Who Cooked Adam Smith's Dinner?: a story about women and economics

Description

A feminist critique of new-liberalism. How do you get your dinner? That is the basic question of economics. It might seem easy, but it is actually very complicated. When economist and philosopher Adam Smith proclaimed that all our actions were motivated by self-interest, and that the world turns because of financial gain, he laid the foundations for 'economic man'. Selfish and cynical, economic man has dominated our thinking ever since - he is the ugly, rational heart of modern-day capitalism. But, every night, Adam Smith's mother served him his dinner, not out of self-interest, but out of love. Even today, the unpaid work of mothering, caring, cleaning, and cooking is no part of our economic models. All over the world, there are economists who believe that if women are paid less, it's because their labour is worth less. In this engaging, popular look at the mess we're in, Katrine Marcal charts the myth of economic man - from its origins at Adam Smith's dinner table, its adaptation by the Chicago School, and its disastrous role in the 2008 Global Financial Crisis - and invites us to kick out economic man once and for all. 'Katrine Marcal compelling critique of 'economic man' exposes him for the sham he really is. This erudite, furious, and eminently readable book will send a great many economists running for cover.' Philip Roscoe, author of I spend, Therefore I Am 'Incisive and witty, Who Cooked Adam Smith's Dinner? seeks to restore a sense of humanity, empathy and care to our picture of economic and gender relations. Katrine Marcal's book is instructive, angry, and funny- economic man has met his match.' Nina Power, author of One Dimensional Woman Translated from the Swedish by Saskia Vogel

Authors Bio, not available