What Shapes Markets?

In the July/August issue, it has become a tradition to take a rest from "hard" economic analysis and forecasts and review a book that addresses the "softer" side of economic markets and trends. For this issue, we have selected The Mind and the Market: Capitalism in Western Thought. Published in 2002, this book takes a long look back into history to study the evolution of the human attitudes and institutions that have shaped commerce. The unusually broad and thorough perspective offered by the book provides a powerful way to improve our understanding of economic markets, see how the structure and culture surrounding market activity is evolving today, and investigate the social and cultural challenges that accompany economic success.