Inequality and Democracy

Inequality and Democracy

Instructors: Yara Salman

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Assessments

24 assignments

Taught in English

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There are 6 modules in this course

Most countries are getting more and more unequal. But the core of democracy is political equality: that everyone should have an equal say in how their country is run. Can we really expect these things to go together? Can people have equal political power while economic inequality grows and grows? Take this course and decide for yourself.

You’ll learn about: • The rise of economic inequality • Property rights and the corporation • Democracy: Its value and history • Campaign finance and lobbying • Tax avoidance and capital flight • Alternatives to our economic system This is an interdisciplinary course combining: • Politics • Philosophy • Economics • History • Law Our course is for anyone looking for an accessible introduction to these topics. You might a concerned citizen, or someone who works in a field like politics, media, education, government or law. The difficulty level is similar to the first-year of an undergraduate degree. No prior knowledge is assumed.

What's included

5 videos6 readings4 assignments1 discussion prompt

5 videosTotal 31 minutes

1.0.1 Welcome to the course4 minutesPreview module
1.1.2 Economic inequality around the world6 minutes
1.2.1 Causes of inequality7 minutes
1.3.1 When is inequality (un)just?6 minutes
1.4.1 Inequality and Democracy: The road ahead7 minutes

6 readingsTotal 80 minutes

1.0.2 About the course10 minutes
1.03 Short survey10 minutes
1.1.1 In this week5 minutes
1.2.2 Case study: The rise of bosses pay in the USA20 minutes
1.3.2 The fairness of inequality: a philosophical debate15 minutes
1.5.1 Want more?20 minutes

4 assignmentsTotal 45 minutes

1.3.3 Theories of justice: What do you know?5 minutes
1.1.3 What about you?30 minutes
1.2.3 Causes of inequality5 minutes
1.4.2 Democracy at stake5 minutes

1 discussion promptTotal 10 minutes

1.4.3 Discussion prompt: Economic inequality and democracy10 minutes

What's included

4 videos6 readings5 assignments1 peer review1 discussion prompt

4 videosTotal 26 minutes

2.1.2 Private property as a legal construct6 minutesPreview module
2.2.1 The business corporation as a legal construct5 minutes
2.3.1 The superior efficiency of private property7 minutes
2.4.1 Economic power and political power6 minutes

6 readingsTotal 75 minutes

2.1.1 Property and corporations5 minutes
2.2.2 The purpose of corporations: a historical tale10 minutes
2.2.4 Friedman on the purpose of business20 minutes
2.3.2 The corporation – efficiency and power15 minutes
2.4.2 Cycles of economic and political power20 minutes
2.5.2 Want more?5 minutes

5 assignmentsTotal 24 minutes

2.1.3 Private property – what it is(n’t)5 minutes
2.1.4 The History of property5 minutes
2.2.3 Do you know the business corporation?5 minutes
2.3.3 It’s all about efficiency!5 minutes
2.4.3 Some questions about power4 minutes

1 peer reviewTotal 60 minutes

2.5.1 Assessing corporate power60 minutes

1 discussion promptTotal 10 minutes

2.2.5 Friedman right or wrong?10 minutes

What's included

4 videos8 readings3 assignments1 peer review1 discussion prompt

4 videosTotal 29 minutes

3.1.2 Defining democracy7 minutesPreview module
3.2.1 Democracy for the common good8 minutes
3.3.1 Property and power in history5 minutes
3.4.1 Political inequality today8 minutes

8 readingsTotal 81 minutes

3.1.1 In this module5 minutes
3.1.4 Characteristics of real democracies20 minutes
3.2.2 Plato against democracy10 minutes
3.2.4 Democracy for intrinsic reasons15 minutes
3.3.3 Their money or their rights10 minutes
3.4.2 Economic elite domination15 minutes
3.4.3 Why unequal turn-out matters1 minute
3.5.2 Want more?5 minutes

3 assignmentsTotal 30 minutes

3.1.3 Basic ideas in democratic theory5 minutes
3.3.2 Historical fixes15 minutes
3.4.4 Political inequality in the UK and US10 minutes

1 peer reviewTotal 60 minutes

3.5.1 Why should the public have influence?60 minutes

1 discussion promptTotal 20 minutes

3.2.3 Plato and you20 minutes

What's included

4 videos6 readings4 assignments1 peer review1 discussion prompt

4 videosTotal 25 minutes

4.1.2 An intro to campaigning and lobbying7 minutesPreview module
4.2.1 The dominance of the rich6 minutes
4.3.1 What are the arguments in favour?6 minutes
4.4.1 Regulating campaign finance5 minutes

6 readingsTotal 70 minutes

4.1.1 In this module5 minutes
4.1.3 Lobbying and campaign finance around the world15 minutes
4.2.2 Does campaign spending work?15 minutes
4.3.2 Corruption and political inequality15 minutes
4.4.3 Experiments with public funding15 minutes
4.5.2 Reading: want more?5 minutes

4 assignmentsTotal 50 minutes

4.2.3 Can you tell?5 minutes
4.1.4 What do you know about campaigning and lobbying?10 minutes
4.3.3 Lobbying and campaign finance: pro and con5 minutes
4.4.2 Regulations where you live30 minutes

1 peer reviewTotal 60 minutes

4.5.1 Lobbying: right or wrong?60 minutes

1 discussion promptTotal 10 minutes

4.3.4 What to think about voters’ capacities?10 minutes

What's included

4 videos5 readings4 assignments1 peer review1 discussion prompt

4 videosTotal 28 minutes

5.1.2 Types of capital flight6 minutesPreview module
5.2.1 The race to the bottom7 minutes
5.3.1 Exposing secrets, closing loopholes6 minutes
5.4.1 The capital flight trilemma8 minutes

5 readingsTotal 55 minutes

5.1.1 In this module5 minutes
5.1.3 Case studies20 minutes
5.2.2 The impact of capital flight15 minutes
5.3.2 Getting rid of tax havens10 minutes
5.5.2 Want more?5 minutes

4 assignmentsTotal 45 minutes

5.1.4 Classifying capital flight5 minutes
5.2.3 Consequences of capital flight5 minutes
5.3.3 The financial secrecy index30 minutes
5.4.2 Responding to real capital flight5 minutes

1 peer reviewTotal 60 minutes

5.5.1 Capital flight: apply your knowledge60 minutes

1 discussion promptTotal 10 minutes

5.4.3 Sovereignty, democracy, or globalization?10 minutes

What's included

4 videos10 readings4 assignments1 peer review1 discussion prompt

4 videosTotal 29 minutes

6.1.2 Property-owning democracy7 minutesPreview module
6.2.1 Workplace democracy8 minutes
6.3.1 Common property regimes6 minutes
6.4.1 A theory of transformation6 minutes

10 readingsTotal 108 minutes

6.1.1 In this module5 minutes
6.1.3 Thomas Paine’s agrarian justice15 minutes
6.1.4 Community wealth funds15 minutes
6.2.3 Codetermination in Germany10 minutes
6.3.3 The knowledge commons7 minutes
6.3.4 Energy cooperatives10 minutes
6.4.2 Pathways to an equal society25 minutes
6.5.2 Want more?5 minutes
6.6.1 Acknowledgements and Biographies8 minutes
6.6.2 Final survey8 minutes

4 assignmentsTotal 63 minutes

6.1.5 Property-owning democracy10 minutes
6.2.2 Case study: Mondragon40 minutes
6.3.2 Basic concepts5 minutes
6.4.3 Strategies for change8 minutes

1 peer reviewTotal 45 minutes

6.5.1 Your alternative economic institution45 minutes

1 discussion promptTotal 10 minutes

6.2.4 The parallel case argument10 minutes

Instructors

Instructor ratings

4.8 (9 ratings)

Yara Salman

Utrecht University

1 Course15,767 learners

Rutger Claassen

Utrecht University

1 Course15,767 learners

Michael Bennett

Utrecht University

1 Course15,767 learners

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Utrecht University

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Reviewed on May 23, 2021

It was very fun learning about this course, I urge people to take this course!

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Inequality and Democracy

Details to know

See how employees at top companies are mastering in-demand skills

Earn a career certificate

There are 6 modules in this course

Economic inequality

What's included

Property and corporations

What's included

Democracy

What's included

Lobbying and campaign finance

What's included

Capital flight and tax avoidance

What's included

Alternative economic institutions

What's included

Instructors

Offered by

Why people choose Coursera for their career

Learner reviews

Recommended if you're interested in Arts and Humanities

Economic Growth and Distributive Justice Part I - The Role of the State

How to Change the World

Economic Growth and Distributive Justice Part II - Maximize Social Wellbeing

Ecologie Politique: défi de la durabilité pour les démocraties

Open new doors with Coursera Plus

Advance your career with an online degree

Join over 3,400 global companies that choose Coursera for Business