Bajo el presupuesto que cada uno de nosotros realiza permanentemente transacciones, muchas veces sin percatarnos de ello, este libro se ocupa, a través de ejemplos cotidianos, de los temas principales de un curso de microeconomía, en el que se aborda la conducta de los denominados agentes económicos en el mundo de las transacciones –según la idea de que la racionalidad orienta sus conductas–, y se exponen los modelos económicos que explican esta conducta.

To many people, economics is as confusing as physics. Just as we use physics every day even if we don’t know its technical aspects, we all use economics on a daily basis even if we don’t know its technical aspects. Yet, unlike physics, introductory economics is not as difficult as it might appear at first. However, it is true that economists speak a different “language” in the sense that we often use terms that are not common in everyday conversation. For example, economists use terms such as the natural rate of unemployment, the elasticity of demand, opportunity cost, and comparative advantage. These terms are nothing more than a shorthand way of conveying a general concept that all economists understand, even if they don’t necessarily agree with each other's conclusions. While specific terms will be introduced throughout the text, this introductory discussion will focus on some general terms and concepts. What exactly is economics? You are probably familiar with economic terms from watching the nightly news or reading the daily newspaper. Economics is often discussed in terms of unemployment, the stock market, gross national product, the trade deficit, or consumer confidence. However, none of these topics really defines economics. Instead, these are elements of the broader set of questions that economics addresses.

Basic Economics is a citizen's guide to economics-for those who want to understand how the economy works but have no interest in jargon or equations. Sowell reveals the general principles behind any kind of economy-capitalist, socialist, feudal, and so on. In readable language, he shows how to critique economic policies in terms of the incentives they create, rather than the goals they proclaim. With clear explanations of the entire field, from rent control and the rise and fall of businesses to the international balance of payments, this is the first book for anyone who wishes to understand how the economy functions.

Stressing both intuition and analytical precision, this text uses a calculus-based approach to present coverage of all key microeconomic topics. The integration of modern theories of information throughout the text includes a chapter on information and competitive equilibrium.

Now in its third edition, Economics: The Basics continues to provide an engaging and topical introduction to the key issues in contemporary economics. Fully updated to take into account the global recession, ongoing problems in Eurozone economies, changing patterns in world trade, housing and currency markets, it covers fundamental issues, including: • How different economic systems function • The boom and bust cycle of market economies • The impact of emerging markets • How price, supply and demand interact • The role of the banking and finance industry • Whether we can emerge from recession and reduce poverty • The impact of economics on the environment With a glossary of terms, suggestions for further reading and new case studies covering subjects such as the choices facing developing economies, the impact of growth on the price of natural resources and the aftermath of the financial crash; this comprehensive and accessible guide is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand how economics works.