How Economics Explains the World : A Short History of Humanity / Andrew Leigh.

"Originally published as The shortest history of economics in Australia in 2024 by Black Inc., an imprint of Schwartz Books Pty Ltd."--Title page verso.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 199-216) and index.

Introduction -- Out of Africa and into Agriculture -- The Grand Canal, the Printing Press and the Plague -- The Age of Sail -- the Industrial Revolution and the Wealth of Nations -- Trade, Travel and Technology Take Off -- Economic Models and the Modern Factory -- World War I and the Depression -- World War II and Bretton Woods -- The Glorious Thirty? -- Markets, Markets Everywhere -- Inflation Targeting and Inequality -- Hot Markets and a Hotter Planet -- The Pandemic and Beyond -- Economics: Past, Present and Future -- Acknowledgements -- Notes -- Image Credits -- Index.

Economist Andrew Leigh presents a dramatically new understanding of human history. Spanning ancient times to the current day, he reveals the hidden economic factors that have shaped every aspect of our world, from determining the outcomes of wars to the endurance of social transformations.