Politics and Economics

Catalog description

Politics is about choices that affect the distribution of gains and losses, and about societal and political conflicts surrounding them. Course analyzes how political and economic forces shape: (1) Historical origins, such as the industrial revolution, slavery, and the birth of the modern welfare state; (2) Macro-economic policies, such as the taxation of capital, public spending and debt; and (3) Redistributive policies, such as welfare programs, unemployment and health insurance, and the minimum wage.