The central argument of this book is that the foundations for sustainable prosperity lie in an approach to economic management based on modern monetary theory and a job guarantee. This approach builds on the work of Keynes, Kalecki, Minsky, Davidson, Godley and other Post- Keynesian economists―as well as research by behavioral economists including Simon, Kahneman and Loewenstein―to explore the role that a permanent, equitable job guarantee could play in building an inclusive, participatory and just society. Orthodox (neoclassical) economics, in its various forms, has failed to deliver sustainable prosperity.

The financial crisis in advanced economies and its impact on developing countries has put the longer term agenda of development – structural transformation of countries, of their growth, jobs, poverty and distribution – on the analytic and policy backburner. Day to day management of macro fundamentals in the global economy and the labour market have consumed decision makers with faltering GDP growth, soaring unemployment, and a resurgent threat of deflation. Without understanding and addressing the structural constraints and imbalances underpinning such global problems, the world economy is doomed to experience an increasing number of crises and emerging dualisms between countries.

Making a timely and original contribution to the defining issues of our time―the state of the middle class, the problem of inequality, and the crisis of democratic governance―Restoring the Middle Class through Wage Policy will be of interest to students and researchers considering the impact of such approaches across the fields of public policy, economics, and political science.

This volume undertakes the important task of envisioning a regional history of Asia based on its unique internal characteristics, going beyond the usual West/non-West dichotomy. The “regional trade zone of modern Asia” was debated in the 1980s. Since then, Japanese historians of the socioeconomic history of Asia have explored how the traditional trade relations that had developed over the centuries in Asia responded to the so-called Western impacts in the mid-nineteenth century, including the opening of ports and tariff reduction under free trade regimes and the advance in transportation technology.

This volume investigates the impact of energy issues on geostrategy. The crucial importance of energy and the fact that fossil fuels are not equally distributed among countries means that decisions are not only based on financial arguments, but also on the political impact. It can be said that “Energy is Politics”. In three parts – 1) Energy Economy; 2) Finance; and 3) Geostrategy – academics and practitioners address both economic and political questions and present cases from several countries.

This book analyses the fast spread of free trade agreements (FTAs) across the globe, their content and their economic impact. In the wake of Brexit and the new protectionism of President Trump, Melchior offers a timely assessment of key issues relating to FTAs.