Ontario’s financial debts, as of 2018: “Ontario’s debt has ballooned to $312 billion, the biggest debt held by a subnational government anywhere in the world. Ontario owes twice as much as California, which has a population bigger than all of Canada.”[1] Enron’s debts as determined by its bankruptcy proceedings: “The company paid its creditors more […]
The Moral of Two Scandals — Enron and Ontario Read More »
Some data for my class discussions of wealth and poverty: Source.
Famine by social system, 20th century chart Read More »
13 Thesen zum liberalen Kapitalismus in 13 Minuten Much thanks to Christoph Petzold, Ilona Rossa, and Alexander Fürstenberg for publishing this German translation of my “13 Arguments for Liberal Capitalism in 13 Minutes”. Here is a click-to-enlarge version of the flowchart of the arguments: The flowchart with German subtitles is here in PDF. Here also
13 Thesen zum liberalen Kapitalismus in 13 Minuten Read More »
[In preparation for a conference, I’m reading a lot about population, ethics, and economics. Extrapolating from my readings, I offer the following arguments.] 1. Capitalism is about greed. It encourages women to be greedy too. So women will pursue careers and forego family. Hence capitalism causes population decreases. 2. Capitalism is about consumerism, so people
The population evils of capitalism Read More »
David Weinberger beats up on Keynes’s economics here: “despite numerous experiments since the 1930s, never has Keynesian policy precipitated a peacetime economic recovery.” And I beat up on Keynes’s politics here: “Keynes was not merely recommending a few surgical interventions to smooth out cycles or to jump-start moribund economies. Keynes’s economics are part of a
Keynes: bad economics and bad politics Read More »
My lecture on “Progress and Betrayal — Latin American Intellectuals and the Difference between North and Latin American Economies” is up at YouTube: Thanks again to Federico Fernandez and the Bases Foundation for making this 2016 event possible.
“Progress and Betrayal” lecture, Rosario, Argentina Read More »
Our CEE interview with Southern Methodist University economist Robert Lawson. Dr. Lawson answers these questions and more about his life and work: Why did you become an economist? What readings were inspirational to you as a student? Where did you get your undergraduate degree? Why did you decide to go to graduate school? Where did
Profiles in Liberty: Robert Lawson Read More »
I worked in construction for some years before returning to graduate school. My crew members were all hardworking guys, and an ethos of manly ruggedness prevailed among them. Beer was drunk. Pickup trucks were driven. Camping and fishing were practiced faithfully. I am, of course, no slouch in the manliness department. Let’s be clear about
Loving Money and Books – Which Is More Evil? [Good Life series] Read More »