Econ 309

Syllabus for Hanson's GMU class:
Economic Problems and Public Policies

Economics 309, meets noon-1:15, Tuesday, Thursday, during Fall 2023, Lecture Hall 3

Instructor: Robin D. Hanson, Assoc. Professor, Economics (rhanson@gmu.edu, http://hanson.gmu.edu)
Phone: Office 703-993-2326, Cell 703-201-8129.
Office Hours: Officially Tuesdays 10:30-11:45a, but I'm available at far more times; email or call.

Catalog Entry:

Economic problems in light of current and proposed public policies. Topics include environmental issues, international trade policies, and regulatory issues and their historical roots. Limited to three attempts. Recommended Prerequisite: ECON 100 or 103 and 104 or permission of instructor.

Class Concept: After reviewing key econ concepts, we will engage with many big policy issues, practicing using econ to identify which way each consideration pushes on each policy question.

Assignments:

Class Participation Please contribute to class discussions.
Quizzes Three in-class quizzes will given. You are given 45min for each quiz. Quizzes are open book, open notes.
Defended Opinions Three times you will write a defense of your opinions on a legal topic. The assigned topics will be unusual, in order to encourage you to think them through yourself, rather than looking up what others have said (or asking a large language model). Limit each essay to two pages. I grade on how many relevant economic arguments you make clear; we will discuss this more in class.
Final Exam This includes both an additional quiz and an additional defended opinion.

Defended Opinion Topics

Should we require a "Gap Decade", starting at earliest of 1st kid or age 22, ending at earliest of a decade or 3rd kid is age 4?
Should blackmail be allowed regarding crimes?
Is the Common Law legal sytsem more economically efficient than the Civil Law system?

Due Dates:

Quizes: 7Sep,28Sep,26Oct
Defended Opinions: 28Sep,26Oct,21Nov
Final: Dec 7, 10:30am-1:15pm

Grade Weights: Class Participate 5%, 13% per Quiz and paper, 17% final.

Schedule

Week Topic

22,24 Aug Review of Econ, Humans

29,31 Aug Paternalism, Talk

5,7 Sep Insurance Quiz Thursday

12,14 Sep Food

19,21 Sep Fertility No Class Thursday

26,28 Sep Medicine Quiz, Paper Due Thursday

3,5 Oct School, Jobs

10,12 Oct Land No class Tues.

17,19 Oct Finance

24,26 Oct Law Quiz, Paper Thursday

31Oct, 1Nov More Law

7,9 Nov Discrimination

14,16 Nov Emergencies No Class Thursday

21,23 Nov Innovation No class Thursday,

28,30 Nov World, Systems Paper Due Tuesday

7 Dec Final Exam

Readings

This one text is required: The Elephant in the Brain: Hidden Motives in Everyday Life.

All other readings are free online at http://hanson.gmu.edu/EC309readings.html

Week	Topic
22,24 Aug	Review of Econ, Humans
29,31 Aug	Paternalism, Talk
5,7 Sep	Insurance	Quiz Thursday
12,14 Sep	Food
19,21 Sep	Fertility	No Class Thursday
26,28 Sep	Medicine	Quiz, Paper Due Thursday
3,5 Oct	School, Jobs
10,12 Oct	Land	No class Tues.
17,19 Oct	Finance
24,26 Oct	Law	Quiz, Paper Thursday
31Oct, 1Nov	More Law
7,9 Nov	Discrimination
14,16 Nov	Emergencies	No Class Thursday
21,23 Nov	Innovation	No class Thursday,
28,30 Nov	World, Systems	Paper Due Tuesday
7 Dec	Final Exam

Syllabus for Hanson's GMU class:Economic Problems and Public Policies

Syllabus for Hanson's GMU class:
Economic Problems and Public Policies