http://heliologue.com/2006/04/24/the-world-is-flat/ Let joy be unconfined. Let there be dancing in the streets, drinking in the saloons, and necking in the parlor. Wed, 23 May 2012 05:37:09 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 http://heliologue.com/2006/04/24/the-world-is-flat/#comment-30741 A Modest Construct » The Undercover Economist Fri, 13 Oct 2006 16:52:43 +0000 http://heliologue.com/blog/2006/04/24/the-world-is-flat/#comment-30741 [...] There was a noticeable change in the second half of the book, however. After using consumer products to explain the underlying principles of economics, Harford tackles the subject of globalisation and foreign trade, talking at length about corruption in Cameroon, sweatshops in China, and beer in Belgium. Harford is very much free-trade, and it annoys me that he relegates much of the “human factor” to things such as “externality costs,” which is convenient for economists but not practical for the real world. Yes, Tim, maybe working in a Chinese sweatshop is better than the alternative, but that doesn’t make it good or desirable. Actually, this reminded me very much of Thomas Friedman’s mediocre The World is Flat. [...] [...] There was a noticeable change in the second half of the book, however. After using consumer products to explain the underlying principles of economics, Harford tackles the subject of globalisation and foreign trade, talking at length about corruption in Cameroon, sweatshops in China, and beer in Belgium. Harford is very much free-trade, and it annoys me that he relegates much of the “human factor” to things such as “externality costs,” which is convenient for economists but not practical for the real world. Yes, Tim, maybe working in a Chinese sweatshop is better than the alternative, but that doesn’t make it good or desirable. Actually, this reminded me very much of Thomas Friedman’s mediocre The World is Flat. [...]

]]> http://heliologue.com/2006/04/24/the-world-is-flat/#comment-16962 Ben Wed, 10 May 2006 14:52:36 +0000 http://heliologue.com/blog/2006/04/24/the-world-is-flat/#comment-16962 Are they substantive changes, or is he basically just flogging the same horse? Are they substantive changes, or is he basically just flogging the same horse?

]]> http://heliologue.com/2006/04/24/the-world-is-flat/#comment-16941 rob Tue, 09 May 2006 20:39:22 +0000 http://heliologue.com/blog/2006/04/24/the-world-is-flat/#comment-16941 Oh and to add, since I realised that I'm reading the 2006 edition: the newer version has ~70 more pages, and the additions have thus far consisted mostly of him addressing criticisms and responding to comments from people about the first edition. He hasn't really added anything to the core theories but rather added a few more anecdotes and stories to flesh them out. Oh and to add, since I realised that I’m reading the 2006 edition: the newer version has ~70 more pages, and the additions have thus far consisted mostly of him addressing criticisms and responding to comments from people about the first edition. He hasn’t really added anything to the core theories but rather added a few more anecdotes and stories to flesh them out.

]]> http://heliologue.com/2006/04/24/the-world-is-flat/#comment-16355 rob Thu, 27 Apr 2006 13:18:33 +0000 http://heliologue.com/blog/2006/04/24/the-world-is-flat/#comment-16355 Glad to know it gets better; I'm about 150 pages in and the excruciatingly bad technical explanations were having me think twice about continuing. Glad to know it gets better; I’m about 150 pages in and the excruciatingly bad technical explanations were having me think twice about continuing.

]]> http://heliologue.com/2006/04/24/the-world-is-flat/#comment-16152 Ben Tue, 25 Apr 2006 02:07:03 +0000 http://heliologue.com/blog/2006/04/24/the-world-is-flat/#comment-16152 I wonder how much more there was to say after 6 months? I wonder how much more there was to say after 6 months?

]]> http://heliologue.com/2006/04/24/the-world-is-flat/#comment-16138 Jeff Tue, 25 Apr 2006 00:05:34 +0000 http://heliologue.com/blog/2006/04/24/the-world-is-flat/#comment-16138 I noticed that there's a new "updated and expanded" hardback version out. That's certainly different. I noticed that there’s a new “updated and expanded” hardback version out. That’s certainly different.

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