Poverty and Inequality in a ‘Principles of Economics’ Textbook

The new economics textbook The Economy, by the Curriculum Open-access Resources in Economics Team or the CORE Team is discussed from the point of view of introducing students to the topic of poverty and inequality. It is argued that mainstream textbooks adopt a framework that reduces the explanations largely to luck, choice, or ability. The new book, by paying careful attention to frictions in the economic institutions that underpin the market economy, provides an alternative framework where inequality of opportunity becomes clear and visible.