Economics of Public Issues, The (15th Edition) [Paperback]

Roger LeRoy Miller (Author), Daniel K. Benjamin (Author), Douglass C. North (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 20, 2007 | ISBN-10: 0321416104 | ISBN-13: 978-0321416100 | Edition: 15

  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..

Editorial Reviews

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.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Addison Wesley; 15 edition (July 20, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0321416104
• ISBN-13: 978-0321416100
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #711,998 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Doesn't read like a textbook, December 2, 2006

By 

Brent Royal-Gordon "Perl hacker" (Southern California) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Economics of Public Issues, The (14th Edition) (Paperback)

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.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Perfect for college students, August 29, 2000

By 

"x-tine" (Arlington, TX USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Economics of Public Issues (12th Edition) (Paperback)

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.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Decent but Limited, January 13, 2000

By 

David Dodd - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Economics of Public Issues (Paperback)

This is a must read for the layman who doesn't want to read Economics 101. Many politicians and well-intentioned citizens should realize what they're up against when they try to thwart the laws of economics, whether it's the minimum wage, ticket scalping, drugs or abortions. This book explains in clear terms why many laws to regulate these issues are doomed from the start. In addition, this book is a great companion for a macroeconomics course to promote class discussions. However, if you already fully understand the laws of supply and demand, then this book is little more than light reading on a plane, and probably not worth the price. Paul Krugman's, The Accidental Theorist, addresses many of the same issues, is a lot cheaper, and more fun to read.