The Nature of Economies

NearlyfortyyearsafterTheDeathandLifeofGreatAmericanCitiesforeverchangedthefieldofurbanstudies,JaneJacobs--oneofthefewcontemporarythinkerswhoseworkswillremaininprintforgenerations--bringsusamodernclassiconeconomiesandecology.Originalandeloquent,thisnewbooklooksattheconnectionbetweentheeconomyandnature,arguingthattheprinciplesofdevelopment,commontobothsystems,arethepropersubjectofeconomicstudy.        TheNatureofEconomiesiswrittenintheformofaPlatonicdialogue,aconversationovercoffeeamongfivecontemporaryNewYorkers.Thequestiontheydiscussis:Doeseconomiclifeobeythesamerulesasthosegoverningthesystemsinnature?Forexample,canthewayfieldsandforestsmaximizetheirintakesandusesofsunlightteachussomethingabouthoweconomiesexpandwealthandjobsandcandothisinenvironmentallybeneficialways?Theunderlyingquestionisbothsimpleandprofound,andtheanswersthatemergewillshapethewaypeoplethinkabouthoweconomiesreallywork.        TheNewYorkTimesdescribedJaneJacobs'sTheDeathandLifeofGreatAmericanCitiesas"firstofallaworkofliterature."Theaccessibilityofherprose--TheNewCriterioncalledit"majestic"--standsasJacobs'shallmark.Sheistherarestofanalyticthinkers,bothaneconomicvisionaryandanartist.Examiningcomplexsystemswiththewit,style,andcleareyeofthemasterlyessayist,inTheNatureofEconomiesJacobsonceagainaccomplishesthenearimpossible:Shefundamentallychallengessomeoftheestablishedprinciplesofeconomicswhilewritinginastylethatenthrallsthegeneralreader.