Part 12: Macro and Microeconomics & Geopolitics

About Course

This course is about understanding how macroeconomics, microeconomics, and geopolitics intersect to shape the financial world we live in. You’ll learn the historical turning points—like the end of the gold standard in 1971 and the rise of the petrodollar system—that continue to influence global markets today. The course explores core macro concepts (GDP, inflation, interest rates, and employment), microeconomic forces (supply and demand, price elasticity, and market structures), and geopolitical dynamics (currency power, trade wars, energy security, and resource control).

Why it’s important: Global economic shifts aren’t abstract—they affect your mortgage, grocery bill, job security, and investment portfolio every day. Understanding these forces helps you see beyond headlines, anticipate risks, and adapt to systemic changes. By connecting the dots between economics and geopolitics, you gain the knowledge to make smarter decisions, protect your financial stability, and position yourself for opportunities in an uncertain world.

What Will You Learn?

The end of the gold standard in 1971 fundamentally reshaped global economics, breaking the old link between productivity and middle-class prosperity.
The petrodollar system established U.S. dollar dominance, stabilizing global trade and influencing daily costs like energy, housing, and consumer goods.
Macroeconomic indicators such as GDP, inflation, employment, and interest rates often mask the real financial pressures facing middle-class families.
Asset price inflation benefits asset owners while creating barriers for wage earners, deepening inequality in housing, investments, and wealth building.
Geopolitical and economic shifts directly affect personal finances, making understanding macro and microeconomic forces essential for long-term security.