Ricardo's Gauntlet: Economic Fiction and the Flawed Case for Free Trade
By (Author) Vishaal Kishore
Anthem Press
Anthem Press
2nd September 2014
United Kingdom
General
Non Fiction
330.122
Paperback
222
Width 140mm, Height 216mm, Spine 26mm
454g
'Ricardo's Gauntlet' advances a critique of the mainstream economic case for international free trade. While the core of the case for free trade is David Ricardo's principle of comparative advantage, the book argues that this case relies on a cluster of interconnected and mutually enforcing 'economic fictions' - economic theories or doctrines that pretend to be fact but which upon examination turn out to be mirages. Exposing the layers of fiction nested in the subfields of mainstream economics empties comparative advantage of its persuasiveness, bringing down the case for free trade.
Associate Professor Vishaal Kishore is a Principal Fellow in the Melbourne School of Government, University of Melbourne; a government and policy strategist; and a public service senior executive.