Trade-Offs: An Introduction to Economic Reasoning and Social Issues - Softcover

Winter, Harold

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0226902250 ISBN 13: 9780226902258

Publisher: University of Chicago Press, 2005

Synopsis

When economists wrestle with issues such as unemployment, inflation, or budget deficits, they do so by incorporating an impersonal, detached mode of reasoning. But economists also analyze issues that, to others, do not typically fall within the realm of economic reasoning, such as organ transplants, cigarette addiction, smoking in public, and product safety. Trade-Offs is an introduction to the economic approach to analyzing these controversial public policy issues.

Harold Winter provides readers with the analytical tools needed to identify and understand the trade-offs associated with these topics. By considering both the costs and benefits of potential policy solutions, Winter stresses that real-world policy decision making is best served by an explicit recognition of as many trade-offs as possible.

Intellectually stimulating yet accessible and entertaining, Trade-Offs will be appreciated by students of economics, public policy, health administration, political science, and law, as well as by anyone who follows current social policy debates.

About this title

About the Author

Harold Winter is professor of economics at Ohio University.

Review

"Harold Winter's engaging volume is a great starting point for introducing students to the economic approach to policy issues. Where other disciplines see absolutes, economics sees trade-offs. And, as Winter shows, the guidance economics provides as to what these trade-offs are and what balance we should strike is often surprising. Trade-Offs illustrates the broad range of economic reasoning with a wealth of case studies that runs the gamut from auto safety to organ transplants. This book will get students excited about learning economics." - W. Kip Viscusi, Harvard Law School"

Edition details

• Publisher: University of Chicago Press
• Publication date: 2005
• ISBN 10: 0226902250
• ISBN 13: 9780226902258
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 126