Inequality and Democracy (Coursera)

Most countries are getting more and more unequal. But the core of democracy is political equality: that everyone should have an equal say in how their country is run. Can we really expect these things to go together? Can people have equal political power while economic inequality grows and grows? Take this course and decide for yourself.

You’ll learn about:

• The rise of economic inequality

• Property rights and the corporation

• Democracy: Its value and history

• Campaign finance and lobbying

• Tax avoidance and capital flight

• Alternatives to our economic system

This is an interdisciplinary course combining:

• Politics

• Philosophy

• Economics

• History

• Law

Our course is for anyone looking for an accessible introduction to these topics. You might a concerned citizen, or someone who works in a field like politics, media, education, government or law. The difficulty level is similar to the first-year of an undergraduate degree. No prior knowledge is assumed.

Syllabus

WEEK 1: Economic inequality

WEEK 2: Property and corporations

WEEK 3: Democracy

WEEK 4: Lobbying and campaign finance

WEEK 5: Capital flight and tax avoidance

WEEK 6: Alternative economic institutions