This text excerpts from Thomas Sowell’s Basic Economics explain fundamental economic principles, focusing on the role of prices in allocating scarce resources. The author contrasts market economies, coordinated by price fluctuations and competition, with centrally planned economies, highlighting the inefficiencies of the latter. Key concepts discussed include supply and demand, profit and loss, price controls, and the importance of competition. The excerpts also examine the roles of businesses, government intervention, international trade, and various economic policies, using historical examples and case studies to illustrate the principles. Finally, it emphasizes the importance of understanding the incentives created by policies, rather than just their intentions.