The Resilient Society

People in a resilient society are able to bounce back from shocks, such as pandemics and economic crises. The Resilient Society, by Princeton University economist Markus Brunnermeier, describes how individuals, institutions, and nations can successfully navigate a dynamic, globalized economy filled with unknown risks. Lacking resilience, societies, families, and individuals can reach tipping points from which they cannot recover. Written for business leaders, economists, policymakers, and politically interested citizens, the book argues that the concept of resilience can be a compass for developing a social contract that benefits all people. The author applies his macroeconomic insights to public health, innovation, public debt overhang, inflation, inequality, climate change, and challenges to the global order.

The Resilient Society was awarded the prestigious German Business Book Prize in 2021.

"Markus Brunnermeier has written a landmark book on resilience. It is an indispensable guide to what we must learn from the pandemic, and how to do better next time." - Angus Deaton, 2015 Nobel laureate in economics

"In this book, Markus Brunnermeier thinks big about the long-term future, in light of the lessons we have learned from recent transforming events, such as the Covid-19 pandemic and the digital revolution. His book is a significant read for anyone taking a leadership role in the coming years. An excellent reading to an intro economics course." - Robert Shiller, 2013 Nobel laureate in economics

"Markus Brunnermeier provides a new framework for understanding resilience in finance and in the political economy. He argues that we need to adopt a wider vision of how economies work. Lucid, clear, and engaging, the book should be required reading for any economist or policymaker seeking a new way of imagining the craft of economics." - Gillian Tett, Financial Times, chair of the editorial board and editor-at-large

"Markus Brunnermeier, one of the leading economists of this generation, shows us how we can address crises more effectively in the future. His book will be an invaluable resource for scholars and practitioners looking to build a more resilient, just, and productive society." - Raj Chetty, William A. Ackman Professor at Harvard University and the director of Opportunity Insights