DYSTOPIA AND ECONOMICS

Government collapsing Zombies hunting you down Everyone you know killed by a global epidemic Not to worry Economics holds the keys to survival Often known as the dismal science it is particularly equipped to reveal order in what seems like chaos Economists observe human behaviour what leads us to take action and the subsequent consequences However the choices made by individuals are not made in isolation they influence and are influenced by the actions of others A set of rules even if unwritten guides human behaviour Foundational economic principles stand firmly in place even when society is breaking down and an understanding of these basic tenets of societies is essential to surviving the end of the world as we know it In this book the authors draw from popular culture to show economic principles at work in the dystopian societies depicted in The Walking Dead Mad Max Fury Road The Hunger Games Divergent A Clockwork Orange and Last Man on Earth In each society its members face resource and social constraints that incentivize particular behaviours and lead to predictable outcomes How does human behaviour change when resources are severely limited the legal system breaks down or individual freedom is stifled The examples presented here s