of elasticity and conspicuous consumption

Could anyone preventing the Minister of National Education A strange project is dragged on the website of his Ministry. It is a conservation program for young people of 15 years. Textbook publishers have already received it while a consultation of teachers would be ongoing until March 12. However, it cannot be an error. The program, intended to present an exploration into economic and social sciences teaching, begins with the notions... of elasticity and conspicuous consumption. It is nowhere of State (except incidentally on the fight against pollution) or international exchange. And the themes of the power to purchase and unemployment are not, because they have found to be too hot. No, this is not possible. Unless the project was designed by a Committee of experts secretly shipped on the moon to be free from all what is happening on our good old earth.

The story had yet well begun. Last year, the Government had decided the creation of a teaching of compulsory savings for high school students in second class. Unfortunately, he did... to the economy, with only 50 hours. After all, it is already. Fifty hours, it must be possible to explore a few ways. To show that the economy is not only a look on the world, but also the reasoning to understand its workings. Begin to think about high school students with economic tools, for example enter the role that plays the price in the adjustment between supply and demand. To understand why there are companies. Finally clarify the role of the State, it is essential and where its presence ready to debate.

But then, it must be a program. And in France, program rhymes with psychodrama. It is an opportunity for teachers of écharper with the Ministry and then to publish long revengeful forums in the newspapers, sometimes on a simple formulation that does not detract from what happens in class. In economics, it is even more inextricable, because experts and patterns via the Institute of the company, entered the debate. To try to be clear, the Department had requested a report two years ago. The commission, led by Roger Guesnerie, proposed an education based on the "conceptual tools" discipline while recalling that "education must also introduce them to the economic and social problems contemporaries and it must be pedagogically attractive." A true guideline! Damage that comes the Moon program has forgotten the contemporary issues, pedagogical attractiveness and conceptual tools developed over the past century...

Faced with this impasse, that may be the Minister Indeed, it is not very complicated. First, thank its lunar Committee before abandoning his program. Then take a look on the contre-programme developed by the Association of professors in economic and social sciences (Apses) to to aerate the spirit with themes such as employment or social relations in business. Finally, start another program for second classes, one on "fundamental principles of Economics and management". It is certainly not perfect (it also was criticized by the Association teachers of communication, management and Economics). But it is a base of departure more interesting, provided they are injected back the famous "conceptual tools". It begins with the principle of scarcity, continuing through the Exchange, recognizes the role of the State, evokes the added value and competition. There are at least here appear to be in real economic life.

Of course, it may seem strange to spend so much time on what may appear to be pointless controversy at the time we live in an unprecedented crisis. There is still a key issue. As one of the greatest weaknesses of the French economy, it is the weakness of the French economy.