The Economists’ Hour by Binyamin Appelbaum Summary
Overview of The Economists’ Hour
How economists hijacked American policy for 40 years, promising prosperity but delivering inequality. Appelbaum's New York Times acclaimed expose reveals how free-market theories fractured society globally, from Wall Street to Chile. The book that made policymakers question: did we give economists too much power?
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Key takeaways
The Basement Revolution That Changed Everything
Picture a six-foot-seven economist standing before Congress in 1979, stone-faced and unapologetic, about to trigger the worst recession since the Great Depression-on purpose. Paul Volcker wasn't there to comfort anyone. He was there to break inflation, no matter how many jobs it cost. This moment crystallized a seismic shift that had been building for decades: economists had moved from basement offices to the commanding heights of power, reshaping every corner of American life. From the prices you pay to the job you hold, from the airlines you fly to the value placed on your very life, market-oriented economists rewrote the rules. Between 1969 and 2008, their ideas didn't just influence policy-they became policy. In the early 1950s, economists were barely tolerated in government. FDR dismissed Keynes as an impractical mathematician. Eisenhower warned against technocratic control. Young Paul Volcker worked as a human calculator in the Federal Reserve's basement with little hope for advancement. But everything was about to change. A small man with large glasses and boyish enthusiasm-Milton Friedman-would lead an intellectual revolution arguing that open markets represented the best system of human governance, far superior to government intervention. His ideas would move from academic fringe to mainstream dogma with stunning speed, fundamentally altering how Americans work, consume, and live. This was the Economists' Hour, and we're still living in the world it created.
Markets Replace Civic Duty
The Rise and Fall of Keynesian Confidence
Volcker's Dragon Slaying and Supply-Side Dreams
When Giants Walk Among Us
The Great Unshackling
Reckoning With What We've Built
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"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
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From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
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