曼昆教授的《经济学原理》是一本广受欢迎的经典经济学教材。全书主要从供给与需求、企业行为与产业组织、长期经济增长与短期经济波动、宏观经济政策等角度，深入浅出地讲述经济学的基本思想和基本原理，强调经济学原理的应用与政策分析。书中还提供了新闻摘录、案例研究等，说明经济学原理在现实经济生活中的应用。本册为微观部分。本书为英文版，并附送电子书阅读平台，曼昆教授原汁原味的英文和经济学原理同样具有魅力。本书适用于经济管理类本科生、研究生、MBA学生，以及所有的经济学爱好者。

preface “Economics is a study of mankind in the ordinary business of life.” So wrote Alfred Marshall, the great 19th-century economist, in his textbook, Principles of Economics. Although we have learned much about the economy since Marshall’s time, this definition of economics is as true today as it was in 1890, when the first edition of his text was published. Why should you, as a student at the beginning of the 21st century, embark on the study of economics? There are three reasons. The first reason to study economics is that it will help you understand the world in which you live. There are many questions about the economy that might spark your curiosity. Why are apartments so hard to find in New York City? Why do airlines charge less for a round-trip ticket if the traveler stays over a Saturday night? Why is Johnny Depp paid so much to star in movies? Why are living stan- dards so meager in many African countries? Why do some countries have high rates of inflation while others have stable prices? Why are jobs easy to find in some years and hard to find in others? These are just a few of the questions that a course in economics will help you answer. The second reason to study economics is that it will make you a more astute participant in the economy. As you go about your life, you make many economic decisions. While you are a student, you decide how many years to stay in school. Once you take a job, you decide how much of your income to spend, how much to save, and how to invest your savings. Someday you may find yourself running a small business or a large corporation, and you will decide what prices to charge for your products. The insights developed in the coming chapters will give you a new perspective on how best to make these decisions. Studying economics will not by itself make you rich, but it will give you some tools that may help in that endeavor. The third reason to study economics is that it will give you a better understand- ing of both the potential and the limits of economic policy. Economic questions are always on the minds of policymakers in mayors’ offices, governors’ mansions, and the White House. What are the burdens associated with alternative forms of taxation? What are the effects of free trade with other countries? What is the best way to protect the environment? How does a government budget deficit affect the economy? As a voter, you help choose the policies that guide the allocation of society’s resources. An understanding of economics will help you carry out that responsibility. And who knows: Perhaps someday you will end up as one of those policymakers yourself. Thus, the principles of economics can be applied in many of life’s situations. Whether the future finds you reading the newspaper, running a business, or sit- ting in the Oval Office, you will be glad that you studied economics. N. Gregory Mankiw December 2010

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