Economics is too important to be left to economists. This brilliantly concise and readable book provides nonspecialist readers with all the information they need to understand how capitalism works (and how it doesn't). Jim Stanford's book is an antidote to the abstract and ideological way that economics is normally taught and reported. Key concepts such as finance, competition and wage labour are explored, and their importance in everyday life is revealed. Stanford answers questions such as "Do workers need capitalists?" "Why does capitalism harm the environment?" and "What really happens on the stock market?" He offers both a realistic assessment of capitalism's strengths and a robust critique of its many failures. This book will appeal to those working for a fairer world and students of social sciences who need to engage with economics. The book is illustrated with humorous and educational cartoons by Tony Biddle and is supported with a comprehensive set of web-based course materials for popular economics courses.