The title of this book reveals its intention—to analyse in plain, non-technical language some of the important economic issues which affect life today [mid-twentieth century] in Britain. It deals with matters that are of interest to everybody because they are closely allied to the daily life of the individual. Why do prices go up and down? What is the Dollar Gap and why does it matter? Why do some of us earn £300 a year and some £3000? Is it chance that some firms are big and others small? Who really pays for advertisements? Is monopoly anti-social? Would we be better off if we were not so dependent on international trade? These and many other vital questions are discussed in such a way that the reader is able to understand the complex factors involved in trying to reach sensible answers, for, as Lady Williams says, “The most valuable lesson we can learn from a study of economics is distrust of the man with a panacea; you can almost always be sure that the snap answer is the wrong answer.” —from the back cover Pelican Books A221 A Pelican Original
