The Occupy Handbook
"More than a scrapbook of the recent Occupy Wall Street movement,The Occupy Handbook,a compilation by our best journalists, thinkers and economists, puts the story of America's revolt against inequality in welcome historical perspective. From the barricades of 1848, to the barrios of modern Chile, to the improbable campgrounds thrown together in the shadows of New York skyscrapers, theHandbookexamines the budding question of whether democracy can foster a more equal, and also a more prosperous, society. Insightful pieces by Gillian Tett, John Cassidy, Bethany McLean and many more prepare you to think about the next outbreak of outrage and activism-which is only a matter of time."—Roger Lowenstein,author ofThe End of Wall StreetandWhen Genius Failed"When future historians ponder why the Great Recession failed to spark a populist revolt like those of the 1890s or 1930s, they'll find a wealth of insights in this remarkable volume."—Sylvia Nasar,author ofGrand Pursuit: The Story of Economic GeniusandA Beautiful Mind"This fascinating collection explains whyandhow income and wealth inequalities have rightly climbed to the top of the policy agenda in so many countries. With multiple perspectives from both experts and activists,The Occupy Handbookcontains valuable insights on the historical context, the formation of the popular movements, their impact, and what the future may hold. I suspect it won't be long before this handbook is viewed as the reference guide for understanding how an unstructured gathering of people in Zuccotti Park ended up providing the catalyst redefining policy imperatives around the world."—Mohamed A. El-Erian,CEO of PIMCO and author ofWhen Markets Collide"A rich set of ideas for reforming the American political and economic system. Will any of these suggestions gain traction with the people who seek and hold political office? That depends entirely on you-the reader. Either we still have a vibrant democracy, capable of making sensible public policy. Or we are going down a long and very dark path."—Simon Johnson,MIT Sloan School of Management and co-author, with James Kwak, ofWhite House Burningand13 Bankers: The Wall Street Takeover and the Next Financial Meltdown"For those who have come to believe that economics exists only to legitimize the interests of a wealthy elite, this remarkable collection should be an eye-opener. Here we see what economics does best, which is to pursue a parsimonious and plausible set of hypotheses unblinkingly to their logical conclusion. The answers will often surprise: Did you know, for example, that the best evidence on how we should set income taxes points to tax rates upwards of 60 percent on the rich? Read the essay by Diamond and Saez (a Nobel Prize winner and a winner of the almost equally distinguished John Bates Clark Medal) for why."—Abhijit V. Banerjee,MIT, and co-author, with Esther Duflo, ofPoor Economics: A Radical Rethinking of the Way to Fight Global Poverty"A succinct body of essays by knowledgeable, sympathetic observers on the grievances of the Occupy Wall Street protestors....An educational, highly useful primer on what's broken and how to fix it."—Kirkus Reviews"An excellent one-stop shop for analysis of the financial crisis and everything about it."—Felix Salmon,Reuters