Introduction : garlic : in which the stinky bulb establishes Korea, frightens the Brits and tells you why you will want to read this book -- I. Overcoming prejudices -- Acorn : in which the acorn-eating pigs of southern Spain and acorn-loving Koreans tell you how culture is not as important as you think it is in determining economic outcomes -- Okra : in which the 'lady-finger' reveals how blinkered and misleading the language of free-market economics is -- Coconut : in which the brown fruit reveals why it is wrong to believe that various 'brown' people are poor because they don't work hard -- II. Becoming more productive -- Anchovy : in which the small fish, which used to give countries not just rich flavours but fabulous riches, turns out to be an ambassador for industrialization -- Prawn - or shrimp? : in which the crustacean is shown to be an insect in disguise that tells us why developing countries need to use protectionism against superior foreign competition -- Noodle : in which the intertwined story of two noodle-obsessed nations makes us re-examine the way we think about entrepreneurship and corporate success -- Carrot : in which the once-outrageous idea that a carrot can be orange helps us see why and how we need to fix the patent system -- III. Doing better globally -- Beef : in which the most controversial meat reveals how free trade doesn't mean freedom for all -- Banana : in which the world's most productive fruit tells us how global corporations can be positive forces for developing countries but only if they are used in the right way -- Coca-Cola : in which a drink that resembles an ageing rock band tells us why so many developing countries are unhappy with the prevailing economic ideology -- IV. Living together -- Rye : in which this quintessential Northern European grain clears up a few misunderstandings about the welfare state -- Chicken : in which the bird that everyone loves to eat but no one takes seriously teaches us the true meaning of economic equality and fairness -- Chili : in which the trickster berry helps us see how care work is neglected and undervalued, despite being at the foundation of our economy and society -- V. Thinking about the future -- Lime : in which the British navy and the Brazilian national drink come together to help us think about the challenges of climate change -- Spices : in which we learn how black pepper, cinnamon nutmeg and clove gave birth to the modern corporation, which has made capitalism a great success but is now slowly strangling it -- Strawberry : in which that berry that is not a berry helps us think about the rise of the robots and the future of work -- Chocolate : in which the milk chocolate bar reveals the secret of Swiss economic prosperity, which has little to do with secretive banking or upmarket tourism -- Conclusion : how to eat (economics) better.

"Economic thinking - about globalisation, climate change, immigration, austerity, automation and much more - in its most digestible form. For decades, a single free market philosophy has dominated global economics. But this is bland and unhealthy - like British food in the 1980s, when bestselling author and economist Ha-Joon Chang first arrived in the UK from South Korea. Just as eating a wide range of cuisines contributes to a more interesting and balanced diet, so too is it essential we listen to a variety of economic perspectives. In Edible Economics, Chang makes challenging economic ideas more palatable by plating them alongside stories about food from around the world. He uses histories behind familiar food items - where they come from, how they are cooked and consumed, what they mean to different cultures - to explore economic theory. For Chang, chocolate is a life-long addiction, but more exciting are the insights it offers into post-industrial knowledge economies; and while okra makes Southern gumbo heart-meltingly smooth, it also speaks of capitalism's entangled relationship with freedom and unfreedom. Explaining everything from the hidden cost of care work to the misleading language of the free market as he cooks dishes like anchovy and egg toast, Gambas al Ajillo and Korean dotori mook, Ha-Joon Chang serves up an easy-to-digest feast of bold ideas. Myth-busting, witty and thought-provoking, Edible Economics shows that getting to grips with the economy is like learning a recipe: if we understand it, we can change it - and, with it, the world."-- Taken from dust jacket.