The Shortest History of Economics unearths the hidden economic forces behind war, innovation and social transformation, tracing how capitalism and the market system emerged.

From the emergence of agriculture to the war in Ukraine, Andrew Leigh weaves a fascinating narrative punctuated by expert insights into major moments in human history – why the invention of the plough led to gender inequality, how certain diseases determined the patterns of colonialism, and even how New York’s robber barons inspired the board game Monopoly.

‘If you read just one book about economics, make it Andrew Leigh’s clear, insightful, remarkable – and short – work’  Claudia Goldin, Winner of the 2023 Nobel Prize in Economics

'This book manages to cover the history of economies from prehistoric times to today in just 194 pages of text. It is clearly written and sensible. It will be the invaluable gift for anybody trying to understand how humanity moved from hunter-gatherer bands to today’s high-tech world economy and what economists think about how the system works. In the space available, this really is a miracle.’
Martin Wolf, Financial Times 'Summer Books of 2024'
 
‘Andrew Leigh takes us on the thrilling journey from building the first cities to creating our complex modern world economy – with all the twists and turns on the way… if you want to know how the robber barons of New York inspired the game of Monopoly, alongside Adam Smith’s contribution to our discipline, this is the best shot I have seen’  Hamish McRae, i newspaper

'In simple, clear language — and less than 200 pages — it does exactly what its title promises… Both finance aficionados and mere novices will read, savour and return to [it]’ The Economist

'Excellent… The Shortest History of Economics should be required reading to any participant in today’s economy – which is everyone. Its inclusion of contributions by overlooked female economists is welcome, as are its brevity and clarity. It’s an asset in a risk-laden, unfair time'  Kurt Johnson, The Saturday Paper

‘This short book is bursting with insights about economics, illustrated by memorable stories and historical events. People who are curious about but confused by economics will learn enough from this to be conversant for life’  Caroline M. Hoxby, Professor of Economics, Stanford University