Plato's Republic and liberal economic education for the twenty-first century

Abstract

Much of the insight economists would like to share with non-economists derives from two fundamental concepts: division of labor and intrinsic versus extrinsic incentives. As Plato's Republic offers concise treatment of both concepts, it provides an excellent complement to standard principles of economics texts. Indeed, utilizing Republic enables a richer understanding of these two central economic concepts, in the process of promoting the importance of liberal education in general, and the ethical dimensions of economic policy design in particular.Division of Labor