Are riches something that accrue infinitely to the benefit of everyone, or must they always be concentrated in the hands of the few? Why do we believe these things to be true, and how did we come up with these rules?
This course will interpret economists as writers informed by their own historical time. Reading their work in this research seminar will help advanced undergraduate and graduate students to develop their own understanding of the principles upon which the discipline of economics rests. Read original excerpts from Adam Smith, John Maynard Keynes, F. A. Hayek, and other individuals responsible for formulating the rules of capitalism.