Contemporary economic problems provide the context for analyzing the economic role of government from a variety of perspectives. The need for government intervention due to external effects of market transactions, public goods, equity considerations, market power and stabilization needs is explained. The impact upon us of government spending, taxation, money creation and regulation is examined. A variety of techniques such as present valuation and cost benefit analysis are presented. The economic problems considered in the course will include such issues as housing, education, poverty, pollution, discrimination, government fragmentation, social security, and current fiscal, monetary and tax policy debates.