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Modern Principles: Microeconomics
Sixth Edition ©2024 Tyler Cowen; Alex Tabarrok
Authors
-
Tyler Cowen
Tyler Cowen is Holbert C. Harris Professor of Economics at George Mason University. His latest book is Big Business. With Alex Tabarrok he co-writes the Marginal Revolution blog, often ranked as the #1 economics blog. He is also the author of Discover Your Inner Economist (Dutton, 2007) and numerous other books on economics. He writes regularly for the popular press on economics, including for The New York Times, The Washington Post, Forbes, and The Wilson Quarterly. University web page: http://economics.gmu.edu/faculty/tcowen.html WATCH: Tyler Cowen at the Economic Bloggers Forum.
-
Alex Tabarrok
Alex Tabarrok is Bartley J. Madden Chair in Economics at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. Tabarrok is co-author with Tyler Cowen of the popular economics blog, Marginal Revolution. His recent research looks at bounty hunters, judicial incentives and elections, crime control, patent reform, methods to increase the supply of human organs for transplant, and the regulation of pharmaceuticals. He is the editor of the books, Entrepreneurial Economics: Bright Ideas from the Dismal Science; The Voluntary City: Choice, Community, and Civil Society; and Changing the Guard: Private Prisons and The Control of Crime. His papers have appeared in the Journal of Law and Economics, Public Choice, Economic Inquiry, Journal of Health Economics, Journal of Theoretical Politics, The American Law and Economics Review, Kyklos and many other journals. His popular articles have appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and many other magazines and newspapers.
Table of Contents
Preface
Chapter 1 The Big Ideas
Chapter 2 The Power of Trade and Comparative Advantage
Part I Supply and Demand
Chapter 3 Supply and Demand
Chapter 4 Equilibrium
Chapter 5 Elasticity and Its Applications
Chapter 6 Taxes and Subsidies
Part II The Price System
Chapter 7 The Price System: Signals, Speculation, and Prediction
Chapter 8 Price Ceilings and Floors
Chapter 9 International Trade
Chapter 10 Externalities: When the Price is Not Right
Part III Firms and Factor Markets
Chapter 11 Costs and Profit Maximization Under Competition
Chapter 12 Competition and the Invisible Hand
Chapter 13 Monopoly
Chapter 14 Price Discrimination and Price Strategy
Chapter 15 Oligopoly and Game Theory
Chapter 16 Networks, Platforms, and the Economics of "Free Goods"
Chapter 17 Monopolistic Competition and Advertising
Chapter 18 Labor Markets
Part IV Government
Chapter 19 Public Goods and the Tragedy of the Commons
Chapter 20 Political Economy and Public Choice
Chapter 21 Economics, Ethics, and Public Policy
Part V Decision Making for Businesses, Investors, and Consumers
Chapter 22 Managing Incentives
Chapter 23 Stock Markets and Personal Finance
Chapter 24 Asymmetric Information: Moral Hazard and Adverse Selection
Chapter 25 Consumer Choice
Product Updates
Summer 2026 Updates
What's New
The Summer 2026 update brings new data activities, refreshed teaching resources, and targeted ebook revisions to help instructors teach economics with current data, policy developments, and real-world examples.
New in Achieve
- New F.R.E.D. (Federal Reserve Economic Data) activities that help students work with authentic economic data.
- Updated lecture slides featuring dynamic Datawrapper visualizations.
- Refreshed student and instructor resources aligned with the latest ebook revisions.
New in the eBook
Highlights
- Updated examples and data throughout key microeconomics chapters.
- Expanded coverage of current topics, including 2025 U.S. tariffs, Chinese EV tariffs, and carbon pricing.
- Clearer explanations of externalities, labor markets, and international trade.
- New real-world examples, figures, and review questions that reinforce student learning.
Chapter Updates
Major updates across the macroeconomics chapters improve clarity, incorporate current economic developments, and refresh data through 2024–2025. Highlights include:
- Updated examples and data on International Trade.
- Updated examples and data on Externalities.
- Updated examples and data on Labor Markets.
December 2025 Update: Impact of AI Modules
The Impact of AI modules in Achieve are a flexible, text-agnostic series of assignable, auto-graded activities designed to help students learn how to use AI responsibly through the lens of economics. Formats include case studies, simulations, and prompt engineering exercises.
Winter 2024 Updates:
The updated Econ Math and Graphing Tutorials in Achieve bridge foundational math gaps for economics students through revamped, interactive modules featuring modern videos, algorithmically generated questions, and improved assessments designed to deepen understanding and reflection. Comprehensive accessibility features ensure that all students can effectively engage with the material.
This materials covers 10 foundational areas including Slope, Graphs, Percent Change, Ratios, Linear Equations, Averages, and more.
Sixth Edition Updates (2024):
Interactive Graphs, in the e-book and in a Graphing Bank, allow students to engage with economic models to see how components of the graph change as market dynamics change. Every data graph in the text is now interactive, so students can explore live visualizations and improve their data literacy.
Learning Economics from AI! (in the preface) show students how to use resources such as ChatGPT or Bing Chat to get meaningful answers to economics questions. The cover for 6e was generated by author Alex Tabarroks use of AI, as well.
12 NEW Marginal Revolution University Videos in Achieve accompanied by assessment questions.
Are free goods good? Surprisingly, the answer is "Not necessarily." In the chapter on Taxes and Subsidies, We contrast two strategies for making a good "free": 1) outlawing the sale of a good for money, i.e., mandating a zero-price ceiling, and 2) subsidizing production to such an extent that prices plummet to zero. In the first scenario, deadweight loss arises as society forfeits the value of transactions that never occur. In the second, deadweight loss results from excessive transactions where the marginal cost exceeds the marginal value.
Authors
-
Tyler Cowen
Tyler Cowen is Holbert C. Harris Professor of Economics at George Mason University. His latest book is Big Business. With Alex Tabarrok he co-writes the Marginal Revolution blog, often ranked as the #1 economics blog. He is also the author of Discover Your Inner Economist (Dutton, 2007) and numerous other books on economics. He writes regularly for the popular press on economics, including for The New York Times, The Washington Post, Forbes, and The Wilson Quarterly. University web page: http://economics.gmu.edu/faculty/tcowen.html WATCH: Tyler Cowen at the Economic Bloggers Forum.
-
Alex Tabarrok
Alex Tabarrok is Bartley J. Madden Chair in Economics at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. Tabarrok is co-author with Tyler Cowen of the popular economics blog, Marginal Revolution. His recent research looks at bounty hunters, judicial incentives and elections, crime control, patent reform, methods to increase the supply of human organs for transplant, and the regulation of pharmaceuticals. He is the editor of the books, Entrepreneurial Economics: Bright Ideas from the Dismal Science; The Voluntary City: Choice, Community, and Civil Society; and Changing the Guard: Private Prisons and The Control of Crime. His papers have appeared in the Journal of Law and Economics, Public Choice, Economic Inquiry, Journal of Health Economics, Journal of Theoretical Politics, The American Law and Economics Review, Kyklos and many other journals. His popular articles have appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and many other magazines and newspapers.
Table of Contents
Preface
Chapter 1 The Big Ideas
Chapter 2 The Power of Trade and Comparative Advantage
Part I Supply and Demand
Chapter 3 Supply and Demand
Chapter 4 Equilibrium
Chapter 5 Elasticity and Its Applications
Chapter 6 Taxes and Subsidies
Part II The Price System
Chapter 7 The Price System: Signals, Speculation, and Prediction
Chapter 8 Price Ceilings and Floors
Chapter 9 International Trade
Chapter 10 Externalities: When the Price is Not Right
Part III Firms and Factor Markets
Chapter 11 Costs and Profit Maximization Under Competition
Chapter 12 Competition and the Invisible Hand
Chapter 13 Monopoly
Chapter 14 Price Discrimination and Price Strategy
Chapter 15 Oligopoly and Game Theory
Chapter 16 Networks, Platforms, and the Economics of "Free Goods"
Chapter 17 Monopolistic Competition and Advertising
Chapter 18 Labor Markets
Part IV Government
Chapter 19 Public Goods and the Tragedy of the Commons
Chapter 20 Political Economy and Public Choice
Chapter 21 Economics, Ethics, and Public Policy
Part V Decision Making for Businesses, Investors, and Consumers
Chapter 22 Managing Incentives
Chapter 23 Stock Markets and Personal Finance
Chapter 24 Asymmetric Information: Moral Hazard and Adverse Selection
Chapter 25 Consumer Choice
Product Updates
Summer 2026 Updates
What's New
The Summer 2026 update brings new data activities, refreshed teaching resources, and targeted ebook revisions to help instructors teach economics with current data, policy developments, and real-world examples.
New in Achieve
- New F.R.E.D. (Federal Reserve Economic Data) activities that help students work with authentic economic data.
- Updated lecture slides featuring dynamic Datawrapper visualizations.
- Refreshed student and instructor resources aligned with the latest ebook revisions.
New in the eBook
Highlights
- Updated examples and data throughout key microeconomics chapters.
- Expanded coverage of current topics, including 2025 U.S. tariffs, Chinese EV tariffs, and carbon pricing.
- Clearer explanations of externalities, labor markets, and international trade.
- New real-world examples, figures, and review questions that reinforce student learning.
Chapter Updates
Major updates across the macroeconomics chapters improve clarity, incorporate current economic developments, and refresh data through 2024–2025. Highlights include:
- Updated examples and data on International Trade.
- Updated examples and data on Externalities.
- Updated examples and data on Labor Markets.
December 2025 Update: Impact of AI Modules
The Impact of AI modules in Achieve are a flexible, text-agnostic series of assignable, auto-graded activities designed to help students learn how to use AI responsibly through the lens of economics. Formats include case studies, simulations, and prompt engineering exercises.
Winter 2024 Updates:
The updated Econ Math and Graphing Tutorials in Achieve bridge foundational math gaps for economics students through revamped, interactive modules featuring modern videos, algorithmically generated questions, and improved assessments designed to deepen understanding and reflection. Comprehensive accessibility features ensure that all students can effectively engage with the material.
This materials covers 10 foundational areas including Slope, Graphs, Percent Change, Ratios, Linear Equations, Averages, and more.
Sixth Edition Updates (2024):
Interactive Graphs, in the e-book and in a Graphing Bank, allow students to engage with economic models to see how components of the graph change as market dynamics change. Every data graph in the text is now interactive, so students can explore live visualizations and improve their data literacy.
Learning Economics from AI! (in the preface) show students how to use resources such as ChatGPT or Bing Chat to get meaningful answers to economics questions. The cover for 6e was generated by author Alex Tabarroks use of AI, as well.
12 NEW Marginal Revolution University Videos in Achieve accompanied by assessment questions.
Are free goods good? Surprisingly, the answer is "Not necessarily." In the chapter on Taxes and Subsidies, We contrast two strategies for making a good "free": 1) outlawing the sale of a good for money, i.e., mandating a zero-price ceiling, and 2) subsidizing production to such an extent that prices plummet to zero. In the first scenario, deadweight loss arises as society forfeits the value of transactions that never occur. In the second, deadweight loss results from excessive transactions where the marginal cost exceeds the marginal value.
Teach the Principles of Microeconomics, teach the World, and help students ACHIEVE.
Modern Principles combines clear explanations, real-world applications, and integrated multimedia to help students build a strong foundation in economics.
For more than 20 years, Tyler Cowen and Alex Tabarrok have made economics more accessible through their teaching, the Marginal Revolution blog, and educational videos. They bring that same approach to Modern Principles, connecting economic theory to current events, policy debates, and the decisions students encounter every day.
Building on the Marginal Revolution University video series, Modern Principles integrates more than 100 explanatory videos throughout the text. These videos reinforce key concepts and help students visualize economic principles in action.
Designed for today's learners, Modern Principles pairs contemporary examples, real-world data, intuitive graphs, and accessible explanations while maintaining the academic rigor of a principles of economics course. The result is a textbook that helps students understand economics and apply it to real-world questions.
Related Titles
FAQs
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Are you a campus bookstore looking for ordering information?
MPS Order Search Tool (MOST) is a web-based purchase order tracking program that allows customers to view and track their purchases. No registration or special codes needed! Just enter your BILL-TO ACCT # and your ZIP CODE to track orders.
Canadian Stores: Please use only the first five digits/letters in your zip code on MOST.
Visit MOST, our online ordering system for booksellers: https://tracking.mpsvirginia.com/Login.aspx
Learn more about our Bookstore programs here: https://www.macmillanlearning.com/college/us/contact-us/booksellers
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Our courses currently integrate with Canvas, Blackboard (Learn and Ultra), Brightspace, D2L, and Moodle. Click on the support documentation below to find out more details about the integration with each LMS.
Integrate Macmillan courses with Blackboard
Integrate Macmillan courses with Canvas
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If you’re a verified instructor, you can request a free sample of our courseware, e-book, or print textbook to consider for use in your courses. Only registered and verified instructors can receive free print and digital samples, and they should not be sold to bookstores or book resellers. If you don't yet have an existing account with Macmillan Learning, it can take up to two business days to verify your status as an instructor. You can request a free sample from the right side of this product page by clicking on the "Request Instructor Sample" button or by contacting your rep. Learn more.
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Sometimes also referred to as a spiral-bound or binder-ready textbook, loose-leaf textbooks are available to purchase. This three-hole punched, unbound version of the book costs less than a hardcover or paperback book.
-
-
-
We can help! Contact your representative to discuss your specific needs for your course. If our off-the-shelf course materials don’t quite hit the mark, we also offer custom solutions made to fit your needs.
-
FAQs
-
-
Are you a campus bookstore looking for ordering information?
MPS Order Search Tool (MOST) is a web-based purchase order tracking program that allows customers to view and track their purchases. No registration or special codes needed! Just enter your BILL-TO ACCT # and your ZIP CODE to track orders.
Canadian Stores: Please use only the first five digits/letters in your zip code on MOST.
Visit MOST, our online ordering system for booksellers: https://tracking.mpsvirginia.com/Login.aspx
Learn more about our Bookstore programs here: https://www.macmillanlearning.com/college/us/contact-us/booksellers
-
-
-
Our courses currently integrate with Canvas, Blackboard (Learn and Ultra), Brightspace, D2L, and Moodle. Click on the support documentation below to find out more details about the integration with each LMS.
Integrate Macmillan courses with Blackboard
Integrate Macmillan courses with Canvas
-
-
-
If you’re a verified instructor, you can request a free sample of our courseware, e-book, or print textbook to consider for use in your courses. Only registered and verified instructors can receive free print and digital samples, and they should not be sold to bookstores or book resellers. If you don't yet have an existing account with Macmillan Learning, it can take up to two business days to verify your status as an instructor. You can request a free sample from the right side of this product page by clicking on the "Request Instructor Sample" button or by contacting your rep. Learn more.
-
-
-
Sometimes also referred to as a spiral-bound or binder-ready textbook, loose-leaf textbooks are available to purchase. This three-hole punched, unbound version of the book costs less than a hardcover or paperback book.
-
-
-
We can help! Contact your representative to discuss your specific needs for your course. If our off-the-shelf course materials don’t quite hit the mark, we also offer custom solutions made to fit your needs.
-
Related Titles
Modern Principles: Microeconomics
Modern Principles combines clear explanations, real-world applications, and integrated multimedia to help students build a strong foundation in economics.
For more than 20 years, Tyler Cowen and Alex Tabarrok have made economics more accessible through their teaching, the Marginal Revolution blog, and educational videos. They bring that same approach to Modern Principles, connecting economic theory to current events, policy debates, and the decisions students encounter every day.
Building on the Marginal Revolution University video series, Modern Principles integrates more than 100 explanatory videos throughout the text. These videos reinforce key concepts and help students visualize economic principles in action.
Designed for today's learners, Modern Principles pairs contemporary examples, real-world data, intuitive graphs, and accessible explanations while maintaining the academic rigor of a principles of economics course. The result is a textbook that helps students understand economics and apply it to real-world questions.
Select a demo to view:
Sample Achieve