Wednesday, August 12, 2009

AP Economics: Absolute Advantage

The student's version of the lesson on absolute advantage examines the question: "NAFTA: Are Jobs Being Sucked Out of the United States?"


A brief introduction to absolute advantage, geared to grades 6-8 but not simplistic, assists in understanding NAFTA and absolute advantage.




Richie Valens, "La Bamba"




Lou Diamond Phillips covering Ritchie Valens' "La Bamba," in the film version based on Valen's life.




1968 U.K. hit "Mexico" by Long John Baldry

AP Economics: Comparative Advantage

The lesson When Disaster Strikes, What Can We Do? focuses on comparative advantage.


Ian Hunter, "How's Your House?"




The song is downloadable at the New Orleans Musicians Relief Fund (NOMRF.org) to help displaced musicians. Song Courtesy of Yep Roc Records, Video by Grewvia. Posted for educational purposes only, copyright remains with the original owner.


The idea that Americans organized themselves, joined associations, and addressed disasters more than other nations, in particular more than Europeans, was noted in particular by Alexis de Tocqueville in his classic work, Democracy in America.


Cf. Stone, 42, 43f, 645-646, 645f.


Bade and Parkin, Chapter 3.5, 34.2.


Cf. Open Yale Courses produced a video on Tocqueville for the Introduction to Political Philosophy (PLSC 114).


Video source: Yale University 2009, some rights reserved. Unless otherwise indicated in the credits section of certain lecture pages, all content on this website is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

AP Economics: Broken Window Fallacy



"I predict future happiness for Americans
if they can prevent the government
from wasting the labors of the people
under the pretense of taking care of them."
Thomas Jefferson