Product Description

  The Economics of Public Issues is a collection of brief, relevant readings that spark independent thinking and classroom discussions in principles of economics, public policy, and social issues courses. The Foundations of Economic Analysis: Death by Bureaucrat; Ethanol Madness; Flying the Friendly Skies?; The Mystery of Wealth. Supply and Demand: Sex, Booze, and Drugs; Expanding Waistlines; Is Water Different?; Slave Redemption in Sudan; Smoking and Smuggling; Bankrupt Landlords, from Sea to Shining Sea. Labor Markets: (Why) Are Women Paid Less?; The Effects of the Minimum Wage; Immigration, Superstars, and Poverty; A Farewell to Jobs. Market Structures: Monopsony and Competition in Health Care; Big Oil, Big Oil Prices?; Contracts, Combinations, and Conspiracies; Coffee, Tea, or Tuition-Free?; College Costs (…and Costs and Costs); Keeping the Competition Out; Political Economy: Raising Less Corn and More Hell; Killer Cars and the Rise of the SUV; Crime and Punishment; The Graying of America; Heavenly Highway. Property Rights and the Environment: The Trashman Cometh; Bye-Bye, Bison; Smog Merchants; Greenhouse Economics. International Trade and Economic Prosperity: Free Trade, Less Trade, or No Trade?; The $750,000 Steelworker; The Lion, the Dragon, and the Future. For all readers interested in principles of economics, public policy, and social issues..

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #87968 in Books
• Published on: 2007-07-20
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 256 pages

About the Author

Roger LeRoy Miller received his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago. He is currently Director of the Institute for University Studies in Arlington, Texas. Dr. Miller is a legal specialist and author of numerous books on law and the legal environment, including criminal procedure. In addition, Dr. Miller has authored books on the war on drugs, the economics of crime and criminal behavior, and on related topics.

Daniel K. Benjamin graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Virginia and completed his Ph.D. in economics at the University of California at Los Angeles where he was a National Science Foundation Fellow. Benjamin has taught at Montana State University, the University of Washington and the University of California at Santa Barbara. Currently, he is Alumni Distinguished Professor of Economics at Clemson University. He was a national fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University and a visiting distinguished scholar at the University of Liverpool, England. He also served on the executive committee of the Western Economic Association. During the Reagan administration, he spent several years in Washington, D.C. where he was deputy assistant secretary for policy and then chief of staff at the Department of Labor. Earlier, he had served as a staff economist with the President's Council of Economic Advisers.

Douglass C. North is the Spencer T. Olin Professor in Arts and Sciences, Ph.D. University of California Berkeley Research Interests: New Institutional Economics, Economic History and Economic Development He is also professor of history and a fellow of the Center in Political Economy. He was on the faculty of the University of Washington and held visiting chairs at Cambridge and Rice Universities. In 1993 he was awarded the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and has served as president of the Economic History Association and the Western Economic Association. His major interest is the evolution of economic and political institutions. The effects of institutions on the development of economies through time is a major emphasis in his work in both economic history and development.

Customer Reviews

Doesn't read like a textbook
My economics survey course is using this as a supplemental textbook, and I can say that without a doubt it's the most interesting nonfiction text I've ever been assigned.

The book basically consists of about thirty 4-8 page articles on various real-world topics, ranging from the obvious (rent controls, minimum wage) to the exotic (prostitution, global warming). In each case, the authors explain how you can apply economic principles to these issue at hand--and often come to a conclusion that would have surprised you before you read the article, but now seems as obvious as the color of the sky. A lot of the articles are U.S.-centric, but the authors draw on examples from other countries where appropriate.

Our teacher has been assigning a reading every week or so, but I often found myself continuing three or four articles past the assigned one because the topics were so interesting. If your teacher assigned this text, count yourself lucky; if you're looking for some independent reading, take a close look at this book.

Perfect for college students
The Economics of Public Issues is an enjoyable textbook for the college student. It is perfect for its compact size, yet concise in detail. The topics are very illustrative, and students will find them relevant to today's world.

A Fun, Excellent Exploration of Real-World Economics Issues
This is a great little book to use as a companion to a textbook in any intro to economics class. Accessible even to people with no econ background at all, it shows how the principles of economics can be useful to understand a variety of different issues. The readings are short and clear, and they cover real-world, current issues. I would also recommend this to any reader who wants to learn more about the practical applications of economics.