Paperback
The Past and Future of America’s Economy
Long Waves of Innovation that Power Cycles of Growth
9781845425760 Edward Elgar Publishing
Robert Atkinson examines this process of change over the past 150 years and explores the responses of people and institutions. The book then analyzes today’s New Economy, including the new information technology system, and effects on markets, organizations, workers, and governance. Taking into account the historical record, the book discusses the shortcomings of prevailing liberal and conservative economic doctrines and lays out a new growth economics agenda aimed at maximizing the productivity-enhancing forces of the New Economy.
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Critical Acclaim
Contents
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Throughout American history, periodic cycles of economic change have fundamentally reordered the way we work, the organization of business and markets, the role of government, and even the nature of politics. If we are to control our future, we must understand this process of change.
These economic transformations are powered by the emergence of waves of new technologies. In the 1890s, the development of electricity and cheap steel led to a new, factory-based economy. In the 1940s and 1950s, automation and advances in electronics and chemicals created a new national corporate, mass-production economy. Since the 1990s, an information technology revolution has again created a robust New Economy.
Robert Atkinson examines this process of change over the past 150 years and explores the responses of people and institutions. The book then analyzes today’s New Economy, including the new information technology system, and effects on markets, organizations, workers, and governance. Taking into account the historical record, the book discusses the shortcomings of prevailing liberal and conservative economic doctrines and lays out a new growth economics agenda aimed at maximizing the productivity-enhancing forces of the New Economy.
Anyone interested in American history as well as the future contours of our economy will find Dr Atkinson’s insightful analyses a fascinating guide to the past and a provocative challenge for the future. Economists, business leaders, scholars, and economic policymakers will find it a necessary addition to the literature on economic cycles and growth economics.
These economic transformations are powered by the emergence of waves of new technologies. In the 1890s, the development of electricity and cheap steel led to a new, factory-based economy. In the 1940s and 1950s, automation and advances in electronics and chemicals created a new national corporate, mass-production economy. Since the 1990s, an information technology revolution has again created a robust New Economy.
Robert Atkinson examines this process of change over the past 150 years and explores the responses of people and institutions. The book then analyzes today’s New Economy, including the new information technology system, and effects on markets, organizations, workers, and governance. Taking into account the historical record, the book discusses the shortcomings of prevailing liberal and conservative economic doctrines and lays out a new growth economics agenda aimed at maximizing the productivity-enhancing forces of the New Economy.
Anyone interested in American history as well as the future contours of our economy will find Dr Atkinson’s insightful analyses a fascinating guide to the past and a provocative challenge for the future. Economists, business leaders, scholars, and economic policymakers will find it a necessary addition to the literature on economic cycles and growth economics.
Critical Acclaim
‘Atkinson is an effective advocate. He writes well, drawing on a wide range of literature.’
– M. Perelman, Choice
‘Rob Atkinson is one of our best analysts of how innovation drives local and regional economies, and what to do to take advantage of technological change. In his visionary book, he fluently articulates the principles of a new "growth economics" that is America''s best hope for a prosperous future leaving no one behind.’
– Rosabeth Moss Kanter, Harvard Business School professor and author of Confidence: How Winning Streaks and Losing Streaks Begin and End
‘Any person concerned about the future of our economy should read this book. Atkinson offers terrific historical perspective as well as specific policy proposals that would give us the best chance for broad based economic growth now and for generations to come. It should be mandatory reading for public policymakers.’
– Congressman Adam Smith (D-WA), Co-chair of the House New Democratic Coalition, US
‘Rob Atkinson has produced a powerful and far-reaching look at the underlying mechanism powering today’s New Economy. In particular, he shows how the US is just at the beginning of an innovation wave which is not only boosting productivity, but transforming economic organization and economic policy as well. This book is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand how the US economy got to where it is today, and how it can best get to a prosperous and humane future.’
– Michael J. Mandel, Chief Economist, Business Week, and author of Rational Exuberance: Silencing the Enemies of Growth
‘I congratulate the author on a great and important book. I couldn’t agree more that the political party that comes closest to supporting humane growth economics should be the leader for the next 25 years. It’s a great vision for the future, and his scholarly but readable mix of history, technology, economics and politics is very persuasive. It’s the sort of stuff that should be taught in economics courses, but almost never is.’
– David Moschella, author of Customer-driven IT: How Users Are Shaping Technology Industry Growth
‘Rob Atkinson is one of the most creative thinkers about the American economy. In this fascinating book, he puts the “new economy” spurred by the digital revolution into the context of other historic transformations. By doing so, he shows how we can preserve the gains in productivity and implement policies that will keep the economy growing. Everyone concerned about our economic future should read this.’
– Walter Isaacson, author of Benjamin Franklin: An American Life
– M. Perelman, Choice
‘Rob Atkinson is one of our best analysts of how innovation drives local and regional economies, and what to do to take advantage of technological change. In his visionary book, he fluently articulates the principles of a new "growth economics" that is America''s best hope for a prosperous future leaving no one behind.’
– Rosabeth Moss Kanter, Harvard Business School professor and author of Confidence: How Winning Streaks and Losing Streaks Begin and End
‘Any person concerned about the future of our economy should read this book. Atkinson offers terrific historical perspective as well as specific policy proposals that would give us the best chance for broad based economic growth now and for generations to come. It should be mandatory reading for public policymakers.’
– Congressman Adam Smith (D-WA), Co-chair of the House New Democratic Coalition, US
‘Rob Atkinson has produced a powerful and far-reaching look at the underlying mechanism powering today’s New Economy. In particular, he shows how the US is just at the beginning of an innovation wave which is not only boosting productivity, but transforming economic organization and economic policy as well. This book is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand how the US economy got to where it is today, and how it can best get to a prosperous and humane future.’
– Michael J. Mandel, Chief Economist, Business Week, and author of Rational Exuberance: Silencing the Enemies of Growth
‘I congratulate the author on a great and important book. I couldn’t agree more that the political party that comes closest to supporting humane growth economics should be the leader for the next 25 years. It’s a great vision for the future, and his scholarly but readable mix of history, technology, economics and politics is very persuasive. It’s the sort of stuff that should be taught in economics courses, but almost never is.’
– David Moschella, author of Customer-driven IT: How Users Are Shaping Technology Industry Growth
‘Rob Atkinson is one of the most creative thinkers about the American economy. In this fascinating book, he puts the “new economy” spurred by the digital revolution into the context of other historic transformations. By doing so, he shows how we can preserve the gains in productivity and implement policies that will keep the economy growing. Everyone concerned about our economic future should read this.’
– Walter Isaacson, author of Benjamin Franklin: An American Life
Contents
Contents: Part I: How Technology Drives Economic and Social Transformations 1. Introduction: A New Economy? 2. Technological, Economic and Social Transformation 3. Economic Transformations from the 1840s to the 1990s 4. Today’s Entrepreneurial, Knowledge-Based Economy 5. The Key to Productivity Revival? 6. The New Economy and its Discontents Part II: Modernizing Public Policies for the New Economy 7. Legacy Economic Policy Frameworks 8. Growth Economics for the New Economy 9. Implementing Growth Economics 10. Building a More Humane Economy Bibliography Index
