How Much is Enough?: Money and the Good Life - Robert Skidelsky

\nA provocative and timely call for a moral approach to economics, drawing on philosophers, political theorists, writers, and economists from Aristotle to Marx to Keynes \n What constitutes the good life? What is the true value of money? Why \ndo we work such long hours merely to acquire greater wealth? These \nare some of the questions that many asked themselves when the \nfinancial system crashed in 2008. This book tackles such questions \nhead-on. \n The authors begin with the great economist John Maynard Keynes. \nIn 1930 Keynes predicted that, within a century, per capita income \nwould steadily rise, people's basic needs would be met, and no one \nwould have to work more than fifteen hours a week. Clearly, he was \nwrong: though income has increased as he envisioned, our wants \nhave seemingly gone unsatisfied, and we continue to work long hours. \n The Skidelskys explain why Keynes was mistaken. Then, arguing \nfrom the premise that economics is a moral science, they trace the \nconcept of the good life from Aristotle to the present and show how \nour lives over the last half century have strayed from that ideal. Finally, \nthey issue a call to think anew about what really matters in our lives \nand how to attain it. How Much Is Enough? is a work of deep intelligence \nand ethical commitment accessible to all readers.\n