What causes poverty? Are economic crises inevitable in capitalism? Is government intervention in the economy a blessing or a curse? The answers to questions like these concern us all, yet the unfamiliar linguistic idiom of economic science intimidates most people. The Short History of Economic Science helps us, in an accessible and engaging way, to better understand the course of economic history and economic ideas from antiquity to the present day. "A perceptive and highly readable history of economic science, full of humanity. You will learn a lot. I did." Tim Harford, author of The Undercover Economist "This book is an intellectual treasure for anyone interested in the history and great ideas of economic thought and the role it has played for over 2,000 years." Charles Wheelan, author of Naked Economics "Many people would like to know more about economic ideas, but obviously not so much as to endure the ordeal they imagine reading related books would entail. Niall Kishtainy's Short History of Economic Science solves their problem. It is concise, with wonderful vignettes, reads effortlessly, yet faithfully conveys profound ideas that have deeply transformed the way we think about the world." Robert H. Frank, author of The Economic Naturalist