Understandable Economics

Winner of Axiom Business Book Award's 2023 Bronze Medal for Economics

Incomes are stagnating, middle-class jobs are disappearing, economic growth is slowing, and the meager gains are mostly going to those who are already wealthy. More Americans than ever are frustrated by the direction in which we are headed. Understandable Economics aims to replace this frustration with a practical understanding of our economy and empower readers to identify and advocate for a better approach to the problems we face.

In this entertaining and informative guide, author Howard Yaruss breaks down our economic system in a straightforward way, avoiding jargon, formulas, graphs, and other technical material so common in books on this subject. Instead, he creates a compelling and comprehensive picture of our economy using accessible analogies, real-world observations, and entertaining anecdotes.

Understandable Economics will enable readers to answer questions such as:

Why is inequality soaring and what can we do about it?

Do tax cuts for the wealthy create jobs or just create more inequality?

Where does money come from, why does it have value, and who controls it?

What does the Fed do and how does it affect our lives?

Could alternative currencies like Bitcoin replace the dollar?

Is our national debt a threat?

Why do so many people believe free trade is good if it causes some people to lose jobs?

Why does the economy regularly turn down and how can we get it back on track?

... and many more.

Understandable Economics provides the context, tools and foundational knowledge readers need to thoroughly understand our economy, determine which policies would work best, and champion those policies effectively.