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71 reviews for:
Bad Samaritans: The Myth of Free Trade and the Secret History of Capitalism
Ha-Joon Chang
4.05 AVERAGE
71 reviews for:
Bad Samaritans: The Myth of Free Trade and the Secret History of Capitalism
Ha-Joon Chang
4.05 AVERAGE
challenging
informative
lighthearted
slow-paced
Readable for an economics text. Pretty repetitive but also countering pretty heavy scholarship on the “other” side
informative
fast-paced
An informative read on how the west got ahead by what it today calls dirty tactics and how it uses its economic influence to try to keep others down.
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
"...practically all of today's developed countries, including Britain and the US, the supposed homes of the free market and free trade, have become rich on the basis of policy recipes that go against the orthodoxy of neo-liberal economics."
"So the two champions of free trade, Britain and the US, were not only not free trade economies, but have been the two most protectionist economies among rich countries, i.e. until they each in succession became the world's dominant industrial power."
"Unlike what neo-liberals say, market and democracy clash at a fundamental level. Democracy runs on the principle of 'one man (one person), one vote'. The market runs on the principle 'one dollar, one vote'. "
Ha-Joon Chang
"So the two champions of free trade, Britain and the US, were not only not free trade economies, but have been the two most protectionist economies among rich countries, i.e. until they each in succession became the world's dominant industrial power."
"Unlike what neo-liberals say, market and democracy clash at a fundamental level. Democracy runs on the principle of 'one man (one person), one vote'. The market runs on the principle 'one dollar, one vote'. "
Ha-Joon Chang
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
funny
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
informative
medium-paced
Informative and a helpful rebuttal against parts of The World is Flat, but ultimately disappointed me. Acknowledged some counterarguments but didn't really refute them. Included plenty of statistics, but not enough explanation for them. Some bad and frustrating metaphors. The ideas here are not bad and I agree with many of them, but the presentation and argument is unconvincing.
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
challenging
informative
reflective
fast-paced
I was recommended to read this by a Korean friend who told me this book is banned in Korea.
As someone with little understanding or interest in economics, this was an interesting and nuanced read. Chang uses several compelling examples and ideas to disprove the myth that free trade was and continues to be the best and most fair method for a nation's economy to develop successfully. Unfortunately, the undeniable impact slavery and slave labor on globalization and colonial power is almost entirely ignored which is disappointing.
As someone with little understanding or interest in economics, this was an interesting and nuanced read. Chang uses several compelling examples and ideas to disprove the myth that free trade was and continues to be the best and most fair method for a nation's economy to develop successfully. Unfortunately, the undeniable impact slavery and slave labor on globalization and colonial power is almost entirely ignored which is disappointing.