Reading Marx’s Capital

"Could a cooperative market economy, in which firms are owned and controlled by their workers, be a viable and efficient alternative to capitalism?"

This course teaches basic concepts relevant in political economy. Topics include the contractual nature of the state, public versus private goods, property rights and economic externalities, the logic of collective action and social choice theory. It also refers to the fundamentals of political philosophy, bringing two ideas of liberty into the picture. The relevance and limitations of the economic approach to the study of law and politics are then discussed.

Why are income inequalities so large and why do they continue to increase in so many countries? What role can minimum wages play in reducing social and economic inequalities? What is a good system of wage bargaining? What constitutes a fair wage?

In this 5 weeks online course, the Global Change Institute from the University of Queensland explains different types of climate change policies, the economic theory at their basis and the possible output. Starting from the fundamentals of carbon and climate change policies, and how they have been applied worldwide, the course aims to teach fundamental skills to move towards a low carbon economy.