Learning Economics - From Basics to University/College

[Karabin]

I feel like I should become more knowledgeable about economic systems and economics in general, considering that I do not know much about it. However, I'm not sure how to go about it at all.

Currently I am a 17 year old in my first year of college (In America I think its called High School). My school offers a Business Studies course, and I could do a minor for that next year, but from my understanding from posters I've seen it focuses more on actually managing a business than any actual economics (Hence the title of the course, I guess). Even though I have no interest whatsoever in managing a business, would taking such a class be a good way to start learning about economics? I am also awful at mathematics, so will that affect me a lot if I do decide to learn about economies?

I am also curious to know if there are any good books or documentaries that somebody of my age could read/watch and understand; this is for anything from free-market to critiques of the free market to things like planned economy. Anything that could really broaden my knowledge.

Also, what are Economic Courses at University/College like? Are they particularly difficult? Do they tend to have a free-market orientated leaning?

Any advice, comments or help regarding this would be greatly appreciated.

[Workers-Control-Over-Prod]

I recommend taking business class before any other kind of economics i think. Most of it i think, is limited to add and subtraction math. I recommend reading Capital.

[Vladimir Innit Lenin]

Yeah I would recommend takign Business Studies ahead of Economics.

Economics at A Level is a load of crap, and basically when you get to uni they re-teach you everything differently anyway, so it's pointless and gives you no real theoretical understanding.

Business Studies is a good course. You'll just have to accept - especially at college - that there is always a mainstream, yes, capitalist, slant to these sorts of things. But Business Studies is an interesting course, of far more value than some people say. It gives you a good insight into how business and the economy actually work, and gives you some better concepts (like Net Present Value) than Economics.

Economics at University is different. It's a real step up in terms of theory and maths. If you're not maths/theory orientated, you'll struggle, but it does have its uses. I wouldn't attempt Capital until you start university at least, and even then, I reckon you should tackle the David Harvey version or perhaps the Grundrisse first, just to get the underpinnings first. Tackling Capital is a serious obligation and really I think you need to do it during or after university. I haven't read it, for the record.

If you want to do Economics at university, then do Mathematics as much as possible, and if you're gonna take business or economics, take business studies, it's a gazillion times better in terms of preparing your understanding of the economy.

Best of luck.