The Unbroken Window

This paper examines why developed countries are monogamous while rich men throughout history have tended to practice polygyny (multiple wives). Wealth inequality naturally produces multiple wives for rich men in a standard model of the marriage market. This paper argues that the sources of inequality, not just the level of inequality, determine the equilibrium degree […]

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No matter what data we seem to show about U.S. trends (manufacturing share of employment fell below 10% last month from a high of 40% during WWII; manufacturing output is at an all-time high; U.S. living standards, per capita, have increased four-fold since WWII), this ridiculous fear still remains.
While you might have questions about the […]

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My local ward representative, who just ran unopposed for reelection, sent out an e-mail talking about our city’s plans for redeveloping a blighted area of my neighborhood (Elm Street) and also a plan to require local schools to purchase a portion of their food from local sources. Needless to say, I was not thrilled […]

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we think that we are not competent to start businesses, then why do we think we are competent to initiate policies?

That is Arnold Kling on the hubris of development planners.

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Anna Schwartz is visiting us at AIER today to speak with our summer students about her experience doing research on what would become A Monetary History of the United States, and what it has been like to discuss that book’s powerful findings in a hostile intellectual and political environment (fyi - its major contribution aside […]

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Is any publicity about the plight of Africa good publicity? And just what good do celebrities do for its cause?
 Here is William Easterly in the LA Times:
It’s a dark and scary picture of a helpless, backward continent that’s being offered up to TV watchers and coffee drinkers. But in fact, the real Africa is quite […]

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