Chicago Price Theory

An authoritative textbook based on the legendary economics course taught at the University of Chicago. Price theory is a powerful analytical toolkit for measuring, explaining, and predicting human behaviour in the marketplace. This incisive textbook provides an essential introduction to the subject, offering a diverse array of practical methods that empower students to learn by doing.

Based on Economics 301, the legendary PhD course taught at the University of Chicago, the book emphasises the importance of applying price theory in order to master its concepts. Chicago Price Theory features immersive chapter-length examples such as addictive goods, urban-property pricing, the consequences of prohibition, the value of a statistical life, and occupational choice. It looks at human behaviour in the aggregate of an industry, region, or demographic group, but also provides models of individuals when they offer insights about the aggregate.

The book explains the surprising answers that price theory can provide to practical questions about taxation, education, the housing market, government subsidies, and much more. It emphasises the application of price theory, enabling students to learn by doing, and features chapter-length examples such as addictive goods, urban-property pricing, the consequences of prohibition, and the value of a statistical life.

Supported by video lectures taught by Kevin M. Murphy and Gary Becker, the video course enables students to learn the theory at home and practice the applications in the classroom.