Kindle
$10.99
Available instantly
Audible Logo Audiobook
$0.00
with membership trial
Hardcover
$6.21
Paperback
$14.29
Buy new:
-21% $14.29
FREE delivery Thursday, May 16 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Ships from: Amazon.com
Sold by: Amazon.com
$14.29 with 21 percent savings
List Price: $18.00

The List Price is the suggested retail price of a new product as provided by a manufacturer, supplier, or seller. Except for books, Amazon will display a List Price if the product was purchased by customers on Amazon or offered by other retailers at or above the List Price in at least the past 90 days. List prices may not necessarily reflect the product's prevailing market price.
Learn more
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns
FREE delivery Thursday, May 16 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Or fastest delivery Wednesday, May 15. Order within 7 hrs 46 mins
Only 20 left in stock - order soon.
$$14.29 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$14.29
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Ships from
Amazon.com
Ships from
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Returns
30-day easy returns
30-day easy returns
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Returns
30-day easy returns
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Payment
Secure transaction
Your transaction is secure
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
Payment
Secure transaction
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
$8.18
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns
This book is in great condition. Pages are unmarked and clean. Cover is clean. This is a really lovely copy! This book is in great condition. Pages are unmarked and clean. Cover is clean. This is a really lovely copy! See less
FREE delivery Friday, May 17 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
$$14.29 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$14.29
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Jane Jacobs
+ Follow
More books from this author
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

Cities and the Wealth of Nations: Principles of Economic Life Paperback – March 12, 1985

by Jane Jacobs (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 96 ratings
See all formats and editions
{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"$14.29","priceAmount":14.29,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"14","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"29","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"4HHXMLgvZqpMKk6Ve7w8Pbnbns29BkQLMDR8qdM1nfeHxF85MhRXcglGjkgNWKOfcKx0tBti5ckQqB3yE69j9URbx7tKDfLyuS49ZMwtoRXpzh%2BBJtYarf8uGANiNXLJ%2BZGm1xaGwEI%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}, {"displayPrice":"$8.18","priceAmount":8.18,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"8","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"18","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"4HHXMLgvZqpMKk6Ve7w8Pbnbns29BkQLZ8wn6ImGrj%2B%2B0bjeegeIr5XpcfMO%2BOgNR9U6Os4wtQYUhG%2FBDRvUDQK790SBS8Wo3lMH1GX5uqDcKybNyO4ewGSCywp5zRAAtMhWkTkmhS1O63A9lyQI22DT7VocqjSaT%2FN6z1dL3PulLvjKcKTiJw%3D%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"USED","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":1}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

In this eye-opening work of economic theory, Jane Jacobs argues that it is cities—not nations—that are the drivers of wealth. Challenging centuries of economic orthodoxy, in Cities and the Wealth of Nations the beloved author contends that healthy cities are constantly evolving to replace imported goods with locally-produced alternatives, spurring a cycle of vibrant economic growth. Intelligently argued and drawing on examples from around the world and across the ages, here Jacobs radically changes the way we view our cities—and our entire economy. 

Read more Read less
Previous page
  1. Print length
    272 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Vintage
  4. Publication date
    March 12, 1985
  5. Dimensions
    4.31 x 0.6 x 7.13 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0394729110
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0394729114
  8. See all details
Next page
Books with Buzz
Books with Buzz
Discover the latest buzz-worthy books, from mysteries and romance to humor and nonfiction. Explore more

Frequently bought together

Cities and the Wealth of Nations: Principles of Economic Life
$14.29
Get it as soon as Thursday, May 16
Only 20 left in stock - order soon.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
+
The Death and Life of Great American Cities
$13.69
Get it as soon as Thursday, May 16
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
+
The Economy of Cities
$14.30
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
Sold by Aldaspan and ships from Amazon Fulfillment.
Total price:
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Details
Added to Cart
Some of these items ship sooner than the others.
Show details Hide details
Choose items to buy together.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Winner of the Los Angeles Times Book Review Award for Non-Fiction

"Learned, iconoclastic and exciting . . . Jacobs' diagnosis of the decay of cities in an increasingly integrated world economy is on the mark."—The New York Times Book Review

"Jacobs' book is inspired, idiosyncratic and personal . . . It is written with verve and humor; for a work of embattled theory, it is wonderfully concrete, and its leaps are breathtaking."—Los Angeles Times

"Not only comprehensible but entertaining. . . . Like Mrs. Jacobs' other books, it offers a concrete approach to an abstract and elusive subject. That, all by itself, makes for an intoxicating experience."—The New York Times

From the Publisher

"It offers a concrete approach to an abstract and elusive subject. That, all by itself, makes for an intoxicating experience."--The New York Times

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Vintage; Reprint edition (March 12, 1985)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 272 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0394729110
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0394729114
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 6 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 4.31 x 0.6 x 7.13 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 96 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Jane Jacobs

Jane Jacobs

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read author blogs and more

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
96 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Joni Painter
5.0 out of 5 stars I just love Jane Jacobs' viewpoints
Reviewed in the United States on August 30, 2017
Verified Purchase
I just love Jane Jacobs' viewpoints. She has so much common sense and she is able to cut through long-held misconceptions concerning the ways cities generate wealth. This otherwise boring topic takes on real life in this book. Although she passed away in 2006, her ideas span time.

This book in particular examines the ways nations acquire wealth. According to Jacobs it is generated on a very basic, local level and percolates to the top. The top-down theory doesn't work. It has never worked. This book points out the fallacies of some of the most common ways municipalities attempt to pump life back into an ailing economy. These downfalls are unremitting military production, unremitting subsidies to poor regions, and heavy promotion of trade between advanced and backward economies. These three things have been the undoing of every major empire from the Roman empire onward to today.

This book was a real eye-opener for me on many levels. It changed the way I think about the way cultures thrive or fail.
5 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Jay
5.0 out of 5 stars A swell written and impt book
Reviewed in the United States on November 6, 2018
Verified Purchase
An oldie, but a wonderful, thoughtful, engaging book if you are interested in society... 5-stars. Not right on everything, but deserves to be read and fought over. A must read for anyone who pretends to have a college degree or HS grad who wants to be engaged in social discourse.
Helpful
 Report
James Sterling
5.0 out of 5 stars Cities, not Nations, Shape Our Economic Life
Reviewed in the United States on July 19, 2017
Verified Purchase
Jacobs contends that cities, not nations are the most active and important economic entities. This is the only book I have read that gives a rational explanation to why Mississipi is always poor, whereas the Northeast is consistently prosperous. If you are interested in the economic health of small, local economies, this is an excellent antidote to nation-based macroeconomic theory.
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Cinquain
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Read
Reviewed in the United States on May 2, 2020
Verified Purchase
Jane Jacobs is brilliant. This book is a must read, very insightful. Any earnest student of economics and urban development should read this book.
Helpful
 Report
Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars The crucial insight into economics overlooked by most.
Reviewed in the United States on May 23, 2017
Verified Purchase
This is an fascinating book on the one fact that most economists overlook: economies are centered around cities and their immediate hinterlands, not around larger territories such as states, provinces, countries, or continents.
Helpful
 Report
Richard Bledsoe, Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Genius...
Reviewed in the United States on July 11, 2015
Verified Purchase
Jane Jacobs is a genius. She is one of the most original and creative minds I have ever encountered. The future is with her thinking, if there is to be one.
Helpful
 Report
Craig Barham
4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars
Reviewed in the United States on October 30, 2015
Verified Purchase
Satisfied
Helpful
 Report
Blige
5.0 out of 5 stars great book
Reviewed in the United States on May 25, 2019
Verified Purchase
Great book.
My daughter loved it.
Definitely, recommend.
Helpful
 Report

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
MK
1.0 out of 5 stars Fake print and poor printing quality!
Reviewed in India on November 25, 2020
Verified Purchase
Fake print and poor printing quality. Avoid buying
Report
Alan Gillman
5.0 out of 5 stars A must read for 2017
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 5, 2017
Verified Purchase
Shows such common sense in debunking the myth that economies can be in any sort of equilibrium.

Jane Jacobs was probably better placed to answer the Queen's question to the LSE than most 'professional' economists.

As the Brexit negotiations start this gives some very helpful hints of what should be happening but sadly is not.

The inherent energies (and traps) described in this book coupled with the urban planning views of her Death and Life book make her wisdom worth examining at any time.
3 people found this helpful
 Report
THOMAS
5.0 out of 5 stars If you want to understand the fundamentals of tariffs, good place to start
Reviewed in Australia on September 6, 2019
Verified Purchase
Ugh, I miss Jane Jacobs! I do think of this as being the pinnacle of her writing achievement. (I know, I know, Decline & Rise is great, but this has a broader scope.) The central thesis is that the most important activity for regions is import-replacing, which means producing locally what is usually brought in from outside. JJ sees tariffs as being reasonable when they support this kind of development -- temporarily. Long term tariffs will actually cause the industry that is supported to decline.
Report
Ben Stansfield
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in Canada on March 29, 2016
Verified Purchase
another unusual take on urban planning, a must-have for people in this field or amateur interested.
Report
広島太郎
5.0 out of 5 stars 地方の活性化に必要なもの
Reviewed in Japan on July 30, 2009
Verified Purchase
「クリエイティブ資本論」を読んでいて、その参考文献として引用されていた本書に興味を持ちました。経済の専門家ではありません。
この10年間に読んだ本の中で、最もショックを受けた内容でした。なぜ、この本が日本国内で知られていないのか、不思議に思いました。「クリエイティブ資本論」よりはるかにインパクトのある内容です。テーマは、「地方の経済発展プロセス」は、どのようなものであるかです。事例も数多く紹介されています。
地方に巨額を投じて新しい産業を育成しようとしても、資金を投入している間はそれなりに成長しているように見えるが、資金の投入を止めると時間とともに、元の状態に戻ってゆき、最終的に資金の回収はできないことを説明しています。それは、都市の発展プロセスを無視した投資だからです。言われてみれば、当然のように聞こえます。しかし、歴史的に失敗は繰り返されています。パーレビ国王とMIT留学から帰国した若手官僚たちが目指した「ジャンプスタート」は、まさに白日夢だったのです。
都市の経済は、必要な財やサービスの輸入に始まります。そして、輸入していた財やサービスを地域内で生産できる体制の構築や人材の蓄積を始めます。これが軌道に乗ると、その財やサービスを地域外へと輸出できるように、イノベーションを起こします。このイノベーションを起こすことが、都市の経済発展のための十分条件になります。このような都市発展のプロセスは、「自分でやらなければできない」プロセスで、地域外からの力でできるものではありません。また、イノベーションは、生産性向上による失業を生み出したり、労働の質の変化をもたらします(それは都市の発展の影の部分です)。
私は、地方都市に住み始めて15年ですが、米国時代と比較すると、この「自分でやろうとする爆発ポテンシャル」が日本の地方都市には感じられません。地域間競争に生き残ろうとする意識の弱さ(都市の希望格差)が、首都圏と地方の格差を生み出しているようにみえます。確かに、毎日、平穏無事に過ごせることは、個人的には楽ですが。
内容は、あまり平易とは言えませんし、表現に利用されている英語もかなりの語彙力を要求するので、米国で大学教育を受けていない私の場合、英和辞典が必須でした。論旨は明快です。構文も複雑なものはありませんでした。
政治家の方々、経済産業省や総務省の官僚の皆さん、地方公務員の皆さんには、是非、読んでいただきたい一冊だと思います。また、これからの日本を築こうと考えている学生の皆さんにも、一読を勧めます。今は理解できないことだらけでも、実務に就けば、すぐに「こういうことだ」と理解できるでしょう。
私自身、最近、この本の都市経済発展プロセスを参考に、地方における新産業育成戦略に関する提案を書いてみました。大変、参考になりました。
17 people found this helpful
 Report