Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Economics as expensive brain damage

Economics as it is taught these days pretty much defines the far right wing of political thought.  So the following is not even the least bit surprising.
Studying Economics In College Can Influence Your Political Affiliation, Fed Study Finds
Nathaniel Cahners Hindman
Taking an economics course in college may have swayed your political leanings, according to a new study by the Federal Reserve's Bank Of New York. In fact, that undergrad Macro class may still be shaping how you view the world.
The Fed's study (hat tip to the New York Times's Economix Blog) delved into how the content of a person's education influences their civic behavior, including party affiliation, political donations, and volunteerism.
Though the study's authors acknowledge that students choosing to study economics may already be right-leaning, they found that economics courses are correlated with GOP affiliation:
The number of economics courses completed by the graduates of these... schools significantly decreases the likelihood that a person does not join a political party and the likelihood of joining the Democratic party, while the number of economics courses is positively related to the likelihood of joining the Republican party. For example, taking five economics courses is associated with an eight percent decrease in the likelihood of joining the Democratic party and more than a 10 percent higher chance of joining the Republican party. more

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