Book review: The rational optimist by Matt Ridley

THE RATIONAL OPTIMISTBY MATT RIDLEY (4th Estate, £9.99) ****

By The Newsroom

Published 22nd Apr 2011, 19:51 BST

Updated 22nd Apr 2011, 20:23 BST

Before I read this book, I was pretty sure the capitalist world was about to implode, but now I have my doubts. Ridley's optimism is infectious. He argues his case brilliantly. We have a better standard of living than ever, he says: effectively, an ordinary Westerner is richer than Louis XIV. Our houses are more comfortable, our food is better, and we have much more opportunity to travel. Why are things improving? Because we trade. It's a virtuous circle, says Ridley.