Preface - Part I: The economic system -- 1 - Capitalism: What gets made, and who gets what? -- 2 - The changing economy: why are some people losing faith in our economic system? -- 3 - Money: What do gold, dollars, and cryptocurrencies have in common? -- Part II: People -- 4 - Spending, production, and income: How big is our economy, and why does it matter? -- 5 - Work income, investment income, and wealth: how is income divided between labor and capital? -- 6 - The (mostly) open economy: what are the consequences of international trade? -- Part III: Business -- 7 - The private sector and the stock market: How is business organized, owned, and valued? -- 8 - Corporate behavior: What drives corporations, and how can they be influenced? - 9 - Business consolidation and reduced competition: Why are more industries being dominated by fewer companies? -- Part IV: The economic cycle -- 10 - Boom and bust: Must what goes up come down? -- 11 - The federal reserve system and banking: What is the fed's role and how is new money created? -- 12 - Monetary policy: How does the fed fight economic downturns? -- 13 - Fiscal policy: How can government spending and tax policies fight downturns? -- Part V: The government -- 14 - The national debt: What is the cost of the government's unbalanced budget? -- 15 - Government policy and earnings: How can our economy become more equitable and productive? -- 16 - Taxes, spending, and income distribution: What is the government's role in the distribution of income? -- Epilogue