Although I enjoyed the study of economics much more than I enjoyed the study of law, I’ve always been happy with my decision to earn a law degree on top of my degree in economics. By exposing me to real-world details that I’d otherwise have...
Confession: ever since I began to study economics as an 18-year old, I’ve always had difficulty understanding the thought processes of people who fancy themselves fit to intervene into the affairs of other adults in ways that will improve the lives of other adults as...
Here’s a letter to a new correspondent: Mr. Jones: Thanks for sharing your thoughts on my recent essay on the importance of Econ 101. While I agree with much that you write, I plead guilty to your charge of “dulling students’ excitement about solving collective challenges through democratic...
Not all Bangladeshi men think that way. In fact, the earning power of women is eroding the custom of bridal dowries. It has also brought about greater responsiveness by the court system toward women. Since women have started working, the “law is on their side,”...
Coffee shops in Knoxville, Tennessee, are a microcosm of the world’s reaction to Covid-19. A Starbucks here features a drive-through stacked several cars deep, hour after hour. Most of the people waiting patiently in their cars wear masks. Inside, the shop...
The rise of political extremes in America, both left and right, poses a particular challenge for those of us who prefer liberty over government control. It’s not only in the US; the same grows in the UK, Europe, Latin America, and...
EPISODE 39: DESIGN PRINCIPLES OF A GOOD CONVERSATION (THURSDAY, MARCH 18 AT 1:00 PM ET) “If the American experiment is to succeed, we must improve the quality of our political, academic and civic conversations.” — Dr. Emily Chamlee-Wright. On Episode 39 of “The Future of Democracy,”...
Envy is evil. Not just for its corrosive effects on society, but for what it can do to undermine your own success. Envy makes you bitter and joyless. Worse, it blinds you to your own potential and the opportunity around you. If the success of those around...
If, as an old maxim instructs, you can ascertain much about a man by who his enemies are, then Peruvian Nobel laureate Mario Vargas Llosa earned bonus points one year ago. As the coronavirus exploded across the globe in March 2020, he drew fire from...
It is now popular to claim — in the New York Times no less — that Soviet women “enjoyed many rights and privileges unknown in liberal democracies at the time,” so it is worth noting some of the ways that communism tyrannized women in particular. Those who...