What you will — and won’t — learn in our Progress & Poverty course

image credit: Eli Christman (cc)
image credit: Eli Christman (cc)

What you will learn

  • You will learn a method of reasoning that is useful in understanding all sorts of community problems.
  • You will know the mechanism by which poverty tends to worsen as the economy progresses, and why programs aimed at alleviating poverty can have, at best, only limited success.
  • You will see the inherent contradictions which cause “economic development” programs to fail.
  • You will understand the fundamental cause of the ongoing financial crises.
  • You will know why similar crises occur repeatedly, every decade or two.
  • You will recognize that honest and efficient govern­ment, improved public education, and many other desirable reforms cannot by themselves bring pros­perity nor end poverty.
  • You will have a better understanding of the economic system under which we live.
  • You will know how Liberty and Justice are essential elements of any system which works for everybody.
  • You will understand and have evaluated for yourself a method of public finance which might end poverty and prevent financial collapses.

What you won’t learn

  • You won’t learn any sure-fire method for getting rich. However, you will gain knowledge which may help you prosper personally.
  • You won’t learn a magic formula for peace and prosperity. But you will have a better under­standing of concepts which are essential for making peace and prosperity possible.