Book Description
In this elegant synthesis of economic history, two scholars argue that it is the political pluralism and the flexibility of the West's institutions--not corporate organization and mass production technology--that explain its unparalleled wealth.
Customer Reviews:
"adaptation takes place through the formation of enterprises that are, at least initially, small," ie., decentralization=growth........2006-12-27
It is entirely safe to generalize: innovation is more likely to occur in a society that is open to the formation of new enterprises than in a society that relies on its existing organizations for innovation." Feudalism thus had to be eclipsed for serious change to occur since it "was a society which dealt with the risks of life by legislating rigidity. Economic growth is inherently a byproduct of change, and the political and religious ideology of the Middle Ages guarded against the heresies of change in every way it could," argues the authors herein as they set out to explain "how the West generated the organizational and technological skills required to produce and exploit" its wealth. A "decentralization of authority," thus was crucial...and this was greatly spurred by the Protestant Reformation, the long term effect of which, economically, "was the progressive removal of religion from intimate involvement in the sphere of business activity." "In the course of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries , the business sphere was, in a word, secularized." "Protestantism sanctioned a high degree of individual responsibility for moral conduct and reduced the authority of the clergy." Under these circumstances, it would have been too much to expect the Catholic clergy to continue to stress doctrines which could only turn prosperous parishioners toward Protestantism." The authors argue moreover that this "was not wholly a question of the theological content of either Catholicism or Protestantism. It was partly a question of the competition inherent in the existence of several rival religions, which, like the existence of competition inherent in the existence of several rival national states, enabled a rising merchant class chafing under the restraints of one authority to take refuge with another more congenial" as trade & exchange, both domestic and foreign, became ever more prevalent in the prevailing economy of the day. But how did such a merchant class even gain a foothold in the first place since feudalism was already petering out during the 15th century, ie., before the Protestant Reformation and the later rise of capitalism. As the authors remark: "the decline of feudalism is complete a century before the beginnings of capitalism."
"For if one thing is clearer than another, it is that the merchant class did not get its economic power from the feudal nobility, or by displacing or super-ceding the feudal nobility in agricultural or other economic activities. The merchant class gained economic power by expanding the trading activities in which it had always engaged." That's the key herein, trade and exchange; or rather, the ability of people to be able to engage in such. So the authors argument herein is not that democratization shall necessarily lead to an economic boom, but that the reverse is far more likely; that "economic growth was [and remains, I'd add] a force for democratization." Marx was thus, the authors assert, wrong yet again: Capitalism wasn't a natural stage progressing out of feudalism, and capitalism doesn't inherently lead to monopolistic centralization of wealth; nor can monopolistic control of the economy (under the banner of communism or socialism) drive continued economic growth. After all, "one must keep in mind that growth implies change and adaptation, and that much of the adaptation takes place through the formation of enterprises that are, at least initially, small." Hence the authors' view that "the strength of the tendency to decentralization in Western economies is chronically underestimated."
You may bemoan the influence of such mega companies as Microsoft, Exxon, & Walmart now and worry how much influence they may have in 20 years, but such is but a parlor game of sorts. (Look at the once great US Steel, or General Motors, or IBM, or any one of a dozen railroad companies, and you can see the futility of simple extrapolation.) Such high fliers now are not hurting the American economy. Such companies are stimulating it. That's the point, after all, is it not? Not to penalize success, but to focus on "the value of advancing the material welfare of human beings as measured by the means available to THE GREAT MAJORITY of individuals to choose and shape the quality of the lives they lead"(emphasis added). And as long as the Microsofts and Walmarts of our economy continue to add to the growth of such they shall be secure as entities, but there shall come a time when innovations (think Linux, Google, Apple multimedia platforms to come, home grocery delivery and internet shopping---you name it) will seek to dethrone them. To wit, the authors point out that a "seldom praised function of competition in economic growth is that it eliminates obsolete forms of economic activity." (Contrast this to "the difficulty experienced by the political sphere in getting rid of programs that are obsolete or that have simply failed.") Hence "the real point...essential to understanding why the benefits of Western growth were so widely diffused is that the West's system of economic growth offered its largest financial rewards to innovators who improved the life-style not of the wealthy few, but of the less-wealthy many. This is a point that bodes ill for 3rd world ever-developing disappointments (ie., Russia, Venezuela, slews of countries in Africa/The Middle East) who are hopelessly (or so it seems) overly centralized and concerned only with enhancing the riches of the elites in such societies. Corrupt self-interested cliques are simply instinctively hostile to bottom-up anything. Regarding most African and Middle Eastern states, some would say that the Western economic path "involves a diffusion of power and a degree of individualism which is incompatible with many modes of social life" in such parts of the world, but the authors herein suggest that such could have been once said about European peoples, too...until power diffused within such societies to an extent made possible by trade-generated economic growth. Nothing is guaranteed, of course, but as long as power remains centralized in backwater states the chance of real sustainable economic growth and seriously better lives for the average citizens of such societies will remain but a hopeful wish. (Interestingly, many European economies have begun to grow rather sluggishly since the European Union has been increasingly taking power back from individual states and localities with them.) Thanks for reading my words of review of this worthy book. Cheers
Institutions as the fundamental cause.......2006-03-21
Monographs dealing with West's rise from a backward feudal society to the most technologically advanced and wealthiest civilization this world has ever seen, seem to come a dime a dozen nowadays. Given the large amounts of books available on this topic, and the fact that it was published twenty years ago, what reasons are there for reading How the West Grew Rich? Quite a few I would argue.
The main question of the book is of course: how, or rather why, did the West (as opposed to the South or the East) achieve modern economic growth? The authors come to the correct conclusion that standard growth models can only provide the proximate causes of growth. Innovation and accumulation of capital, labour and natural resources is growth, it does not explain growth.
So what, according to R&B, are the fundamental causes of growth? The answer lies in favourable institutions and freedom from political restrictions - more specifically, secure property rights and the freedom to engage in any line of business and to acquire and sell goods at an unregulated price. This meant that the process of innovation was delegated to private firms and that individuals themselves were forced to bear full responsibility for their failures and reap the full benefits of their successes.
Why then did such favourable institutions and political and economic freedoms arise in the West? The answer according to R&B is political fragmentation and competition between different territories in Europe. Investments and the merchant class were drawn to areas were property rights were respected and where they could carry out their business without too much political interference. There was no single empire in Europe. The growth of markets - especially that of cities and long-distance trade - further spurred this development.
The arguments in How the West Grew Rich are, which should be apparent by now, very similar to those found in The Rise of the Western World by North and Thomas, although they focus a lot less on population growth. As they should, R&B refer to this book on several occasions. Despite this fact, How the West Grew Rich proves to be an interesting read: the familiar arguments are explored further and the book includes several interesting examples of how institutional innovations lowered transaction costs and facilitated further development.
There are a number of objections one could raise against R&B's account of the rise of the Western world - their account of the middle ages and alternative explanations behind West's success are far from satisfactory, to name a few. There are however a few things speaking in favour of this book. First of all, it has a clear message. It does not, like some other books on the same topic, name hundreds of different reasons for why the West grew rich. Rather, it presents a clear hypothesis that is present throughout the book and it also provides very clear policy recommendations to current developing countries wanting to emulate West's success. Secondly, and perhaps because it has such a clear message, it is fun to read!
The origins of capitalism revealed!.......2000-12-21
"How the West Grew Rich" is a thorough treatise on the rise of capitilism in the nation-states of the west, from feudal society towards modern times. Rosenthal and Birdzell discuss in the appearances of the requirements for capitilism, such as acknowledgment of property rights and consistent and predictable law. Also discussed are the political, social, or economic changes that caused feudal society to crumble and a variety of free markets to gradually take root and then blossom in Europe.
This book was thorough and informative, though a bit repetitive and somewhat dry. It makes a wonderful companion to Diamond's "Guns, Germs, and Steel", filling in where the later left off.
Average customer rating:
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History of the Bundesbank: Lessons for the European Bank (Routledge International Studies in Money and Banking, 9)
Jacob De Hann
Manufacturer: Routledge
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding
 Economic History
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ASIN: 0415217237 |
Book Description
After fifty years the Deutsche Bundesbank - the central bank that ruled European monetary affairs - stepped down to entrust monetary policy to the European Central Bank (ECB). The ECB is largely modelled after the Bundesbank. No doubt, this has something to do with the success of the Bundesbank in keeping inflation low. What lessons can be learnt for the ECB from the experience of the Bundesbank? The Bundesbank has been, and in the near future the ECB will be, the most important macroeconomic institution for more than two decades. The essays ask formerly taboo questions such as how independent is the Bundesbank, and reveal some evidence that the bank sometimes had to trade-off political demands and price stability.
Book Description
The primary goal of .NET Compact Framework is to bring the familiar experience of developing .NET applications for the desktop to the device world. Of the approximately six million Microsoft desktop developers in the world, it is estimated that perhaps two hundred thousand will turn their attention to the device world using the enabling technology of the .NET Compact Framework.To facilitate the goal of showing readers how to develop applications for the .NET Compact Framework, the book contains in-depth treatment in the following topic areas: Windows Forms and Threading, Network Programming, ADO.NET Dataset, XML Serialization, SQL CE, Web Services, and performance management. Each concept is accompanied with a sample application that illustrates its implementation on the .NET Compact Framework. For the convenience of the reader, each sample application will be offered in both C# and Visual Basic .NET. Developers can use this source code as a springboard for creating their own device side database applications.
Download Description
The primary goal of .NET Compact Framework is to bring the familiar experience of developing .NET applications for the desktop to the device world. Of the approximately six million Microsoft desktop developers in the world, it is estimated that perhaps two hundred thousand will turn their attention to the device world using the enabling technology of the .NET Compact Framework.To facilitate the goal of showing readers how to develop applications for the .NET Compact Framework, the book contains in-depth treatment in the following topic areas: Windows Forms and Threading, Network Programming, ADO.NET Dataset, XML Serialization, SQL CE, Web Services, and performance management. Each concept is accompanied with a sample application that illustrates its implementation on the .NET Compact Framework. For the convenience of the reader, each sample application will be offered in both C# and Visual BASIC. Developers can use this source code as a springboard for creating their own device side database applications.
Customer Reviews:
Has issues but still is a good book.......2005-04-28
I have to agree with the other posters that stated that there were errors in the book. I found where a great many of the VB examples were just copied directly from the C# with out testing them. This was obvious as they still had the ; following code lines.
That said.
I purchased 8 compact framework books and they all were lacking in one way or another. All just glossed over the database aspects. However this book was better than most and I found that out of all of them I found that as I turned to each book this one answered most of my questions.
Great for getting rolling on the .NET CF.......2004-11-06
I bought this book along with the Definitive Guide when I was assigned to do some C# work on both the regular framework and the .NET CF. I was doing mostly JavaScript for the past two years and this book really helped me get moving with C# in general. This book helped me get comfortable with getting connected to the device, understanding some of the general capabilities of the framework, and stuff like that. It paid for itself by getting me past the "hello world" stage very quickly. I recommend the Definitive Guide for when you really want to drill down but this book is great for a quick rampup, with good quick step-by-steps to do a lot of the common things programmers care about. It saved me much more time than the cost of the book, so I'm very happy with it.
Complete and detailed explanations.......2004-10-31
Information that is hard to find in other books can be find here. I buy a lot of computer books and I know when one stands out. This book paid for itself the first day.
covers basics glosses over SQL CE.......2004-06-13
This book gives a fair basic overview of the .net CF. Examples in both VB and C# are helpful to those making the switch. However, it glosses over SQL CE in one chapter with no sample code and says nothing about replication.
Get ready for missing sample files & incorrect instruction.......2004-03-27
I am currently trying one of the examples in this book. However, files that should have been included in the download are missing and some of the instructions are just FLAT WRONG. To add to this, there is no direct contact information for the authors. I have submitted the problems to the publisher but I am not hopeful. A poster on the Compact Framework newsgroup said that he had come across other errors which he submitted to the publisher some time back. As of today, there was no errata available for this book and no updates of missing files.
I find it hard to believe that they don't have at least ONE person to proofread the book and run the samples so that this doesn't happen.
The whole selling point of this book is to get you going QUICKLY with .NET CF programming. How can you do that with incomplete samples and incorrect instructions?
UPDATE: I tried contacting the authors & publisher in Jan '04. As of April '04, I have not heard one word from them.
Book Description
A great cover letter can't always get you hired, but it can get your resume read with serious attention. Learn how to stand out from the crowd by packaging your background and work experience into a readable and powerful sales pitch. Cover Letters That Knock 'em Dead arms you with the key words and phrases you need to land that critical first interview and provides you with follow-up letters to help turn those meetings into job offers.
The bestselling book in its category for more than twelve years, Cover Letters That Knock 'em Dead has been updated to include:
Five different types of cover letters
Follow-up, negotiation, acceptance, rejection, and resignation letters
Power phrases to customize your letters for any situation
The latest information on electronic cover letters and online job searching
Cover Letters That Knock 'em Dead will show you how to customize your bio and work history to keep employers begging for more. Cover Letters That Knock 'em Dead is packed with proven techniques for getting the right message across in seconds.
Customer Reviews:
Not quite knockin' 'em dead.......2005-03-08
I used this along with "Cover Letter Magic" and "The Very Quick Job Search," and I prefer those over this one. Though certainly an improvement over the old "Enclosed please find" style, the examples throughout the book are still a bit stiff, unnecessarily wordy, and dated. There's also not as much variety as in the other books.
On meail cover letters, he gives a bit of misinformation, which suggests he may not be as up-to-speed on email limitations as he could be. Specifically, he suggests using a signature-styled font in an email. (That only works if the recipient has the same font on their PC.)
I liked the examples of "Resurrection" letters (basically a thanks for the rejection), but their use is never explained in the book, so there's nothing to suggest this tactic is effective. (The only mention in the other books is in "Cover Letter Magic." They advise against them.) My guess is that this would have to be done selectively and carefully. What may be seen as persistence by the job seeker may be interpreted by the potential employer as either not being able to take a hint or a desperate need to have the last word.
It's an okay book, particularly if your personal style is somewhat formal and "old school," but it's not worthy of its title.
Great info!.......2001-05-09
Lots and lots of cover letters,styles and information. Very helpful!
BRAVO>>>>Well done maestro!!!.......2000-10-06
Excellent book it showed me all I needed to write the perfect cover letter and it was incredibly easy to read and showed excellent examples of all different types of job seeking situations. I highly recommend this to anyone...from professionals to those seeking part-time employment, well done Mr. Yate!
You need this book!.......2000-09-08
I used this book when I was job searching during my senior year of college. I read it cover to cover, and followed the author's advice. I was highly successful in my job search, landing my dream job. I was even complimented several times on my "very creative" cover letter. You can't go wrong with this book!
Letters are all the same and don't offer much variety.......1999-01-20
I think the letters in this book are just average, and they focus on me, me, me. There is nothing that helps the writer craft a letter to meet the needs of the employer. A good title, but this books misses the mark.
Product Description
TWO BOOKS * POWER RESUMES THIRD EDITION 68 EXCLUSIVE POWER RESUME TECHNIQUES CONTACTING THE PEOPLE WHO REALLY DO THE HIRING OVERCOMING "HIDDEN BARRIERS" HOTTEST JOB MARKETS AND WHY. *COVER LETTERS THAT KNOCK 'EM DEAD.
Book Description
"Packed with practical, expert advice, this is an indispensable guide on how to avert disaster when purchasing a French property. With step-by-step guidance, it deals with the finer details to make your move a stress-free success. No prospective buyer should be without it." --- Everything France "A practical guide that deals with all the relevant issues." --- Mortgage Advisor and Home Buyer "A constant reference point." --- French Property Links .." an excellent guide packed with practical detail."--- Executive Woman "This book is full of practical, expert advice"---Business Plus "Full of practical, expert advice...guides you through every step of the purchasing process, from choosing your location to financing the deal and navigating the French taxation system...with advice on letting out a house once you've bought it, and tips on schools, doctors and pension rights in France, Buying a Property in France covers everything you need to know before taking the plunge." ---Families Journal The climate, culture and lifestyle make buying property in France a very seductive proposition. This fully revised second edition of "The Complete Guide to Buying Property in France" is the most informative and best-value book available on the subject. It is packed with expert advice on every issue you will need to consider, including: * choosing your location -- the regions of France, their property markets and transport links * every step of the purchasing process * financing your purchase * French inheritance and taxation rules * health and education * adapting to your French lifestyle * renting and letting a home in France * setting up a business in France Packed with practical details such as usefulvocabulary, Web sites, contact addresses, and sample letters, it is your essential companion to avoiding the pitfalls and turning your dream into a reality.
Average customer rating:
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Hoover's Handbook of American Business 2002 (Hoover's Handbook of American Business, 2002)
Manufacturer: Hoover's
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 1573110728 |
Books:
- Interactive Text, Microeconomics: A Contemporary Introduction with Access Card and InfoTrac College Edition
- Interferon: The Science and Selling of a Miracle Drug (Studies in the History of Science, Technology and Medicine)
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- Law, Economics and Antitrust: Towards a New Perspective
- Leading Economic Indicators: New Approaches and Forecasting Records
- Liberty Beyond Neo-Liberalism: A Republican Critique of Liberal Governance in a Globalising Age
- Lords of Things: The Fashioning of the Siamese Monarchy's Modern Image
- Macroeconomics - 2nd Edition: An Integrated Approach
- Managing Britain's Marine and Coastal Environment (Ocean Management and Policy)
- Mastering Entrepreneurship: The Complete MBA Companion in Entrepreneurship
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