Phil Gramm – författare

"This readable and important book makes a strong case that the received version of economic history taught in high schools and colleges across the country is off the mark and that its errors distort current policy debates. It deserves attention from economic policymakers of all persuasions." -LAWRENCE SUMMERS, former Secretary of the Treasury; President Emeritus, Harvard UniversitySince the dawn of the Industrial Revolution, capitalism has unleashed unimaginable growth in opportunity and prosperity. And yet, at key points in American history, economic disruption has led to a greater role for government, ostensibly to protect against capitalism’s excesses. Today, government regulates, mandates, subsidizes and controls a growing share of the American economy.In this book, Phil Gramm, one of America’s premier public policy advocates, and noted economist Donald J. Boudreaux look at the seven events and issues in American history that define, for most Americans, the role of government and how the 21st century world works. To many Americans, these 5 periods of American history—the Industrial Revolution, Progressive Era, Great Depression, decline of America’s postwar preeminence in world trade, and the Great Recession--along with the existing levels of income inequality and poverty, represent strong evidence for expanding government in American life. Gramm and Boudreaux argue that the evidence points to a contrary verdict: government interference and failed policies pose the most significant threat to economic freedom.Setting up each topic with a “just the facts” approach that defies partisanship, Gramm and Boudreaux provide a compelling and highly readable powerful reassessment that will challenge open-minded readers to rethink the conventional wisdom and the policies that spring from them.

A Wall Street Journal Best Book of 2022: Politics • Winner of the 2024 Hayek Book Prize, Manhattan InstituteEverything you know about income inequality, poverty, and other measures of economic well-being in America is wrong. In this provocative book, a former United States senator, eminent economist, and a former senior leader at the Bureau of Labor Statistics challenge the prevailing consensus that income inequality is a growing threat to American society. By taking readers on a deep dive into the way government measures economic well-being, they demonstrate that our official statistics dramatically overstate inequality. Getting the facts straight reveals that the key measures of well-being are greater than the official statistics of the country would lead us to believe. Income inequality is lower today than at any time in post- World War II America. The facts reveal a very different and better America than the one that is currently described by policy advocates across much of the political spectrum. The Myth of American Inequality provides clear and convincing evidence that the American Dream is alive and well.

A Wall Street Journal Best Book of 2022: Politics • Winner of the 2024 Hayek Book Prize, Manhattan InstituteHailed by the Wall Street Journal as one of the best books of 2022, The Myth of American Inequality demonstrates that the federal government egregiously overstates the degree of inequality and poverty in the world’s wealthiest nation. In doing so, the authors--a former United States senator, eminent economist, and a former senior leader at the Bureau of Labor Statistics-- challenge the prevailing consensus that income inequality is a growing threat to American society. Getting the facts straight reveals that the key measures of well-being are greater than the official statistics of the country would lead us to believe. Income inequality is lower today than at any time in post- World War II America. The facts reveal a very different and better America than the one that is currently described by policy advocates across much of the political spectrum. The updated edition brings will challenge political debate throughout the 2024 election season and provide clear and convincing evidence that the American Dream is alive and well.