Deficit cover art

Deficit

The Hidden Value of Care

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Deficit

By: Emma Holten, Sherilyn Nicolette Hellberg - translator
Narrated by: Emma Holten
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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

How can we create a better future – one that truly prioritises health and happiness?

For too long, economic thinkers have left out acts of care - written off as 'women's work' for centuries - from their calculations. The result? Terrible real-world consequences today: crumbling public services, struggling schools and care systems on the brink of collapse.

In Deficit, prominent Danish feminist Emma Holten reveals how and why this happened, and argues that the things that matter – doing homework with your child, checking in on loved ones, talking to a
colleague who doesn’t seem well – might seem inconsequential, but are in fact the building blocks of the economy. Urgent and incisive, this is a call to rethink the economic value of care.

'Brilliantly rewrites the history of economic thought to place 'her story' at its heart - while combining sharp analysis with piercing wit and deep care. A must-read' - Kate Raworth, author of DOUGHNUT ECONOMICS

'One of the most important feminist voices of the 21st century . . . The book about capitalism we didn't know we needed' - Sofie Hagen

© Emma Holten 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025

 Economic History Economics Gender Studies Social Sciences Theory Women Capitalism Socialism Denmark Taxation Economic Inequality

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Critic reviews

This book brilliantly rewrites the history of economic thought to place 'her story' at its heart - while combining sharp analysis with piercing wit and deep care. It's a must read (Kate Raworth, author of DOUGHNUT ECONOMICS)
Emma is one of the most important feminist voices of the 21st century. Emma Holten is going to change the world and you better get on board now, by reading this book. This book will make everything make sense. The book about capitalism we didn't know we needed (Sofie Hagen)
At once poignant and accessible, Deficit deftly exposes how our existing economic institutions fail to value care in our societies and are incapable of understanding why relationships between people matter. A truly impressive book (Rosie Collington, author of THE BIG CON)
A triumph . . . Like all the great classics of economics, Holten’s DEFICIT is at heart about how we care for ourselves and other people. DEFICIT punches a great hole through history and our thinking about the care crisis that defines all of our lives. Holten is immensely readable, crystal clear, informative and best of all laugh-out-loud funny. So entertained and engrossed was I by Holten’s distinctive voice, it was only after I put down the book that I realised the impact of this subtle, informative history lesson in four hundred years of western economics, and how feminist thinking has the capacity to change it (Rachel Holmes, author of ELEANOR MARX and SYLVIA PANKHURST)
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