More: The 10,000-Year Rise of the World Economy

Published in 2020 this excellent book surveys how the world economy grew from ancient times and create wealth in a connected world. An excellent source of world trade. For example, wool was sent from medieval England to be made into clothes in Renaissance Italy. The economy works most efficiently in a free trade world. Sellers get to sell at the best price. Buyers get to buy at the cheapest price. This is now upended from 20 January 2025. Tariffs on all nations who sell goods to US. To avoid tariffs come to US to set up your plants and manufacture goods in the US. - President Trump to the world in Davos on 23 Jan 25.

If you are looking for an overview of economic growth and productivity over the history of the world, this is a good place to start. My sense was that it was definitely weaker at the end than the start, and the author had the irritating habit of putting in a line here and there, about how it was hard for women. Through most of history it was hard for both men and women.

Very ambitious body of work to chart the rise of human financial systems since the dawn of man. Philip Coggan has managed to produce something spectacular.

I purchased this book for my teen who is studying A level economics. He says it’s a good read for further reading outside the school curriculum.

There's sadly few of these books that claim to cover economics from the start of the economy. But this one skims relatively rapidly over early history, and is less data-driven than some of its competitors. So since that is what I was most hoping for, I was disappointed. As for the recent economic history, I have read more insightful accounts by stronger economists such as Mervyn King. But I'm an actual economist; maybe for the general reader this is more accessible.

Covers a vast span of time concisely and clearly. My only slight niggle is the "americanisation" of it - no doubt to appeal to the US market.

Liked the huge accurate and detailed information, and will use this book as a reference.

As above brilliant read well written and informative

Maybe a history of economies/economics? Maybe it was just a mis-match of what I wanted/expected and what it delivers? I wanted to understand economic development from ancient to modern times, why did the romans not develop more? But for the 10,000 years, you get 10% on the the first 8000 years and 90% on the last 200 years. More than anything it skits around from cotton production in Japan, to Bretton woods, to the Sue’s canal, not stopping enough to say much about anything. Case in point in mentions “fractional banking” a few times and never said what it is. Many time while skimming over some subject (because the new one is just around the corner) there is some statement which needs some explanation, but there isn’t time! Just so frustrating.

A comprehensive, interesting, and easy-to-understand review of the major events and theories in the history of economics.

This is like a history of economic changes in the world . I am slowly reading it . Thoroughly enjoyable and informative. Must read for those interested in economics and public finance.

I was looking for a modern replacement for Smith's "Wealth of Nations", and this is not quite that, but it is good for what it is, a pop-history of economics. It does provide a basic understanding of the underlying concepts. Would recommend.

This uninspiring rehash of economic history from the ancient to the modern offers no new insight and little entertainment.