The Price of Inequality

How Today's Divided Society Endangers Our Future

By: Joseph E. Stiglitz

Narrated by: Paul Boehmer

Length: 13 hrs and 4 mins

Publisher's summary

The top 1 percent of Americans control 40 percent of the nation's wealth. And, as Joseph E. Stiglitz explains, while those at the top enjoy the best health care, education, and benefits of wealth, they fail to realize that "their fate is bound up with how the other 99 percent live."

Stiglitz draws on his deep understanding of economics to show that growing inequality is not inevitable: moneyed interests compound their wealth by stifling true, dynamic capitalism. They have made America the most unequal advanced industrial country while crippling growth, trampling on the rule of law, and undermining democracy. The result: a divided society that cannot tackle its most pressing problems. With characteristic insight, Stiglitz examines our current state, then teases out its implications for democracy, for monetary and budgetary policy, and for globalization. He closes with a plan for a more just and prosperous future.

©2012 Joseph E. Stiglitz (P)2012 Tantor

Great!

This is an outstanding explanation of the changes that have been occurring in the US, resulting in a widening gap between the very wealthy and the rest of us. Stiglitz spares neither Republicans or Democrats in explaining how our whole system has been increasingly overtaken by moneyed interests, and accordingly warped to serve their interests. If you are interested in the fate of our democracy and are concerned about the direction of the country, especially in the last couple of decades, this is a must read!

Thorough analysis, easy to follow

This is a critical analysis of the problems with our nation's economy and government, showing how both the free market and the government controls are failing the Vast majority of Americans (and because of globalization, many in other countries). Its conclusions are probably only obvious to US liberals, but as one I got a lot of great sources of studies to support that position.
It is biased, of course, but he also points out a lot that I think the Right would agree with - that rent seeking behavior, and policies that support it, are huge burdens on our economy. The conclusion of the need for eliminating rent seeking by taxation on those practices and closing loopholes in our tax code is probably not universal, but it's sound and he supports it well. Maybe audiobooks omit citations because of narrative flow, but I would have liked more links to specific studies.

learn why the American dream is disappearing!

Never knew the taxpayers subsided so many businesses. But I have little hope of it getting better in my lifetime .

Gave it several hours worth of listening

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

I would have enjoyed this better if the author discussed the impact on the lower class from a socio-economic standpoint vs. economic only.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

The bullet points presented were very one sided, I understand where the author is coming from and sympathize with many of the points but I was looking for more of a non-skewed presentation versus opinion.

Amazing to try new economic models

I have yet to pass through the 1st chapter and yet, I think is one of the best books to construct history, that will later become inputs to discuss with broader knowledge of one of the most respected professors at Columbia University!

simplifying the mess we're in

The author provided evidence and personal and professional experience to make several cases dealing with the state of American society as it currently, or recently, stands.

An Excellent and Insightful Analysis

What did you love best about The Price of Inequality?

Accessible to both the academic and layperson, this book critiques American political economy, the devastating and anti-democratic effects of our vast inequality, and outlines corrective measures that could be taken.

What other book might you compare The Price of Inequality to and why?

If you liked Krugman's "Conscience of a Liberal" or "End this Depression Now," you will likely enjoy this book.

What about Paul Boehmer’s performance did you like?

The reading is well-done and lively--no droning monotone here.

A rising tide doesn’t lift all ships…evenly

Well written book about the flaws of trickle-down economics and how government regulations on corporations are skewed toward favoring the 1% at the expense of the 99%. Great book with solid logic in 2015 or so, but I found some of the info outdated since we’ve had some very radical culture changes since then…hindsight being 2020.

Dense, but important.

Yes, I agree with everything in this book. Those who are hooked on the idea of austerity and tax cuts will find it annoying and will search their hearts for ways to deny its ideas. Conformation bias is working overtime these days on both sides of the political spectrum.

It's human nature to choose winners and losers and to cheer for the winners. This is what it has come down to in our society. Unfortunately, this rather short-sighted way of approaching our world means that the winners walk away with most of the wealth.

This book is dense in places and I really need to re-rlisten when my head is not spinning with Obama vs. Romney rhetoric. Which I will do soon. But until then, suffice it to say, the ideas Stiglitz puts forth for making government an agent of economic growth are spot on, but incredibly hard to implement in this political climate. I think we need another mutual enemy now that the cold war is over and Bin Laden is dead. All we have to fight against is ourselves at the moment. And it sickens me.

Wow!

Any additional comments?

Well-researched, well-written, well-read. The book covers every important area of the USA that is in the current events, every major problem of the existing democracy, every cause of the problems, and gives many good solutions.