Principles of Macroeconomics, 2021A version (Lyryx)

Abstract

Principles of Macroeconomics is an adaptation of the textbook, Macroeconomics: Theory, Markets, and Policy by D. Curtis and I. Irvine, and presents a complete and concise examination of introductory macroeconomics theory and policy suitable for a first introductory course. Examples are domestic and international in their subject matter and are of the modern era — financial markets, monetary and fiscal policies aimed at inflation and debt control, globalization and the importance of trade flows in economic structure, and concerns about slow growth and the risk of deflation, are included.

This textbook is intended for a one-semester course, and can be used in a two-semester sequence with the companion textbook, Principles of Microeconomics. The three introductory chapters are common to both textbooks. The title is intended to be informative. Students are introduced to the concepts of models early,and the working of such models is illustrated in every chapter. While this book avoids calculus and uses algebra sparingly, it still aims to be rigorous. In contrast to many books on the market that simply insert diagrams and discuss concepts in a diagrammatic framework, our books develop and analyze key concepts and relations by introducing numerical and empirical examples at the outset. Students are introduced immediately to the practice of taking a set of data, examining it numerically, plotting it and thinking about how it illustrates a concept or relationship. The process is not difficult but it is rigorous and stresses the link between empirical observation, economic theory, models and policy. Hence numerical examples, diagrams, and straight line equations and are introduced early and are used throughout.