A compelling theory on the rationale for the changing fortunes of nations

The years since World War II have seen rapid shifts in the relative positions of different countries and regions. Leading political economist Mancur Olson offers a new and compelling theory to explain these shifts in fortune and then tests his theory against evidence from many periods of history and many parts of the world.[T]his elegant, readable book. . . sets out to explain why economies succumb to the British disease,’ the kind of stagnation and demoralization that is now ...

This book develops an original theory of group and organizational behavior that cuts across disciplinary lines and illustrates the theory with empirical and historical studies of particular organizations. Applying economic analysis to the subjects of the political scientist, sociologist, and economist, Mancur Olson examines the extent to which the individuals that share a common interest find it in their individual interest to bear the costs of the organizational effort.The theory ...

The updated edition of Mancur Olson's award-winning book The Rise and Decline of Nations.

Mancur Olson Jr.'s The Economics of the Wartime Shortage provides a detailed and insightful analysis of how Britain managed its food supplies during three pivotal conflicts: the Napoleonic Wars, World War I, and World War II. Combining economic theory with historical case studies, Olson examines the challenges of maintaining food security in times of crisis and the policies and strategies employed to overcome them. The book delves into the economic mechanisms that drive wartime shortages, ...

Mancur Olson wrote important books in the area of Collective Choice and is considered one of the founding fathers of Public Choice as a field of economics. The chapters in this volume cover three main areas of Olson's life work: Collective Action, Institutional Sclerosis and Market-Augmenting Government. Some chapters directly assess Olson`s contributions, focusing on distinguishing what was original in his works from what was already in the literature, and guaging his impact on the fields...