Economic concepts often give a fresh and unobvious perspective when applied to the study of how the state, law, and the economy functions and are interrelated. This course teaches students essential economic concepts in an intuitive manner relevant to the study of political economy. Part One is focused on developing the essential economic concepts. These are then applied to the study of the nature of the liberal democratic state and why it has to be a limited state in contrast to a populist democratic one.
Topics include the contractual nature of the state, public versus private goods, property rights and economic externalities, the logic of collective action, social choice theory, agenda control, the art of manipulation, and the compatibility of two ideas of liberty with the democratic state.
This MOOC is Part Two. Part Two provides an in-depth exploration of the political and economic factors that influence power dynamics, governance, and growth across various political systems. Spanning four weeks, students will gain a comprehensive understanding of authoritarian rule, one-party governance, and their economic consequences. Additionally, the course will delve into the implications of rent-seeking behavior and examine the factors that contribute to the rise and decline of nations. By the end of this course, students will be equipped with a foundation in the rich interplay of politics, economics, and social change.
Moreover, the use of interdisciplinary materials, empirical inference, game theoretic simulation, and cross-referencing with political philosophies and well-known historical cases, provide students an opportunity to connect different perspectives and deepen their understanding of the democratic state in a free society using economic concepts.
以經濟概念研究國家、法律和經濟系統如何運作，及三者的相互關聯時，常常發掘到新鮮而且不明顯的角度。 本課程以與政治經濟學研究相關的直觀方式教授學生基本經濟概念。 課程的第一部份著眼於發展基本經濟概念，然後將這些應用於研究自由民主國家的性質，以及為什麼它必須是一個有限的國家，而不是民粹主義的民主國家。
主題包括國家的契約性質，公共與私人物品，財產權和經濟外部性，集體行動的邏輯，社會選擇理論，議程控制，操縱藝術，以及民主國家的兩種自由觀念的兼容性。
本慕課是課程的第二部份。第二部份深入探討影響各種政治制度下權力動態、治理和增長的政治和經濟因素。
課程為期四週，學生將對專制統治、一黨治理及其經濟後果有全面的了解。此外，本課程還將深入研究租尋行為的影響，並梳理促使國家興衰的因素。在完結課程後，學生將掌握政治、經濟和社會變革之間豐富相互作用的基礎知識。
跨學科材料的使用，經驗推理，博弈論模擬以及與政治哲學和著名歷史案例的交叉參照，使學生有機會利用經濟概念將不同的觀點聯繫起來，加深對自由社會中民主國家的理解。
