Saturday, March 15, 2008

The New Asian Hemisphere: The Irresistible Shift of Global Power to the East

The New Asian Hemisphere - a review from DesiPundit by Lekhni
Samanth reviews Kishore Mahbubani’s “The New Asian Hemisphere”. He does not agree with the author on many issues, though he speaks highly of the author’s experience and policy acumen. But the book does appear to be a very interesting read, especially if you are interested in geopolitics.

But he is disconcertingly confident of his extrapolations and his models of the future. For China and India to vault to the status of America and Europe, for example, is no sure feat. Both countries will first have to raise an unprecedented number of people out of poverty and then into the bracket of the middle class, but Mr. Mahbubani does not examine how these twin growth stories will overcome that sheer pressure of their populations.

Good books on trade policies from Marginal Revolution by Tyler Cowen
Jason, a loyal MR reader, asks me in an email:

What is a good economic history of commerce and trade? I'm looking for a book, preferably recent, with lots of historical examples of what trade policies can do. It would be a bonus if it integrated theory in with the examples, but that isn't necessary. I'd also prefer a book written by an economist rather than a historian, since historians tend to get their theory wrong. Rosenberg's How the West Grew Rich comes to mind, but I wonder about other examples.

I say "Ask and ye shall receive." You could try William J. Bernstein's new A Splendid Exchange: How Trade Shaped the World. Readers, do you have other suggestions?

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