Leave Me Alone and I'll Make You Rich: How the Bourgeois Deal Enriched the World

Deirdre Nansen McCloskey is known for her Bourgeois Era trilogy, which argues that the world got rich not by material causes but by an idea and a sentiment, a new admiration for the middle class and its egalitarian liberalism. Leave Me Alone and I'll Make You Rich is a distillation of the trilogy's key ideas and most provocative arguments, showing that the Great Enrichment came from the idea of economic liberty in Holland, Sweden, Japan, Italy, Israel, China, and India. The book argues that liberalism and innovism made us better humans as well as richer ones and mounts an optimistic and persuasive defense of liberal innovism and the modern world it has wrought.

Format: Hardback
Length: 232 pages
Publication date: 30 October 2020
Publisher: The University of Chicago Press

The economist and historian Deirdre Nansen McCloskey has garnered significant attention recently for her remarkable Bourgeois Era trilogy, an unwavering defense of commercially tested betterment that stands as an unparalleled achievement in scope. Comprising three substantial volumes, namely The Bourgeois Virtues, Bourgeois Dignity, and Bourgeois Equality, McCloskey's work unravels the enigma of the wealth of nations and the moral sentiments of modernity, offering a profound exploration of these subjects.

In her analysis, McCloskey posits that the world's wealth did not solely stem from material causes but rather from an idea and a sentiment—a newfound admiration for the middle class and its egalitarian liberalism. This shift in perspective, she argues, played a pivotal role in the rise of the West and, subsequently, the rest of the world. The narrative of the West's ascendancy is one of ordinary people rising to dignity and liberty, inspiring them to take risks and pursue their aspirations. The result was an explosion of innovation after 1800, accompanied by a remarkable rise in real income, reaching an astounding 3,000 percent.

The Great Enrichment, far exceeding the confines of the conventional Industrial Revolution, emerged from a novel source. McCloskey and her co-author Carden demonstrate that it did not originate from capital accumulation or class struggle, as commonly believed. Instead, it stemmed from the idea of economic liberty that took root in Holland, the Anglosphere, Sweden, Japan, Italy, Israel, China, and India. This idea holds the potential to uplift the impoverished and transform the lives of countless individuals across the globe in the coming generations.

The original transition to liberalism, which occurred from 1517 to 1789, was driven by theological and political revolutions in northwest Europe. These revolutions upended ancient hierarchies and paved the way for a new era of social and economic change. McCloskey and Carden further argue that liberalism and innovism not only enriched societies but also improved the human condition. They contend that the values of individual freedom, equality, and opportunity fostered by liberalism have made us better individuals and contributed to our overall well-being.

In conclusion, Deirdre Nansen McCloskey's Bourgeois Era trilogy is a testament to her intellectual prowess and her unwavering commitment to promoting betterment. Through her meticulous research and insightful analysis, McCloskey has illuminated the complex dynamics that shaped the world's economic and social landscape. Her work challenges prevailing narratives and offers a fresh perspective on the factors that have contributed to the rise of nations and the improvement of human lives. By examining the ideas and sentiments that propelled the Great Enrichment, McCloskey provides a roadmap for a more equitable and prosperous future, one that is grounded in the values of economic liberty and human dignity.

Weight: 512g
Dimension: 163 x 236 x 28 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780226739663