre-distribution of wealth, where governments draft conditions in contracts for subsidies/loans with the private sector as to ascertain profits will benefit the public as well.
That being said, I find some flaws in the Mission Economy. The whole narrative is around the moon landing and how that serves as the epitome for how a government should run a mission driven project. Besides that a good part of the book is unnecessarily spent on retelling the successes of NASA, it is just one example for just one country, the USA.
The type of problems that Mazzucato suggests to be solved through a new kind of capitalism (climate change, gender inequality etc) are happening on a global scale. Living in Singapore, I am not entirely sure if her proposition can be used outside of the USA or the EU. I would’ve found her case to be stronger had she also addressed the application of governmental moonshots in China and India.
The book was also rather repetitive and difficult to follow (again, maybe the audiobook). A well written article would’ve perhaps served just as well.
Insightful I found the notion of pre-distribution of wealth, where governments draft conditions in contracts for subsidies/loans with the private sector as to ascertain profits will benefit the public as well.
erichorvath36's review
2.0
I agree with the overarching premise that the public and private sectors need to find a way to collaborate to achieve major goals for transformational change, rather than look at incremental tweaks based on scarcity budgeting.
But I found the book very repetitive, light on nuance for operationalization, and largely overlooking the divisiveness in the electorate of the countries she focuses on (US/UK), which is a huge barrier to setting moonshot goals.
I feel it could have definitely been a 3,000 word essay and been just as if not more effective.
But I found the book very repetitive, light on nuance for operationalization, and largely overlooking the divisiveness in the electorate of the countries she focuses on (US/UK), which is a huge barrier to setting moonshot goals.
I feel it could have definitely been a 3,000 word essay and been just as if not more effective.
nicklie's review
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
4.5
Despite taking on a very difficult theses, the book is not as overwhelming or intimidating as its topic may make it seem. Despite being a big picture brakedown of issues and solutions for modern day capitalism. The book maneged to fall in from a interesting, even funny angle, drawing connections to the reel life 1969 “Apollon Mission”.
Personally I found the book both inspiring, constructive, and not that heavy a reed, which is most appropriateed<33
Personally I found the book both inspiring, constructive, and not that heavy a reed, which is most appropriateed<33
yates9's review
4.0
The book is ambitious in proposing important economic governmental interventions that are driven by social objectives. The author parallels the mission to land on the moon as a guiding structure that would create consensus and focus.
The work is great and ambitious but does have some problems. The book should include more to educate around problems that do not fit in a straightforward way with the moonshot model and what doss the model proposed leave as broader socio economic consequences.
Examples: wicked problems basically are “solved” around values which means we must accept that missions are deeply political value driven operations. Unintended consequences of a badly specified mission could be more damaging than simple negligence. Missions can have divisive consequences on society by virtue of their specificity. I would have wanted to have a more critical insight of how one can tell good missions from bad for example.
The work is great and ambitious but does have some problems. The book should include more to educate around problems that do not fit in a straightforward way with the moonshot model and what doss the model proposed leave as broader socio economic consequences.
Examples: wicked problems basically are “solved” around values which means we must accept that missions are deeply political value driven operations. Unintended consequences of a badly specified mission could be more damaging than simple negligence. Missions can have divisive consequences on society by virtue of their specificity. I would have wanted to have a more critical insight of how one can tell good missions from bad for example.
germangfeler's review
5.0
Hoy casi nadie duda de que estamos ante una crisis del capitalismo tal como lo conocemos. Cuestiones como la crisis climática y la desigualdad creciente ya no pueden ser ignoradas. La pregunta es ¿cómo podemos cambiar esto? Mariana Mazzucato sostiene que el discurso económico del progresismo en las últimas décadas se ha centrado en la distribución del ingreso, ignorando el problema de cómo crear riqueza. Su propuesta va en ese sentido, mediante una política industrial "orientada por misiones" dónde el estado cumple un rol central en la planificación del mercado. Estas misiones consisten en objetivos amplios (cómo frenar el cambio climático, generar energía limpia y accesible, disminuir la brecha de género, etc) y en metas cuantificables que permitan medir el progreso de estos objetivos. El estado impulsa la cooperación entre el sector público y el privado para resolver los problemas y brinda directivas lo suficientemente amplias (no atadas a tecnologías particulares) como para que se desarrolle la creatividad. Estas ideas no son algo simplemente teórico que se basan en el programa Apollo de la NASA y están siendo aplicadas en la actualidad en diferentes lugares del mundo como la Unión Europea (2020) y Argentina (Unidad COVID-19).
Mariana Mazzucato es una de las economistas más interesantes de la actualidad y cada libro que publica merece ser leído. Este no es la excepción.
Mariana Mazzucato es una de las economistas más interesantes de la actualidad y cada libro que publica merece ser leído. Este no es la excepción.
tbpardue's review
2.0
Disappointing. Too repetitive. NASA and DARPA over and over. A good magazine article, not a book. And a bit two focused on the "how" and not the "why".