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 About UsThis weblog offers a variety of song lyrics that instructors of economics may find useful in teaching economics. Each post includes a selection from the song's lyrics and a brief assignment for students. This site has been accepted for publication in the Journal of Economic Education.Recent Entries
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« Previous · Main · Next » Allentown - Billy JoelJEL: a j rWell we're waiting here in Allentown Click to ListenAssignment:Billy Joel laments the loss of the way things were in Allentown. At one time it was a boom town, but now "they've taken all the coal from the ground." Assume that the presence of coal is the primary reason Allentown exists at all (like mining towns in the old west). (See here for a more complex history of Allentown). If coal and water access for easy shipping brought people flooding to the area upon its initial discovery, why don't people leave as quickly as they came once the coal is gone? Which do you think will decline faster: population or housing prices? Why? Based on your answer, can it be utility maximizing to stay in a declining city?
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