Government and the Economy: An Encyclopedia, reviewed here in its e-book version, focuses on the relationship between Government and the economy in the context of the USA. It is the view of the editors that the economy is inextricably linked to the Government context in which it is operating, and it is their goal to broaden our understanding of these linkages. The main targeted audience is American high school students and their educators, and many of the entries are authored by high school teachers. The book is presented on ABC Clio’s e-book platform.
This 600 plus page volume includes over 160 entries ranging from economic concepts and influential figures to overviews of legislation and precedent setting Supreme Court rulings affecting many aspects of the US economy. Major economic and political figures of historical significance are highlighted, from Karl Marx and Joseph Stalin to the more modern influences of John Kenneth Galbraith and Alan Greenspan. Economic concepts such as deflation, protectionism and market capitalism are well covered along with theories and policies such as the theory of public choice and expansionary monetary policy.
Contents are categorized through three different arrangements: alphabetical list of entries; entries in alignment with National Content Standards in Economics (20 categories) and entries in alignment with US History Content Standards for Grades 5-12 (includes 10 eras with most entries covering history since 1890). This very clever choice of providing alternate methods of listing entries makes the book approachable from different interests and contexts. Unfortunately, the entries are not linked through the text of these indexes, but rather through the use of Contents and A-Z encyclopedia links within the left menu bar or through the page-by-page display at the bottom of the screen.
Entries vary in length from one to three pages, but all are written at a language level that is accessible to its target audience. Entries are accompanied by a variety of suggested external supplemental resources. These references include lists of further readings and resources for teachers, for example, links to resources on EconEdLink, a Web site of the Council for Economic Education. Some entries have See Also Listings for reference to other listings within the text; however, hyperlinks are not provided. Case law entries may include citations to related cases in some instances. In the case of entries on economic figures, links or lists of selected writings by the figure are also provided as with William Vickrey. Not all resources listed are available freely online, and in some instances, links were no longer active.
This e-book also features a Primary Documents section which includes synopses of Supreme Court cases involving economic implications with links to, or excerpts from, opinions of the court. Case entries are divided into economic concepts covered; economic impact, an economic summary of the effects of the decision; as well as a case summary. Appendices include the full text of the Constitution of the USA; a chronological listing of Supreme Court Cases; and a list of legislative acts with economic impact ranging from the Coinage Act of 1792 to the Financial Reform Act of 2010.
A selected bibliography is organized by major topics, such as the International Monetary Fund and Labor Strikes with hyperlinks to the associated entries. Online resources for educators, a glossary of terms and a list of contributors round out the content.
This e-book platform includes a zoom feature. The left menu bar allows users to browse through the contents as well as jump from section to section. The introduction referred to the inclusion of maps and tables to supplement the entries; however, the Resources link only leads to an image of the cover illustration. The extract text feature allows users to copy the text of an individual page. The print format option allows users to print one page (not an entire entry) at a time. This limitation, although annoying, is somewhat alleviated due to the brief length of the individual entries. Social media options include sharing links via Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and email. The search function brings back results in context.
In its e-book version, this encyclopedia has been well designed to appeal to US educators and students alike. The lack of hyperlinks from within the text of index listings can cause initial confusion in navigating to content, but this shortfall is greatly outweighed by the approachability of its content once the menu bar is utilized. Coverage of concepts is broad and well-rounded. Overall, I would recommend this book to educators at the high school level. Public libraries may also find the book a useful reference item.
