Præsentation af ny bog: 23 Ting De ikke fortæller dig om kapitalisme

Time: Friday, 4 of February at 13.30-15.00 hours

Venue: Danish Institute for International Studies, Main Auditorium, ground floor, Strandgade 71, Christianshavn, 1401 Kbn K

Background

Time: Friday, 4 of February at 13.30-15.00 hours

Venue: Danish Institute for International Studies, Main Auditorium, ground floor, Strandgade 71, Christianshavn, 1401 Kbn K

Background

We are delighted to announce that Ha-Joon Chang from University of Cambridge will visit DIIS to present his new book, 23 Things They Don’t Tell You about Capitalism (Penguin, 2010). Only a few months after its release, the book is already a tremendous success.

“A masterful debunking of some of the myths of capitalism … Witty, iconoclastic and uncommonly commonsensical … this book will be invaluable” (John Gray, The Guardian)

“Important … Persuasive … [an] engaging case for a more cautious and caring era of globalization” (James Crabtree, The Financial Times)

“Myth-busting and nicely-written … the best economists are those who look around at our man-made world and ask themselves “why?”. Chang is one” (Sean O’Grady, Independent)

The book engages with what it considers to be the biggest myths about the world we live in, turning received economic wisdom on its head. “Capitalism may have its flaws, but there’s no real alternative to free-market capitalism – ultimately it’s making us all more prosperous”; “Free market policies make all countries richer”;
“The West is more efficient and financially savvy than the developing world, and technology is the way forward for everyone”, right?

Chang challenges each of these conventional wisdoms, arguing instead that there is no such thing as a “free” market; that globalization isn’t making the world richer; that poor countries are more entrepreneurial than rich ones – and that the washing machine has changed people’s lives more than the internet.

Chang’s book is not an anti-capitalism manifesto. He recognizes the failings of centrally planned economies, and describes capitalism as “the worst economic system, except for all the others”.

What he wants to get across to his readers is that capitalism, in its currently predominating configuration, is dangerously off tracks, and that in terms of economic policy a much more pragmatic approach is needed, by which governments gets much more actively involved markets, in a range of different ways.

For an appetizer, watch Ha-Joon Chang discuss his book here.

SPEAKERS
*Ha-Joon Chang, Reader, University of Cambridge, UK
*Morten Ougaard, Professor, Copenhagen Business School
*Jakob Vestergaard, Senior Researcher, DIIS

PROGRAMME

13.30-13.35
Introduction by Jakob Vestergaard, Senior Researcher, DIIS

13.35-14.15
23 Things They Don’t Tell You About Capitalism – Ha-Joon Chang, Reader, University of Cambridge, UK

14.15-14.30
Discussant – Morten Ougaard, Professor, Copenhagen Business School

14.30-15.00
Comments and Questions

15.00-16.00
Drinks Reception

Chair: Jakob Vestergaard, Senior Researcher, DIIS

The seminar will be held in English.

Participation is free of charge, but registration is required. Please use the online registration form

And do so no later than Thursday February 3 at 12.00 noon

Please await confirmation by e-mail from DIIS for participation.

Danish Institute for International Studies (DIIS), The Conference Section, Strandgade 56, 1401 Kbn K, tlf. 32 69 87 51, e-mail: [email protected] og web: www.diis.dk