Introduction to economic reasoning / by Marshall A Robinson, Herbert C Morton [and] James D Calderwood

This book on economic reasoning is an introduction to economics for laymen. It is for adults who have a frag mentary knowledge of economic affairs and who seek a framework for more systematic thinking about economic issues. Its purpose is to help the reader explore the mean ing of economic events and acquire skills for thinking eco nomic issues through to some conclusion. It is hoped that this treatment will show that economic analysis can assist those who wish to reason for themselves and can help them reach independent judgments respecting economic matters.

The book was originally prepared for the use of adult discussion groups. The topics covered and the length of the volume were dictated by the needs of these groups. In an effort to help them, the authors have attempted to strip economic analysis to its bare essentials. They do not wish to make economic analysis appear easier than it is. But they do believe that laymen with varied backgrounds and experience, who are far removed from college courses and have many demands on their time, need a way to get started on the subject-a way to get into it. They hope that this book will serve to encourage further study. Be cause of the growing public interest in economic affairs in recent years, the audience for the book has exceeded expectations, not only in the United States but abroad as well. Translations have appeared in nine languages: Arabic, Dutch, Farsi, Gujarati, Hindi, Japanese, Korean, Marathi, and Spanish.