Instructional materials are available to supplement the text.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Contents: Economic growth an introduction to scarcity and choice -- An Introduction to economic systems and the workings of the price system -- Inefficiency: The Pervasive economic problem -- Competitive markets and agriculture -- Market power: Does it help or hurt the economy? -- Air pollution: Balancing benefits and costs -- Medical care: Costs out of control? -- Crime and drugs: A Modern dilemma -- College education: Is it worth the cost -- Educational reform: The Role of incentives and choice -- Social security: Where are we? Where are we going? -- Poverty: Old and new approaches to a persistent problem -- Tracking the macroeconomy -- Unemployment: A Recurring problem -- Inflation: A Monetary phenomenon -- Deficits, surpluses, and debt: Past, present, and future -- The Global economy: Trade -- The Global economy: Finance.