This text examines major economic issues pertaining to education, health care, Social Security, unemployment, inflation, and international trade. It also examines social and political phenomena, such as the collapse of communism and central planning, the role of government in a modern economy, crime and drugs, poverty, and the failure of some economies to grow. The book maximizes the advantages of an issues-oriented approach to the non-majors course by examining topics that interest students, while developing core economic principles, and providing insights, challenges, and an analytical framework - all of which emphasize critical thinking. Students who study this textbook will develop an increased interest in economics, seeing it as important in understanding issues that affect them personally, as well as in understanding today's news headlines. This book develops principles and applications to issues more thoroughly and provides much more of an international perspective than most of the others like it on the market.