It influences how well we look after our planet, the future we leave for our children, the extent to which we can care for the poor and the disadvantaged, and the resources we have for enjoying ourselves. These issues are discussed daily, in bars and on buses as well as in cabinet meetings and boardrooms. The formal study of economics is exciting because it introduces a toolkit that allows a better understanding of the problems we face. Everyone knows a smoking engine is a bad sign, but sometimes only a trained mechanic can give the right advice on how to fix it. This book is designed to give you the toolkit and teach you how to use it.
Nobody carries an enormous toolbox very far.
Useful toolkits are small enough to be portable but contain enough proven tools to deal both with routine problems and unforeseen circumstances. With practice, you will be surprised at how much light this analysis can shed on daily living. This book is designed to make economics seem as useful as it really is. If you are approaching the study of economics for the first time, this book is designed to help you develop an understanding of the key principles of this fascinating subject. To assist you in working through this text, we have developed a number of distinctive study and design features.