Average Rating: 
Rating:  - Good but not quite perfect
The Economist is certainly the best of the weekly newsmagazine genre but it is not quite perfect. Back in my college days, I once heard that there was the Economist and then there was Slime, Newspeak and Useless News and World Distort. I won't disagree. Its not perfect since, occasionally, the other American newsmagazines will cover some US stories in more detail than will the Economist but then you have to wade through umpteen pointless human interest stories or even stupider stories on celebrities.Over the past 20+ years, roughly how long I've been reading the Economist, its editorial slant has gone from Far Right to Right of Center (assuming that old fashioned Liberals are considered center-right) on economic/financial matters and Left of Center on social issues. It is very difficult to exactly categorize the publication since it is usually too intelligent to slavishly toe any line other than one of abhorring waste and stupidity. If you are trying to 'pin' it down, the slant of the Economist is in favor of 'market based' solutions to virtually any problem that can be analyzed in those terms: Trade? For it! What about displaced workers? Retrain them! What if they are too old or too ill-educated to be retrained? Would be better to buy 'em off with a lump-sum payment! Net, all of society will still be better off! Pollution? Against it! BUT use the market mechanism to reduce it at the lowest cost in terms of jobs lost or firms forced out of business. Abortion? Pro-choice since it is in favor of maximizing individual choice and responsibilities (the sine qua non of any market society). I think you get the idea. The particular strength of the Economist is its ability to explain very complex, abstract economic theory in terms any intelligent layman can understand. (Note: I do NOT say, "any person" as there are far too many stupid people out there who cannot understand anything, no matter how hard you try to explain it). The Economist is the best all-round news weekly available but falls behind the Far Eastern Economic Review if that part of the world is what you are interested in. Short of that, buy it.
Rating: - Best News Magazine, Period
This continues to be the best news magazine, period. I have subscribed to it on and off for years. Whenever I travel by plane, I pick up the latest issue at the news stand because it provide in-depth analysis and coverage over a wide variety of news items. Not to mention coverage of science and the arts. Each issue is worth its full price, so the subscription price is worth it. It may seem high, but not if you value timely, accurate, detailed coverage. Keep in mind that you can get an online-only subscription for about half price (online access is free with the print subscriptions). If you have never tried it, certainly buy a couple issues. Then try a one-year subscription. Your mind will thank you.
Rating: - The Economist is worth every cent
The Economist is the best weekly publication I've have ever read. It is concise, witty, hilarious (honestly, at times I've bursted laughing at their sarcasm), and open-minded. It's amazing that a magazine can cover so much and say so much in about 90 pages week in and week out. For a British publication, they cover a lot of the US. I heavily rely on it to get my news and analyses. And I would say that it is perhaps the only reliable news publication (yes, a big statement). In fact, I cancelled my subscription to Business Week in favor of the Economist.They are also not afraid to tackle difficult subjects like the Israel, race relations, corruption, etc. They give credit where credit is due, and are quick dish out blame as well. No one escapes unscathed. I add that I don't agree with all their views (like when they advocated for Clinton to 'Just go' or when they made the case to legalize drugs), however I feel that there is a little bit of everything for everyone in the magazine. And even if they say something that turns your stomach, at least you'll have something to discuss or be outraged. The best features of this magazine are their technology reports (released quarterly), industry and country surveys, and year-end Christmas, special issue. The magazine is expensive when compared to Time or Newsweek. But the analyses and news coverage you get is certainly worth it. To those that complain about the price, I say you get what you pay for.
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