(Mankiw, 5th Ed.) – Chapter 1
Full Summary
Chapter Title: Ten Principles of
Economics
Introduction to Economics
Economics is the study of how
society allocates its scarce
resources to satisfy human
wants. It explains decision-
making at the individual,
business, and government levels
and how different economic
agents interact.
Key Concept: Scarcity
,Scarcity means that resources
(labor, land, capital) are limited,
and society cannot produce
everything people want.
,Since people cannot have
everything, they must make
choices, leading to trade-offs.
Economics helps analyze how to
make the best possible decisions
given these constraints.
Example:
A government choosing between
investing in education or military
spending.
A consumer deciding between
saving or buying a new phone.
, The Ten Principles of Economics