According to their historical dialectic, the ultimate triumph of the marketplace is as sure as the sunrise. The book gives short shrift or no shrift at all to any thought that the marketplace might be the wrong solution to any situation. They even include a discussion of school choice. But this book does not shout. It is clearly and elegantly written for the intelligent, interested layman.
Economic theory is explained, but with a refreshing lack of jargon and a complete absence of math.
And even with its assurance of the correctness of markets, the book gives a relatively even-handed narrative of the economic history of the 20th century. It explains the origin of the mixed economies of Europe after World War II, pointing out that the body politic was so traumatized by the Great Depression that government guarantees for such things as health care, unemployment insurance and even a job made a lot of sense in those circumstances. And they show how as the western colonial powers left Africa and Asia, the new native leaders looked for a different way to run their affairs. They examine every part of the world, usually through vignettes and quick character sketches of the most important players. They strive to point out how the market provides the best solution to the economic problems of any nation.