Why economists love “Robinson Crusoe”
The classic yarn of a shipwrecked sailor reveals a lot about scarcity
After spending 28 years, two months and 19 days marooned on an island, Robinson Crusoe does not lose his nose for adventure or his “native propensity to rambling”. He crosses the Pyrenees, stalked by “hellish wolves”, witnesses the “pomp and poverty” of China and battles Tartars on the Russian steppe.
This article appeared in the Christmas Specials section of the print edition under the headline “Why economists love “Robinson Crusoe””
Christmas Specials December 23rd 2023
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From the December 23rd 2023 edition
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