The Power of a Single Number : A Political History of GDP

In The Power of a Single Number, Philipp Lepenies tells the lively, unpredictable history of GDP's political acceptance—and eventual dominance. Since it was first widely used in the mid-twentieth century, GDP (gross domestic product) has become the world's most powerful statistical indicator of national development and progress. Lepenies's absorbing account helps us understand the personalities and popular events that propelled GDP to dominance, clarifying current debates over the wisdom of the number's rule.