  We describe the theoretical ideas, developed between the 1950s-1970s, which
led to the prediction of the Higgs boson, the particle that was discovered in
2012. The forces of nature are based on symmetry principles. We explain the
nature of these symmetries through an economic analogy. We also discuss the
Higgs mechanism, which is necessary to avoid some of the naive consequences of
these symmetries, and to explain various features of elementary particles.
