Exploring Economics: Will the Next Generation Be Worse Off? (FutureLearn)

We will look at reasons to be optimistic and reasons to be pessimistic. We will discuss to what extent the next generation can expect to be better or worse off than the current generation.

You’ll get to share your views on what’s more likely and hear how prominent economists and other scholars can have different views on this question.

What topics will you cover?

- Reality check: why the next generation is likely to be worse off

- What might lie ahead: an unequal society incapable of innovation

- Why the market will not save us and the need for government intervention

- A history of government failures: learning from past mistakes

- Rethinking economic growth and economic policy

- A new approach to promote growth and support socioeconomic transformation

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you'll be able to...

- Explore the economic prospects of the next generation in a global context with emphasis on Australia and industrial countries.

- Describe the rationale for government intervention in the economy and provide relevant examples of intervention.

- Explain the criteria for success/failure regarding government intervention in economic policy.

- Discuss the economic policy options that may allow the next generation to have an improved economic outlook.