Economics is too important to be left to the economists, argues Jim Stanford, and this concise and readable book provides nonspecialists with all the information they need to understand how capitalism works (and how it doesn't). Now in its second edition, is an antidote to the abstract and ideological way that economics is normally taught and reported. Key concepts such as finance, competition, and wages are explored, and their importance to everyday life is revealed. Stanford answers such questions as "Do workers need capitalists," "Why does capitalism harm the environment," and "What really happens on the stock market." Illustrated with humorous and educational cartoons by Tony Biddle, and supported with a comprehensive set of web-based course materials for popular economics courses, this book will appeal to students of social sciences who need to engage with economics as well as anyone seeking to better understand today's economy.