The United States was founded on the principles of natural rights, equality, and classical republicanism, but how well did it actually live up to these ideals? In this lecture, Professor Rob McDonald of the US Military Academy at West Point describes the conflict between the ideals of the American Revolution and the unfortunate realities of the time.

Have you ever stopped to think about the incredible risks the Founding Founders took when they rebelled against British authority? They were starting a war with the greatest military power of the time even though they did not have a mighty fighting force themselves. And they were fighting for a type of government that most people thought was impossible. In this video mini-course, Professor Sarah Burns of the Rochester Institute of Technology explains the historical and philosophical context of the American Revolution from the changing role of the British army in the colonies to Radical Whig theory.

What happens when governments default on their debts? In this video, Professor Garrett Jones of George Mason University uses the Greek government debt crisis to explain what happens when governments default on their debts and why it's not always a bad thing.

How should we understand Ayn Rand’s political philosophy? In this video, Professor Jennifer Burns of the University of Virginia argues that Rand belongs to the classical liberal tradition.

Economics is built on the premise that humans act rationally, but everyone behaves irrationally some of the time. Is it possible that human irrationality nullifies economic theory? Join Professor Antony Davies of Duquesne University and Erika Davies of George Mason University as they take you on a crash course of behavioral economics, discussing topics like rational choice, heuristics, nudging, and public choice economics.

Americans make up around four percent of the world population and yet they control over 25% of the world’s wealth. If that wealth were shared evenly across the globe, couldn’t we solve the problem of global poverty overnight? In this video, Professor Matt Zwolinski of the University of San Diego explores how best to end poverty for good.

This course is an introduction to economics for non-majors and political economy, with an emphasis on the moral and ethical problems that markets solve, and fail to solve. Taught by Professor Michael Munger of Duke University, this course includes full length lectures, links to readings, and a sample final exam.

The Institute for Humane Studies has partnered with the authors of the textbook Common Sense Economics: What Everyone Should Know about Wealth Creation and Prosperity to help teach students why economic understanding is essential for life in today's society. With videos and quiz question corresponding to each element, this collection can be used as a study guide for "Part 1: Twelve Key Elements of Economics".

Do you think that a majority vote is always the fairest way to reach a consensus? Think again! In this video, Professor Diana Thomas of Creighton University explains that it is very easy for a savvy politician to dictate the winner of a vote using Condorcet’s Paradox.

People say the government has a debt problem, but what causes federal government debt? In this video, Professor Antony Davies of Duquesne University traces the root cause of government debt to find out if the problem is too much spending or too little government tax revenue.

Professor Matt Zwolinski of the explains philosopher Peter Singer's drowning child thought experiment and explains why its moral may not be as clear cut as it appears.

Looking for engaging content for your economics courses? The Institute for Humane Studies has curated this collection of educational resources to help economics professors enrich their curriculum. Find videos, interactive games, reading lists, and more on everything from opportunity costs to trade policy. This collection is updated frequently with new content, so watch this space!

Presumably you've already made plans for surviving a zombie apocalypse, but have you thought through the important economic factors that might make the difference between surviving and losing your brain to one of the walking dead? In this video, Professor Anthony Davies of Duquesne University discusses how a zombie apocalypse would affect the price of gasoline, the supply of money, and the economy as a whole.

This reading list examines the different perspectives of philosophers such as Robert Nozick, G.A. Cohen, and Derek Parfit on income equality and encourages students to consider whether and why equality matters.

Philosophers across many different ideologies argue that equality is an important human ideal. But what type of equality should we strive for? In this lecture, Professor Mark LeBar of Florida State University reviews four different kinds of equality and the obstacles in achieving them.

In this video, Professor Don Boudreaux of George Mason University explains how the price system is able to coordinate the behavior of billions buyers and suppliers in a great chain of global cooperation.

Trade benefits both buyers and sellers, but what happens when the transaction affects a third party? In this video, Professor Michael Munger of Duke University defines the term externality and explains different ways to solve the problem of externalities.

Many people are concerned with growing income inequality, but according to Professor Antony Davies of Duquesne University, there are a lot of misconceptions about inequality. In this lecture, Professor Davies explores five common myths about inequality, covering topics like profit, types of equality, and the standard of living.

According to Professor Bryan Caplan of George Mason University, many people suffer from "anti-foreign bias", believing that countries should prioritize goods made within their own borders and limit immigration to preserve jobs for citizens. In this video, Professor Caplan explains how trade and immigration actually increase wealth for everyone.

The story of John Horse and the Black Seminoles has been largely untold, but according to Professor Amy Sturgis of Signum University, it deserves to be remembered. Not only did they create the largest haven in the U.S. South for runaway slaves and lead the largest slave revolt in U.S. history, but they also secured the only emancipation of rebellious slaves prior to the U.S. Civil War. In this video, Professor Sturgis tells the incredible story of the Black Seminoles.