Basic Economics, 3rd ed.

by Dr. Clarence Carson and Dr. Paul A. Cleveland
Boundary Stone, hardback, 496 pp. (shipping after Dec. 22, 2010) Includes study guide for each chapter, and index.

Clarence Carson first published Basic Economics in 1988. His intent, as was his intent with all his books, was to distill the subject of economics down to its fundamental principles, to present those to the reader in an easily understandable fashion, and to warn the reader of what will happen when people fail to adhere to those principles by providing a clear history of the failures of past cultures.

My purpose in revising the book in this third edition is exactly the same. Just as Clarence knew that our own culture was straying from the sound principles of political economics, I too recognize our continued abandonment of them. Western culture has indeed spit upon the veritable truths that served as the foundation for its growth which resulted in the most prosperous economy of all time.

It is in this recognition that the cover art for the book was chosen. The Rembrandt painting chosen here is titled, Return of the Prodigal Son. The subject is, of course, taken from Jesus’ story of the prodigal son. The son had left his home and gone off and squandered his inheritance in riotous living. He had only come to his senses later when he found himself slopping hogs for a pig farmer. In his poverty he finally returned home to beg for forgiveness. Overjoyed at the boy’s return, the father forgives the young man and returns him to his former status.

Recognizing that God is a forgiving God, we should recognize that the fortunes of America can rise anew if we humble ourselves. Part of that humility can come when we recognize together our wandering away from the many political and economic truths that were the foundation for the fortunes of America and the Western world in the first place. It is in the hope that this book will serve that cause that the cover art was chosen.

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Foundational Issues

The beauty of the snowcapped peaks along the continental divide in the Rocky Mountains is awe-inspiring. The snowdrifts formed by the wind throughout the winter create beautiful formations and smooth fields of deep snow whose untouched serenity inspires and refreshes the heart. Despite the beauty, each year the temperature eventually rises and the snow begins to melt. The snow that was once so uniform at the mountain’s crest melts and runs off one side of the slope or the other. The combination of the forces of gravity and the contours of the land divide the resulting water that was initially very close together. On one side, the water accumulates in various tributaries and rivers eventually traveling to the Gulf of Mexico, while on the other the water funnels into the Pacific Ocean.

The situations we face in today’s culture are sometimes very alarming. Many of us are deeply concerned as we see our culture becoming more and more accepting of policies that deny the sanctity of life, that limit the free exercise of religion, that erode our right to privacy, and that continue to infringe on the right to private property. However, becoming active in many of these “causes” can feel like trying to stem the flow of the Mississippi river and divert it to the Pacific Ocean. We may be able to transport some of the water there bucket by bucket, but the general course of the river to the Gulf of Mexico is relentless as it presses on in spite our efforts.

Until we begin to see clearly what the essential issues are that determine where our culture is heading, we will never really be able to stem the tide. The issues involved are much deeper and more significant than we usually acknowledge. Boundary Stone was formed to equip people with an understanding of foundational principles that not only will allow them to make wise choices for themselves, but will also allow them to protect and defend the rights that all people should enjoy.

Excellent Resource!

Understanding the
Modern Culture Wars:
The Essentials of
Western Civilization
by Dr. Paul A. Cleveland

"Paul Cleveland has done a wonderful job of charting the course of Western culture over the millennia... This book on history is the way I have longed to see one written... Understanding the Modern Culture Wars is an outstanding book, and well worth reading."

Patch Blakey, Executive Director of the Association of Classical & Christian Schools, CLASSIS, November, 2003, p. 4.

"In Understanding the Modern Culture Wars Paul Cleveland has offered a penetrating analysis of the key epochs of Western Civilization. His deft handling of difficult historical issues and his ability to make sense of the historical landscape, make this book a pleasure to read. He has synthesized where others have dichotomized. I highly recommend it."

Larry A. Taunton, Fixed Point Ministries and former European History Teacher, Birmingham, AL