ECON 100-06, Introduction to Economics, Fall 2011

Abstract

Welcome to Economics 100. This syllabus provides a tentative guide to the course. The assignments and course outline are subject to change, but there won’t be any huge surprises. In this course, you will learn the fundamental principles of economics and how to apply them. We will consider several key topics: incentives, trade, profits and losses, the workings of supply and demand, the causes and consequences of government intervention, and the aggregate performance of economic systems. The course fulfills the F8 Foundation Requirement; this means that we will “explore and understand the systematic analysis of human interaction and contemporary institutions” through lectures, hands-on homework assignments, exams, and extensive in-class discussion. According to the Rhodes Vision, “Rhodes College aspires to graduate students with a life-long passion for learning, a compassion for others, and the ability to translate academic study and personal concern into effective leadership and action in their communities and the world.” Understanding economics is integral to the Rhodes Vision in that economics equips you with a unique set of tools that will help you separate truth from error. Economic analysis as such does not produce value judgments, but careful economic reasoning can inform “effective leadership and action” in the boardroom and at the ballot box.