The Economics Flyover

Seven questions about making, choosing, and getting — the economy in an afternoon.

Economics is the study of choices under scarcity — which sounds abstract until you notice you make those choices all week: at the register, on the schedule, with the rent. These seven pages are questions because that’s how the subject actually shows up in a life. Each one gives you the working idea, the fights behind it, and the piece of it you can use.

1. Question One Why can’t everyone have everything?

   Scarcity, opportunity cost, and incentives — the ideas under every other idea.

2. Question Two Who decides what things cost?

   Supply and demand, competition and monopoly — what a price is telling you.

3. Question Three What is money — and what does a bank do with yours?

   Trust, interest, credit scores — the page that’s worth actual dollars.

4. Question Four Where do wages come from?

   Scarcity and bargaining power — your paycheck’s biography.

5. Question Five What do GDP, inflation, and unemployment actually measure?

   The three news numbers — what each counts, and what each hides.

6. Question Six What does the government do in the economy?

   Rules, public goods, the safety net, taxes — and the permanent argument.

7. Question Seven Why do booms go bust — and how do you stand steady?

   The business cycle, two crashes, and a household’s three defenses.