In the 2nd Episode of Commanding Heights, we learn how the ideas of economics continued to shape global politics and history through the 20th Century. The influence of ideas from economics grew as the world tilted towards market-based economic systems and increased global trade and global finance.

As with the first Documentary Discussion Board, there are several steps to the discussion. First, answer one question from the list below for your initial post. Then, you will need to also ask a follow-up question of a classmate related to their initial answer. The third and final step is to reply to the question asked by your classmate. (Be sure to read the Documentary Discussion Board document in the Google Drive for details.)

Full credit requires:

Answering one of the questions below for your initial post.

Reading your classmate's answers and asking them a follow-up question (please try to post your follow-up question by Thursday, October 27).

If you get a follow-up question from a classmate, you must answer it.

1. What, if anything, did this episode teach you about national economies and how they function? Please clarify with details from the episode.

2. What, if anything, did this episode teach you about the discipline of economics as a social science? Please clarify with details from the episode.

3. Did you find anything controversial in this episode? If you did not, might there be something in the documentary that you can imagine being controversial to others? Explain the idea

or topic and why you think it is controversial.

4. Were there any historical events covered in the episode that help you understand your world today? Please explain.