"One of Financial Times (FT.com) Best Books of 2017: Economics" "One of Bloomberg's Best Books of 2017" "One of Project Syndicate's Best Reads in 2017 (chosen by Kermal Dervi )" "Winner of the 2019 George S. Eccles Prize for Excellence in Economic Writing, Columbia Business School" Dani Rodrik is the Ford Foundation Professor of International Political Economy at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. He is the author of Economics Rules: The Rights and Wrongs of the Dismal Science and The Globalization Paradox: Democracy and the Future of the World Economy.
An honest discussion of free trade and how nations can sensibly chart a path forward in today's global economy
Not so long ago the nation-state seemed to be on its deathbed, condemned to irrelevance by the forces of globalization and technology. Now it is back with a vengeance, propelled by a groundswell of populists around the world. In Straight Talk on Trade, Dani Rodrik, an early and outspoken critic of economic globalization taken too far, goes beyond the populist backlash and offers a more reasoned explanation for why our elites' and technocrats' obsession with hyper-globalization made it more difficult for nations to achieve legitimate economic and social objectives at home: economic prosperity, financial stability, and equity.
Rodrik takes globalization's cheerleaders to task, not for emphasizing economics over other values, but for practicing bad economics and ignoring the discipline's own nuances that should have called for caution. He makes a case for a pluralist world economy where nation-states retain sufficient autonomy to fashion their own social contracts and develop economic strategies tailored to their needs. Rather than calling for closed borders or defending protectionists, Rodrik shows how we can restore a sensible balance between national and global governance. Ranging over the recent experiences of advanced countries, the eurozone, and developing nations, Rodrik charts a way forward with new ideas about how to reconcile today's inequitable economic and technological trends with liberal democracy and social inclusion.
Deftly navigating the tensions among globalization, national sovereignty, and democracy, Straight Talk on Trade presents an indispensable commentary on today's world economy and its dilemmas, and offers a visionary framework at a critical time when we need it most. "[Dani Rodrik] makes a case for a healthier global economy and shared rules and principles to support it. . . . A thoughtful, reasoned argument, of much interest to students of globalism and its discontents." "A good introduction to one of most thought-provoking economists working today."---Edward Hadas, Reuters Breakingviews "The legion fans of Dani Rodrik will love his new book, Straight Talk on Trade. I'm one of them, and massively respect him for warning all the rest of us economists about the political economy consequences of globalisation long before these became obvious."---Diane Coyle, Enlightened Economist "The book offers far-reaching insights on political economy, democracy, and development." "[Dani Rodrik] is . . . an erudite critic of his profession and that--as well as the moment in history we are confronting--is what makes this book compelling."---Shawn Donnan, Financial Times "In the thoughtful, ruminative essays collected and woven together here, [Rodrik] explains the deep tension between economic integration at the international level and democratic decision-making at the national level."---Richard N. Cooper, Foreign Affairs "Dani Rodrik [is] the most perceptive critic of contemporary trading arrangements."---Martin Wolf, Financial Times "Rodrik's intervention is a carefully argued and important contribution, one that deserves to be read widely by economists, policy makers, and students. He addresses economics, political economy, and other factors directly and productively in a way that few economist
