Back to Basics

Greg Mankiw, himself the author of an excellent introductory economics textbook, offers several subtle changes in teaching Econ 101 amidst the recent crisis by giving more emphasize on the role of financial institutions, the effects of leverage, the limits of monetary policy, and the challenge of forecasting.

Sorry, rightly so, no neoliberalism on the menu.

Mankiw also noted that:

Despite the enormity of recent events, the principles of economics are largely unchanged. Students still need to learn about the gains from trade, supply and demand, the efficiency properties of market outcomes, and so on. These topics will remain the bread-and-butter of introductory courses.

Which brings me to wonder after reading some protectionist pundits' and faux economists' remarks on recent neolib hullabaloos: what did they learn from their introductory course --if they ever had taken it?