A Forward-Thinking Economist's Twelve Startling Predictions Reveal the Critical Challenges in the Decades Ahead, Helping Individuals, Businesses, and Governments to Make Smarter Decisions.As the world struggles to recover from its economic crisis, many individuals, companies, and countries are narrowly focused on shorterm forecasts: what may happen in the next week, the next month, or the next quarter. But most of them would be better off thinking about what the global economy will look like in the years to come---where the bigger risks and opportunities are most likely to arise. these long-term questions are the ones Daniel Altman confronts in this provocative, often counterintutive, and yet eminently logical book.The fate of the global economy, Altman argues, will be determined by deeper factors than those that move markets from moment to moment. His incisive analysis brings together hidden trends, socital pressures, and policy end-games to make twelve surprising and persuasive predictions for the years ahead. His forecasts for the future also raise a pressing question for today: With so many challenges awaiting us, are our political and economic institutions up to the task?Outrageous Fortunes is an indispensable guide to tomorrow, providing essential insights into the industries that will grow, the economies that will crumble, the investments that are most likely to pay off, and where the next big crisis may occur. In these turbulent and confusing times, Altman's perspective and wisdom can point the way ahead. Read Less