1. What is economics & why does it matter? Economics defined ; Economic resources ; Schools and subfields of economics
2. Thinking like an economist. Fundamental economic concepts ; Fundamental economic models and assumptions
3. Free market versus government regulation. The miracle of markets ; Market failure and market regulation ; Price control as an example of government regulation ; Government failure
4. Competition, monopolies, & antitrust laws. Competitive versus noncompetitive markets ; Monopolies ; Antitrust regulation and enforcement
5. Globalization & the US economy. What is globalization, and what is good about it? ; Free trade agreements and other forms of economic integration ; Protectionism: The flip side of free trade ; Possible downsides of globalization ; The economics of immigration
6. Understanding the macroeconomic news. Macroeconomics and microeconomics ; Indicators of economic health ; Monetary policy, fiscal policy, and the Federal Reserve
7. Booms, bubbles, & busts. The basics of business cycles ; What causes business cycles? ; Recessions and depressions ; From boom to bubble to bust ; The 2007-2008 financial crisis: who's to blame?
8. The Social Security system, welfare spending, & healthcare in the United States. Social Security: A ticking time bomb? ; The debate over Welfare spending in the United States ; Healthcare: A market like no other
9. The future of economics. An evolving science
