Abstract
Based on a first-year multidisciplinary course, Swansonomics is a class where students examine the libertarian beliefs espoused by the character Ron Swanson from the television series Parks and Recreation. The show provides great examples of rent seeking, fiscal policy issues, social policy issues, and bureaucratic incentive structures. These Parks and Recreation video clips can be used in any class to cover a variety of issues. Examples of topics include the expected economic consequences of specific political or economic philosophies, unintended consequences of policies, various systems of taxation, public and private incentive structures, and varying degrees of capitalism and government intervention.
Recommended Citation
(2026)
"Swansonomics: Using “Parks and Recreation” to Teach Economics,"
Journal of Economics and Finance Education: Vol. 14:
Iss.
1, Article 5.
Available at:
https://scholarship.rollins.edu/jefe/vol14/iss1/5
