To prepare for reading chapter 1, think about the following argument:
1. Some economists think that deficit spending is good for the economy because it increases production; others favor a balanced budget because it helps keep interest rates low.
2. Some economists think that buying stocks is a good way to invest, because they appreciate over time; others favor conservative investments such as cash and certificates of deposit because they’re safe.
3. Some economists think that the industrial/agrarian conflict helped to cause the civil war; others doubt this and think it was essentially a moral dispute over slavery.
4. All these economists agree on supply and demand: in general, when the supply of something increases, its price goes down, and when the demand for something increases, its price goes up.
5. Since all these economists, who disagree about so much, agree on this, this must be essential to thinking correctly about economics.
Chapter 1 is not about economics, history, or the morality of slavery. But its overall argumentative method mirrors that of what you have just read.