Prologue. Why bother? : why do you need to learn economics? -- How to read this book -- Part 1. Getting used to it. Life, the universe, and everything : what is economics? -- From pin to PIN : capitalism 1776 and 2014 -- How have we got here? : a brief history of capitalism -- Let a hundred flowers bloom : how to 'do' economics -- Dramatis personae : who are the economic actors? -- Moving on ... -- Part 2. Using it. How many do you want it to be? : output, income and happiness -- How does your garden grow? : the world of production -- Trouble at the Fidelity Fiduciary Bank : finance -- Boris's goat should drop dead : inequality and poverty -- I've known a few people who've worked : work and unemployment -- Leviathan or the philosopher king? : the role of the state -- 'All things in prolific abundance' : the international dimension -- Epilogue. What now? : how can we use economics to make our economy better?