Rating: 
Summary: Good overview of 20th century world economic history
Review: "Commanding Heights" is an excellent overview of the worldwide economic shift from socialism and communism to free-market economies in the 20th century. Yergin and Stanislaw show how Western intellectuals and policymakers-disturbed by the rapacious nature of unrestrained laissez-faire in the latter half of the 19th century, the "triumph" of the Soviet Union, and the agony of the Great Depression-sought to implement greater controls on their seemingly irrational and volatile economies to ensure equality in the distribution of wealth and enhancement of national power. For the communists, their prophets were Marx, Lenin, Stalin, and Mao. For the West, their prophet was John Maynard Keynes. Humanity's experiment with communism came to an end by the late 1980s, when it was clear that the economic system that professed equality for all resulted in poverty for all. Mixed economies have been more successful in ensuring economic equality, but it is also clear to many in the West that the burden of maintaining the welfare state is gradually getting heavier. Yergin and Stanislaw take the reader across different continents and countries to show how this shift occurred, giving a general overview of world economic history in the 20th century. The authors then end by proposing several questions and issues for the reader to consider in assessing the viability and efficacy of the future economic order.Readers already familiar with 20th century economic history will may still find "Commanding Heights" to be of interest, although Yergin and Stanislaw's analysis is too shallow from an academic perspective. Nevertheless, I highly recommend "Commanding Heights" to all those interested in learning more about how the world economy today came into being, and where it could potentially go.
Rating:
Summary: A Very Interesting and Unfinished Story
Review: "The Commanding Heights" is well written and offers a very good historical overview of the economics of the middle and late 20th Century. There are wonderful historcal explanations of the rise of socialism in the west and communism in the east as well as the two grand economic schools in the west which were the products of John Maynard Keynes and Frederich Von Hayek. From this point the authors go on to give some form and explanation of globalization and the benefits and negative fallouts that are associated with it.
As a whole the book is absolutely worth reading, however keep in mind that the writers develope a certain point of view. The reader is left with the impression that after the free market revolutions of the 1980s Keynes was put to flight and it is obvious that what we need are even more open markets and that this is the solution to all the world's problems. Keep in mind that there are some goods and services that the market simply cannot deliver and like most cycles in history this debate is probably not settled.
As for their explanations on globalization they are pretty much on the mark. Obviously free markets are what is needed in most parts of the world and the move towards them will absolutely make the world a better place in the LONG run, but maybe a much less agreeable place in the short.
There are numerous supplements that I would recommend with this book, but I won't list them here. Make this a part of your journey to understand the wider world, but do not make the mistake of thinking this is the final answer. There is much more to learn and understand than this book offers. Great place to start however.
Rating: 
Summary: Government is bad...
Review: ...and now the whole world is realizing it. Great 20th century history book.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent coverage of economic history
Review: ...Of course the "battle of ideas" is far from over. With a globalization that has been hijacked by mega-corporate interests and plenty of issues surrounding the social services like healthcare and such, the next 20 years in global politics will almost certainly continue to be interesting and ground-breaking. Socialism, seemingly 'dead' from the viewpoint of this book, is making a comeback in the first few years of the new century. Learning how to manage the global economy to prevent exploitation and protect human civil liberties will be the next big goal. If you want to know the history of American antitrust legislation, it's in this book. Curious about the social market economy? You'll find out very soon after opening the cover. Why is it that Margaret Thatcher managed to get all her reforms through despite initially negative feedback from the first wave of pro-market policies? Well, you'll just have to read to find out. Detailed accounts of various countries' economic history are found here unlike the video which can only include a few more prominent examples. There is very good coverage of the East Asian "tigers" and an in-depth account of American deregulation, as well as the European Union, topics not covered significantly in the video.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent coverage of economic history
Review: ...Of course the "battle of ideas" is far from over. With a globalization that has been hijacked by mega-corporate interests and plenty of issues surrounding the social services like healthcare and such, the next 20 years in global politics will almost certainly continue to be interesting and ground-breaking. Socialism, seemingly 'dead' from the viewpoint of this book, is making a comeback in the first few years of the new century. Learning how to manage the global economy to prevent exploitation and protect human civil liberties will be the next big goal. If you want to know the history of American antitrust legislation, it's in this book. Curious about the social market economy? You'll find out very soon after opening the cover. Why is it that Margaret Thatcher managed to get all her reforms through despite initially negative feedback from the first wave of pro-market policies? Well, you'll just have to read to find out. Detailed accounts of various countries' economic history are found here unlike the video which can only include a few more prominent examples. There is very good coverage of the East Asian "tigers" and an in-depth account of American deregulation, as well as the European Union, topics not covered significantly in the video.
Rating:
Summary: A readable economics book!
Review: A lucid overview describing the rise to capitalism of Third World nations. When was the last time you read an economics book with continuing interest? The authors accomplish this by telling the stories through the biographies of the prime leader in each of the countries. The disturbing conclusion is that many of these gains were achieved with large disregard of human rights; Chile as a prime example. Although I'm sure the authors did'nt intend it, they appear to give tacit approval to questionable aphorism: that "The end justifies the means".
Rating:
Summary: Excellent history book
Review: A rare book written from a really non ideological posture, and a true story, at least the parts about my country. Excellent relate, with a very balanced review of history, plenty of illustrative anecdotes for understand different nations and or historic moments of the world. Highly recommended for economists, politics, historians, and anybody who loves politic discussions. A must to understand our century and shape a good attitude to rethink anybody's old ideas about politics.
Rating: 
Summary: A disappointment: all about what happened not why.
Review: After Daniel Yergin's fascinating books on the oil industry (read it!)and on Russia, Commanding Heights was a big disappointment. Any reader who has a decent newspaper would know most of the story of the shift in the last thirty years from state planning and intervention to the free market. Although if history is what you are after, the story of this transition in different parts of the world is well told. What is missing is (1) any explanation of why this all happened and (2) any coherent view of what is likely to happen next -are we going to shift back again or is the intellectual revolution set for a long while. One needs (1) to come up with (2) and Yergin and Stanislaw do not tackle either. PS: The chapter on China was particularly weak.
Rating:
Summary: A good effort!
Review: All in all a very good effort. While the reading at times is repetitive, I nonetheless found it interesting and compelling throughout. The breath and scope of this book is most impressive. It does justice to the subject: the philosophical victory of the neo-classical perspective represented by von Hayek over the government interventionist perspective represented by Keynes. Think of it as the main heavyweight event of economists. I have a few criticisms of this book. First, the implications of North's work on institutions is not presented in the context of its effect on the resurgence of the neo-classical perspective in the last two decades of this century. Second, American Exceptionalism (a.k.a. Lipset) is not discussed even though it is a clear underlying theme of this book. Third, while these authors wrote about the resurgence of neo-classical economics, the reader is left feeling that the authors do not subscribe to that perspective. For example, the authors seem open to third way economics even though that is merely re-packaged government interventionism. Overall this is an excellent book that I'd recommend.
Rating:
Summary: Big picture history at its most insightful.
Review: An excellent read. This book was informative, interesting, sense-making, and thought provoking. What more can you ask for? Particularly from an economics book! I recommend it, particularly to the general reader with scant economics in his or background (like me). Two objections: was it necessary to include so many countries in the analyis and discussion? The going slowed a little after the third or fourth "tiger" or South American example. Second, the authors make a compelling argument for free markets, but slight the down side, although the George Shultz quote, page 374, with the authors' elaboration offer a nod in that direction; and in closing the authors fairly note criteria by which the open market could be judged in the future: does it deliver the goods; ensure fairness; uphold national identity; protect the environment. Big picture history at its most insightful.
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