Editorial Review

The world is on the verge of another industrial revolution, driven by knowledge this time, not the steam engine or electricity, according to noted MIT economist Lester C. Thurow. In his book, Read more

Reviews (35)

How can one be wrong so much, and yet be successful?
It is so sad how wrong someone can be proven over and over again and still, he/she is rewarded, called a genius and is allowed to teach our youth. Here is a quote from the author: "Can economic command significantly... accelerate the growth process? The remarkable performance of the Soviet Union suggests that it can... Today the Soviet Union is a country whose economic achievements bear comparison with those of the United States." This was in 1989, just shortly before the Societ Union collapsed. Unfortunately, being this wrong in economics gives one awards and allows you to teach college students while being described a genius. Sad. Mr. Thurow may be a 'genius', but geniuses can be wrong too.

A Wealth of Knowledge!Must Have For The 21st Century!
Heh, a reviewer claimed that the book is out dated, and reffered to the media hyped "technology meltdown" as a reason to give up home in technology and the building of wealth through intellect.We are now 2 years into the 21st century (3 years if you think it started in the year 2000), the markets are readjusting, and technology is abounding.The "internet bubble" or "Dot Com Crash" was a cataclysm of investors and venture capitalists, smart and stupid, who got too greedy, and forgot the fundamentals of business, internet or no internet.The markets will ALWAYS naturally receed and recess after "bubbles", which is what happened.Technology, however, did and has not receeded.Wealth is being built upon the foundations of intellect, and Thurow's book shows how this is to be accomplished by analyzing all other economic revolutions and what occured to make them possible.If Thurow was giving stock predictions and analysis, and "hot picks of the week" (which he absolutely does not), then i would understand the discredit which some reviewers have given him.But this is just not the case.Thurow analyzes the wealth being generated by Global corporations, and small businesses alike through the internet.He gives examples of those who have made it to the top of the wealth pyramid.He points to revolutionary ideas and systems which have fueled economies for decades.He answers questions, he asks questions.For futurists, insight, knowlegde, and analysis of history is key.If you want to be someone who is ahead in the future, and if you want to know what it will take to grow financially in the current century, "Building Wealth" gives insights into how it has been done, and what it may take.As with all good financial books, a disclaimer:This is not going to TELL you how to get RICH.It will teach you about current debates on the direction of capitalism, and what is believed will happen in 21st century buisness.Expand your mind, expand your wealth, even if it be only a wealth of mind.

How Rich Countries Get Rich
Overall, it is a fascinating read for anyone interested in economics, or how rich countries become rich. Lots of good facts which reflect on the competitive, and opportunistic capitalist paradigm we currently live in. Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Economics - Comparative    5. Economics - General    6. Entrepreneurship    7. Finance    8. Business & Economics / Entrepreneurship   

Subjects:  1. Asia - China    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. China    4. Economic Conditions    5. Economics - Comparative    6. Government & Business    7. History    8. History: World    9. Privatization   

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Comparative Economics    5. Economic Conditions    6. Economic Policy    7. Economic aspects    8. Economics - Comparative    9. Economics - General    10. Europe, Central    11. Former Soviet republics    12. Post-communism    13. Public Policy - Economic Policy    14. Central Europe    15. Former Soviet Union, USSR (Europe)    16. Transitional economies   

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business/Economics    3. Economics - Comparative    4. Industries - Service Industries    5. International Economic Relations    6. International Trade    7. Investments & Securities - General   

Subjects:  1. Demography    2. Economic History    3. Economics - Comparative    4. International - General    5. International Economics (General)    6. Reference    7. Social Science    8. Sociology    9. Statistics    10. Yearbooks & Annuals   

Subjects:  1. Asia - Southeast Asia    2. Business & Economics    3. Business / Economics / Finance    4. Business/Economics    5. Development - Sustainable Development    6. Economics - Comparative    7. Development economics    8. Development studies    9. Sustainability    10. Vietnam   

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Case studies    3. Developed countries    4. Development - Economic Development    5. Economics - Comparative    6. General    7. Industrial policy    8. Politics - Current Events    9. Politics / Current Events    10. Politics/International Relations    11. Public Policy - General    12. Public Policy - Social Policy    13. Central government policies    14. Germany    15. Italy    16. Japan    17. USA    18. United Kingdom, Great Britain   

Subjects:  1. Asia - Southeast Asia    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Economic History    5. Economics - Comparative    6. History    7. History: World    8. Public Policy - Economic Policy    9. Asian / Middle Eastern history: c 1500 to c 1900    10. International trade    11. Malaysia    12. Social history    13. c 1700 to c 1800    14. c 1800 to c 1900   

Subjects:  1. Business / Economics / Finance    2. Businesspeople    3. Comparative Economics    4. Economics - Comparative    5. Elite (Social sciences)    6. France    7. Great Britain    8. Industries - General    9. Political Science    10. Politics/International Relations    11. Public Policy - Economic Policy    12. Social Classes    13. International business    14. POLITICS & GOVERNMENT    15. United Kingdom, Great Britain   

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business/Economics    3. Development - Economic Development    4. Economics - Comparative    5. Sustainability   

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Econometric models    5. Economic History    6. Economics - Comparative    7. Population    8. Population policy    9. Quality of life    10. Sociology - Social Theory    11. Welfare economics    12. Business & Economics / Economic History    13. Economic theory & philosophy    14. Population & demography    15. Social welfare & social services   

Reviews (3)

An Amazing Book
This is one of the most amazing books that examines and describes China's strategies from an economic and global view.
Prophetic
There's just one thing seriously wrong with this book: it needs an up-to-date edition. Overholt, a Harvard grad with a Yale PhD, now at RAND in Santa Monica, CA, wrote this book almost a decade ago, and much has happened since. I would gladly give a second edition the 6 stars it almost certainly deserves. Hong Kong - Capitalism 101
Hong Kong is the world leader in capitalism.This in the center of the worlds largest (socialist) country.As a former Hong Kong resident, I can assure you that this book gives an excellent, and easily read explinationwhy the US will soon become the second largest economy in the world.Ifyour a history buff, an economic enthusiest, or want to know the future,this is recommended reading. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1976-    2. Business & Economics    3. Business/Economics    4. China    5. Economic conditions    6. Economic policy    7. Economics - Comparative   

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Economics - Comparative    5. Economics - Macroeconomics    6. Public Policy - City Planning & Urban Dev.    7. Urban & Regional    8. Development economics    9. North America    10. Urban communities   

Subjects:  1. Case studies    2. Congresses    3. Decision making    4. Development - Economic Development    5. Diffusion of innovations    6. Economics - Comparative    7. Latin America    8. Politics / Current Events    9. Public Policy - General    10. Public Policy - Social Policy    11. Social Science    12. Social policy    13. Sociology    14. Sociology - General    15. Development economics    16. International relations   

Subjects:  1. Africa, North    2. Business & Economics    3. Business / Economics / Finance    4. Business/Economics    5. Congresses    6. Development - Business Development    7. Development - Economic Development    8. Economics - Comparative    9. Information technology    10. Knowledge Capital    11. Knowledge management    12. Management    13. Middle East    14. Development economics    15. North Africa   

Subjects:  1. 1947-    2. 2000-    3. Business & Economics    4. Business/Economics    5. China    6. Development - Economic Development    7. Economic conditions    8. Economic development    9. Economics - Comparative    10. India    11. Politics/International Relations    12. Economics   

Subjects:  1. Business    2. Business & Economics    3. Business / Economics / Finance    4. Business education    5. Business/Economics    6. Economics - Comparative    7. Education    8. Entrepreneurship    9. Europe    10. Management - General    11. Study and teaching    12. Technological innovations    13. Business & Economics / Management    14. Business & Management   

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Development - Business Development    5. Development - Economic Development    6. Economics - Comparative    7. Business competition    8. Caribbean islands    9. Developing countries    10. Development studies    11. Economic systems    12. International economics   

Reviews (1)

Michael Brecher wrote: "A rigorous analysis of foreign aid"
(From Michael Brecher's review on the back cover) "This is an ambitious--and successful--attempt at theoretical integration, with a valuable empirical component. Basing their analysis on the domestic political imperatives model of foreign policy decision-making and the principal-agent model (agency theory), Van Belle, Rioux and Potter dissect, with laudable rigor, key strands of the politics of foreign aid. Their comparative analysis of overseas development aid (ODA) programs by the five largest developed donor states adds an instructive case study dimension. And they have used their rich, genuinely comparable data to generate important findings. As such, this book goes far beyond the typical one-dimensional studies of the role of the news media and the media-bureaucracy nexus in decision-making relating to foreign aid." ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bureaucracy    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Cross-cultural studies    4. Economic assistance    5. Economics - Comparative    6. International Relations - General    7. Media Studies    8. Political Science    9. Politics/International Relations    10. Press coverage    11. Aid & relief programmes    12. Political Science / International Relations   

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business/Economics    3. Canada    4. Congresses    5. Costs    6. Economics - Comparative    7. Employee fringe benefits    8. Labor costs    9. United States