Ha-Joon Chang: Edible Economics - A Hungry Economist Explains the World

Ha-Joon Chang, 9th June 2023
Argumenta Distinguished Lecture
Place: University of Helsinki / Helsingin yliopisto, Metsätalo sali 1
0:00:00 Opening / N. Emrah Aydinonat
0:03:16 Introduction / Ha-Joon Chang
0:10:54 Different schools of economics
0:23:39 No theory can explain everything, Singapore problem
0:30:53 Edible economics - food stories
0:37:09 Noodles, Hyundai and protectionism
0:55:59 Chili & (unpaid) care work
1:09:36 Freedom
1:18:21 Audience questions
1:57:24 Thank you
Ha-Joon Chang is a renowned economist and a leading advocate of pluralism in economics. This talk is based on his latest book, Edible Economics - A Hungry Economist Explains the World, which covers a wide range of topics using food items as examples - garlic, prawn, chilli, lime, chocolate, acorn, and more. He will also discuss some big methodological and ethical questions underlying economics, such as the need for pluralism in economics, the true meaning of freedom in economic theory, the neglect of the care economy in economics, and the changing nature of entrepreneurship.
In this ReSES Argumenta Distinguished Lecture, he will use food stories to illustrate some key issues and challenges in today’s global economy, such as climate change, automation, inequality, intellectual property rights, and the welfare state. He will also show why it is important for every citizen to learn economics, if we are to have a functioning democracy.
Ha-Joon Chang has written several books that challenge conventional wisdom and offer alternative perspectives on economics and development. Some of his widely discussed books include Kicking Away the Ladder and Bad Samaritans. He has also written some highly popular books for the general public, such as 23 Things They Don’t Tell You about Capitalism and Economics: The User’s Guide, which explain economics in an accessible and engaging way.
This talk is part of the ReSES Argumenta Distinguished Lectures series, organised by the Rethinking the Serviceability of Economics to Society (ReSES) project. The project is funded by the Finnish Cultural Foundation and aims to rethink the role of economics in society and how it can address the current and future challenges.