TITLE: The Undercover Economist: Why the Rich are Rich and the Poor are Poor
SPEAKER: Tim Harford
EVENT DATE: 02/05/2007
FORMAT: Video + Captions
RUNNING TIME: 53 minutes
TRANSCRIPT: View Transcript (link will open in a new window)
DESCRIPTION:
Tim Harford, a columnist at the Financial Times in London, discussed his recent book "The Undercover Economist: Exposing Why the Rich are Rich and the Poor are Poor -- and Why You Can Never Buy a Decent Used Car!" in a program sponsored by the Science, Technology and Business Division.
Harford is noted for his ability to relate the principles of economics to everyday life in a clear and entertaining style. "The Undercover Economist" takes up such issues as "who really makes money from fair trade coffee, why beer and fries are linked to globalization and how the Mafia makes money from laundries when street gangs pushing drugs don't."
Speaker Biography: Tim Harford writes the "Dear Economist" column for the Financial Times in London, in which readers' personal problems are answered, tongue-in-cheek, with the latest economic theory. His other weekly column, "The Undercover Economist," reveals the economic ideas behind everyday experiences from buying a cup of coffee to getting stuck in traffic. He is the presenter of a TV series for BBC2, called "Trust me, I'm an Economist." Harford was the first Peter Martin Fellow at the Financial Times and rejoined the newspaper as economics leader writer in April 2006. He is also the author, with Michael Klein, of "The Market for Aid." His other experience includes time at the International Finance Corporation (part of the World Bank), as a scenario expert at Shell; as a tutor at Oxford University; and as a speechwriter for Stanley Fischer, now governor of Israel's Central Bank. Harford lives in London with his wife and daughters.
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SERIES: Books & Beyond
