Sowell's, Basic Economics a Good Introduction for the Average Citizen

If each citizen wants a piece of the scarce resources of its society, he must work for it, since there is always competition for such resources. Even in primitive times, when there were no complex monetary systems or units, banks, or scrupulously organized governments, there has always been competition. According to Thomas Sowell's Basic Economics: A Citizen's Guide to the Economy, there are a limited number of resources that must be distributed, regardless of how it may seem, and those people who are strongest acquire the most.

One of the main principles addressed in Basic Economics is that resources tend to move to where they are most useful. That is, wherever those resources will contribute most is where they will end up being used. For example, an alpha male chimpanzee will be able to fight off other chimpanzees for the best bananas. As a result, those bananas are put to best use because they are feeding the alpha male, who will help sustain his species better than a weaker male, who will most likely have weaker offspring.

This can easily become confusing, and in a lot of ways, a simple understanding of economics is not easy to obtain. This is especially true in our modern society, where we believe we are entitled to a certain amount of income or a certain standard of living, especially if we were raised in relatively privileged settings. We often fail to grasp the economic realities pertaining to our privileges, and often see them as rights. Politicians are often guilty of setting aside the long-term economic implications of a decision in favor of gaining immediate votes from vocal groups with a specific interest that is not necessarily representative of the good of the entire population. What is probably more common is that politicians don't see these implications at all, and though their intentions may be good, they end up causing more problems with their policies than if they had not intervened.