Government and the Economy

Government and the Economy

The type of economy we have and the way it performs is the result of centuries of governmental policy making. This program examines the basics of the U.S. market economy and the governmental framework within which it works. We will study the constitutional and political framework within which policy decisions are made and look specifically at the tools governments at all levels use to steer economic decision making. In the process, we will ask some fundamental questions about democracy, equity and governmental effectiveness. We will also introduce some fundamental macroeconomic concepts in order to understand how economic factors respond to government policies. Finally, we will attempt to place the U.S. economic system in a comparative perspective to see why the United States differs from market economies in Europe and elsewhere on many essential points.

Credit will be awarded in politics, public administration and economics