History of Economic Analysis

3 units

The purpose of this course is to introduce students to some of the theories and doctrines that constitute the main paradigms from which economists and policy makers approach the world. Rather than focusing on the whole history of economic thinking, we will focus on practical issues, including questions such as the following: What determines the wage of labor? Why is monopoly considered a bad thing? At what level does an interest rate become usury? We will consider how these questions have been framed and answered at different points in time and in different cultures. Important components of this course are participation in in-class discussion and essays submitted on the practical issues discussed throughout the semester.