Australian economy

Books of readings are, like all anthologies, matters of taste and judgment. In selecting the articles reprinted in this volume we have had a number of criteria in mind. Our primary aim has been to serve the needs of students, especially University students of economics, we have therefore given preference to articles which go beyond description into analysis of the work ing of the economy and of policy problems. So that the book as a whole may give some sort of picture of the Australian economy to-day, we have given preference to recent articles, excluding even very good ones written more than ten years ago. We have generally confined ourselves to the work of academic economists to the exclusion of all official publications and articles from newspapers. Since the ralian economy, we have not subject of the book is the Aust included articles which refer to Australia only any primarily theoretical

The volume divided into two main parts. The first consists of extracts from the series of "surverts. The first two ally articles on the Australian Economy that have appeared since 1956 in the Economic Record. Here we have aimed at giving a reasonably comprehensive picture of development from 1956 to 1962 but have put the emphasis on discussion of major policy issues rather than on recurrent examination of "current economic conditions" which has been a major function of this series of articles. In this part, therefore, only the first item consists of the whole article; all others are shorter or longer extracts,

The second part consists of a selection of articles each of which is complete and reprinted substantially in its original form. We have deliberately resisted the pleadings of authors to permit revision to bring their work up-to-date or incorporate second thoughts. This has seemed desirable, both to preserve the flavour of the time of writing and to nip in the bud a pro cess of revision to which there might have been no end. It is therefore only fair to exonerate the authors from any present.