Review of Economix

I highly suggest this book. Its cute pictures made economics highly accessible. I am now capable of name dropping Ricardian economic models and Malthusian population growth limits in casual conversations. Quite a feat since I’ve never taken an economics class before.

The key points I took away are:

• Ronald Reagan is the devil. He cut taxes on the rich. The rich don’t reinvest their wealth for the benefit of society. They hoard that wealth like evil Benedict Cumberbatch’s Smaugs.
• Laissez Faire policies lead to public squalor and private wealth. Sewage, infrastructure, and healthy environments aren’t profitable, so the market has no incentive to maintain/improve them.
• Mixed economies work. A government that regulates big businesses will keep those businesses honest, and will redirect funds to less profitable, but beneficial public services.

Yes this comic gets political, often without depicting both sides of the coin. I’ve sided with the author for now since his arguments were compelling enough. One particular example was a rhetorical question about Disney’s CEO, who made ~$40,000,000 prior to Reagan’s tax breaks. He made ~$80,000,000 after. Did he really do a better job after making $80,000,000? No.

The initial chapters are more historical and less politically charged. They were informative while maintaining a charm that should appeal to your inner child.

Here’s an example of a page that I literally lol’d at.