Common Sense Economics: What Everyone Should Know About Wealth and Prosperity

Common Sense Economics: What Everyone Should Know About Wealth and Prosperity

by James D. Gwartney

4.5 (370)

4.5 stars from 370 reviews

208 pages~3.5 hr readPublished by St. Martin's PressPublished 2005-01-01

$13.99Near peak price

Last checked: May 15, 2026

Price history: $1.99 $14.99

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Fans of these authors will like this...

  • Thomas Sowell
  • Malcolm Gladwell
  • Paul Krugman

Fans of these books will like this...

  • Freakonomics
  • The Wealth of Nations
  • Thinking, Fast and Slow

Perfect for you if...

  • You want to understand economic news and policy debates without feeling lost or manipulated by partisan arguments.
  • You're making major financial decisions (house, career, investment) and want to grasp the underlying principles that shape those choices.
  • You're frustrated by economics textbooks that feel divorced from real life, and prefer practical examples over equations.

Maybe not for you if...

  • You're looking for a get-rich-quick guide or investment tips. This is about understanding how the economy works, not beating it.
  • You prefer deep ideological arguments about whether capitalism or socialism is superior. This book explains mechanisms, not philosophies.
  • You need advanced economic theory or data-heavy analysis. This is intentionally accessible and introductory.

About this book

As the global economy recovers from recession, understanding economic fundamentals has become increasingly important. Core principles—including gains from trade, the role of profit and loss, and the effects of government spending, taxes, and borrowing—shape how America's economy functions and affect both professional and personal financial decisions. Common Sense Economics examines key economic points and theories to help readers make wiser personal choices and develop informed positions on policy matters. Now in its third edition, this updated work by James D. Gwartney, Richard L. Stroup, Dwight R. Lee, and Tawni H. Ferrarini reflects on the recession and subsequent progress. It provides insight into political processes and demonstrates how economics informs policy decisions.

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Free$7.50$14.99Jun '20Nov '23Sep '25Mar '26
$1.99$14.99

Price has dropped 9 times over the last 6 years. Goes on sale roughly every 177 days.

Sales Rank

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#583#413,712#826,841Jun '18Sep '23Sep '25May '26

Currently around #292K in the Kindle store — a niche title. Climbing the charts — 31% improvement recently.

Rating & Reviews

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4.0★4.5★5.0★Aug '23Jun '24Oct '25Mar '26RatingReviews

Currently 4.5★ from 370 reviews

Gaining approximately 1 new review per month. Rating has remained stable at 4.5 over the tracking period.

Sale Prediction

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Free$7.50$14.99Jun '20Nov '23Sep '25Mar '26PredictedMay '26

Actual Predicted

This book goes on sale roughly every 177 days. Next drop estimated in about 23 weeks. Typical discount: 87% off.

Prices shown in USD from Amazon US. We continuously pull new data to improve tracking. If dates look old, it usually means there has been no significant change since the last data point.

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James D. Gwartney

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