Collating all the booklists on this topic in one space for people's reference, broken by category.
Economic Theory
Economics in Two Lessons - John Quiggin
Quiggin manages to present economics simply, while keeping the limitations and contingency of models front of mind. A great starting material to understand the basics of econ and why economists care so much about opportunity cost.Economics Rules - Dani Rodrik
A robust defence of economic modelling, as well as its flaws. Would recommend to anyone unsure why economists are so obsessed with 'models', and why they matter for policy formation.
The Darwin Economy - Robert H. Frank
The best book I've ever read on the economic problems caused by positional goods. Much of our hard efforts are effectively zero sum, competing for resources that are inherently limited. This has egalitarian implications for policy.
The Conservative Nanny State - Dean Baker
Baker does a great job of explaining how the way markets are structured can promote or reduce inequality. Work covers: occupational licencing, patents and taxation. Baker also puts it up free online which is great.
Thinking Like An Economist - Elizabeth Popp Berman
Recommend this for economists to read as it runs through the development of the "economic style of reasoning" that dominates contemporary policy debates. It's worth remembering there are alternative frameworks for policy.The Welfare State
The Three Worlds of Welfare Capitalism - Gøsta Esping-Andersen
A giant in welfare state discourse. The 3 categories of welfare states: liberal, conservative and social democratic is a great framework to get you thinking.The Economics of the Welfare State - Nicholas Barr
The main textbook on welfare state econ and still a classic. Covers everything from theories of just distribution to pensions to health insurance. Great starting resource.
Welfare State as Piggy Bank - Nicholas Barr
Barr is a preeminent economist on the welfare state. This book focuses on the underappreciated efficiency role of welfare states from pensions, to unemployment to education. Definitely worth engaging with.
The Economics of the Public Sector - Joseph Stiglitz and Jay Rosenberg
This excellent work analyses the public sector's role in economic development, covering market failures, public goods, and income distribution. Often used as a textbook, an essential resource.
Making Social Spending Work - Peter H Lindert
Lindert is a great historian on social spending stats. This is a wonderful overview of the area: showing the tremendous importance of welfare expenditures relative to charity, and the tax + spend efficiency of the welfare state.Development as Freedom - Amartya Sen
A wonderful overview of Sen's policy views, definitely not just for developing countries. Book for instance covers: means testing, theory of democracy, and the capability approach.
Bigger Government - Marc Robinson
An excellent primer on the government's biggest expenses and what will shape them in the future. The scale of expenditures is something often missed in discourse on public spending.
Tax and Government in the 21st Century - Miranda Stewart
My favourite reference for all things tax. This book is comprehensive, covering tax from economic, legal and political perspective. Also details tax's development historically, which is important context.
The Humble Economist - Tony Culyer
Health policy is a vital commitment of the welfare state, and health economics is a key part of it. Tony Culyer is a great resource on this, understanding both the area, and limitations of conventional welfare econ frameworks.
Understanding the Private-Public Divide - Avner Offer
Offer focuses on the role of the state in long term planning. This framework is a great addition to conventional accounts of market failure. From pensions to education, the welfare state looks to the future.
EmpiricsMastering 'Metrics - Joshua Angrist and Jörn-Steffen Pischke
An excellent and very readable introduction to econometric methods by 2 leaders in the field. Brilliant place to get the basics of the language and techniques used in empirical economics.Good Economics for Hard Times - Abhijit Banerjee and Esther Duflo
Great, entertaining overview of current areas of debate and what the empirics currently suggest. Great reference book, topics ranging from growth to trade to immigration.Mis-measuring Our Lives - Amartya Sen, Jean-Paul Fitoussi, and Joseph Stiglitz
GDP gets a lot of criticism, some warranted. This work by leading economists re-examines GDP, focusing on: undercounting production, quality of life, and environmental sustainability. A great rundown of an important stat.GDP: A Short But Affectionate History - Diane Coyle
GDP gets a lot of flak, some justified, some not. This is a great intro to understand why macroeconomists still find it useful.Seeing Like a State - James C. Scott
Scott critiques top-down development projects, highlighting the importance of local knowledge and organic systems, offering insights into the limitations of centralized planning. Worth bearing in mind during policy design.
The Value of Everything - Mariana Mazzucato
A terrific history of the ways we measure production and what activities are considered valuable. As argued, the way we calculate GDP contribution can itself be a political decision. This is an important element to analysis.How China Escaped the Poverty Trap - Yuen Yuen Ang
An excellent work on complexity economics, describing how optimal institutions develop and change through the development processes. Worth considering for both rich and poorer countries.
The Uncounted - Alex Cobham
This work focuses on how power shapes our stats, specifically via: 1) the powerful excluding themselves to avoid accountability and 2) the vulnerable being excluded to avoid addressing their problems. These constraints are key to good advice.
Invisible Women - Caroline Criado Perez
This work explains the many ways our current data exhibits a gender bias. By positioning men as the default many of our systems are not built to include women. Important to note when constructing good policy in a world designed for men.
InequalityInequality - Anthony Atkinson
An absolute classic on what Inequality looks like, what shapes it, and how it might be combatted. Atkinson was a giant in inequality discourse and this book covers almost anything you could want including: taxes, capital ownership and labour.
Global Inequality – Branko Milanovic
Milanovic specialises in global inequality stats. This work examines the changing importance class and nationality over the last centuries, or in his words "From Karl Marx to Frantz Fanon, and Then Back to Marx".Capitalism, Alone – Branko Milanovic
Milanovic is a leading expert on global inequality. This book builds on his earlier work, viewing global inequality within a coherent political economy framework: "Liberal Meritocratic Capitalism" Vs "Political Capitalism". Useful framework.Social Mobility - Lee Elliot Major and Stephen Machin
Terrific book if you're interested in social mobility, both its levels and how it can be improved. Works great as a reference book, providing an overview of the available evidence.From Here to Equality - William A. Darity Jr. and A. Kirsten Mullen
The best book I've encountered on reparations, detailing both the historical crimes and a reparation program. The last chapters are particularly interesting from a policy standpoint, running through different methods of calculations.What Works - Iris Bohnet
A terrific overview of the empirics of gender equality, and how we can overcome it. Refreshingly focuses on structures, not individuals.
The Technology Trap - Carl Benedikt Frey
While productivity enhancing tech increases total production, its distributional impact on sections of the population can be disastrous. This history puts this in perspective, if we want to avoid modern luddites, the gains must be shared.
InternationalThe Globalisation Paradox – Dani Rodrik
Great work on the nuances of globalisation. While recognising its wide benefits, we should remember the trade-offs: national self-determination, democracy and economic hyper globalisation conflict, we can only have 2 focuses.Straight Talk on Trade - Dani Rodrik
Rodrik is a must read on trade theory, both understanding trades' benefits, and the trade-offs countries make when they design policies. A terrific introduction if you're interested in the area.
The Economics of Belonging - Martin Sandbu
Sandbu present a detailed and appealing set of policies to address the left behind without giving up the benefits of global integration. A strong social democratic vision and a great read.
Six Faces of Globalisation - Anthea Roberts and Nicolas Lamp
Presents 6 competing narratives people have about globalisation. It's worth engaging with all of them the understand current debates, challenge your priors and learn other worldviews.
LandRethinking the Economics of Land and Housing - Josh Ryan-Collins, Toby Lloyd and Laurie Macfarlane
This book calls for recentering land in economic analysis, rather than often being regarded as just another form of capital. Worth engaging with given rent/homeownership's current importance.
Walkable City Rules - Jeff Speck
An incredible and accessible rundown of how we can make our cities more walkable: healthier, wealthier and more environmentally friendly. His earlier work, Walkable City is easier but less thorough.
Human Transit - Jarrett Walker
Walker delves into designing effective public transit systems, providing valuable insights for urban planning and transportation. The best book I've read on the subject, breaking processes into their basics and with useful diagrams.
Philosophical and UtopianEnvisioning Real Utopias - Erik Olin Wright
This amazing Wright work focuses on how we can aim towards utopian goals within a feasible framework. If you've never read a Wright book I'd strongly recommend him, he was a brilliant thinker.
Economics of Feasible Socialism - Alec Nove
Written in the 80s-90s, this work proposes a feasible explicitly socialist economy, in which markets remain but capital is publicly owned. It remains a great read, understanding the role of markets in a progressive framework.
Another Now - Yanis Varoufakis
An unusual work, this is a utopian fiction book in a style similar to William Morris’ “News from Nowhere”. Details a future society based on Varoufakis’ ideals, with interesting economic structures and monetary system.Free and Equal - Norman Daniels
Terrific new book, basically asking how a Rawlsian framework can solve the current problems our societies face. Incredibly well done covering social, economic and political aspects of reform.
The Myth of Ownership - Liam Murphy and Thomas Nagel
This book challenges conventional welfare econ paradigms. In particular, that its starting point should be 'pre-tax income' (PTI). They argue PTI has no moral significance, as property rights, like taxes, are created by the state.
MiscellaneousRentier Capitalism - Brett Christophers
A brilliant and insightful analysis of the concept of the 'rentier' in the modern economy, specifically the UK. Broad coverage, including: finance, natural resources, and Intellectual Property. A long but fulfilling read.
Between Debt and the Devil - Adair Turner
An incredibly interesting analysis of the role of debt in the modern economy. Importantly focuses on privately created debt as well, and its potentially destructive effects. Turner is one thinker definitely worth reading.
Citizens Wealth - Angela Cummine
Sovereign Wealth Funds (SWFs) are often floated as a method for socialising the returns of capital, particularly natural resources. This book is an excellent breakdown of the area, and how they can be made more transparent and democratic.
Exit, Voice, and Loyalty - Albert O. Hirschman
A simple argument: consumers may influences firms either by stop buying their products (exit) or attempting to influence the decision makers (voice). Which aspects of life are best governed by which mechanism matters immensely.
Creating A Learning Society - Joseph Stiglitz and Bruce Greenwald
This gem begins with the insight: when technology is endogenous, the presumption of perfect competition leading to efficiency breaks down. Correct policy then becomes v complicated. Essential reading for productivity discourse.
Inflation and the Making of Australian Macroeconomic Policy, 1945–85 - Mike Beggs
Terrific work placing the development of Australian macroeconomic policy within its historical context. Demonstrates the interactions of macro policy within other conflicting aims, as well as contending class forces.Markets in the Name of Socialism - Johanna Bockman
Fascinating look into the relationship between socialism and neoclassical economics. Useful lessons for policy makers on the purpose of markets for social goals.