Government and Economic Systems - Fall 2014

Isidore Newman School, Department of History

Jesse McIntosh
e-mail: jessemcintosh@newmanschool.org
Meetings available by appointment, Saratoga 307

Government and Economic Systems is a course with multiple goals and purposes. The first is to introduce
students to canonical thinkers in the Western tradition of political philosophy. While these authors were all
fallible human beings, and their writings should be approached with healthy skepticism rather than pious
reverence, nonetheless these figures and their works provide us with a vocabulary and set of ideas that allow
us to engage in discussion with each other and with previous (and possible future) generations.

Using that vocabulary and those ideas will help us tackle the second purpose of the course, which is to learn
about the various forms of government that have been proposed throughout human history. Whether only
created in theory or actually implemented in reality, these various forms of government will help us learn
about the many ways human beings have approached the problems of power, politics, and social
organization. Doing so will not only help us understand societies structured differently from our own, but
might also help us think critically about the 21
st
century American democracy in which we are submergedis
it right? Is it natural? Should it be modified, and can it be improved?

In pursuing these first two goals we will discover that politics is closely tied to questions of how to distribute
scarce resources in a society, as well as how to best structure society in order to maximize wealth and
prosperity. These issues rest at the heart of the discipline of economics, and thus the third goal of the course
is to familiarize students with the fundamental concepts and schools of thought in economics. Doing so
should help students realize the political dimension of economics, as well as the economic dimension of
politics.

Finally, the course shares the goals common to all humanities and social science courses: to develop writing
and analytical skills, to foster reasoned debate and earnest listening, to compel students to turn mere opinions
into arguments supported by verifiable evidence, and to force students to examine previously unexamined
assumptions.

Sound good? Good!


Expectations of Students:
Students are expected to attend every class, and to arrive at class on time.
Students are expected to be active participants in class discussion.
Students are expected to complete all assigned readings and be prepared to discuss them in class.
Students are expected to take careful class notes.
All written assignments should reflect your best efforts and be submitted on time.
Students are expected to show respect for their classmates and their varying viewpoints.
Students are expected to conduct themselves in a matter that is conducive to learning, and that contributes
positively to the environment and culture of Isidore Newman.
Assessment:
Your semester grade for the class will be based on the following breakdown:
Class participation (attentiveness, notetaking, completion of homework, contribution): 20%
Presentation: 10%
4 Papers: 40% total, 10% each
Quizzes and tests (cumulative): 30%