Adam Smith

July 22, 2015
Weekly Economic News Roundup and corn and climate
Published by Elaine Schwartz at July 22, 2015
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Why a Hungry Country Might Have Enough Food

Focusing on production and distribution, economists look at the role of markets and of government when they try to determine what causes and ends famines.

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July 14, 2014
traffic lights and Adam Smith's Laissez-faire
Published by Elaine Schwartz at July 14, 2014
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Adam Smith and Traffic Lights

Located 30 miles from Cape Cod, Massachusetts, the island of Nantucket has no traffic lights. Instead, drivers respond to stop signs, rotaries, and courtesy. More often […]

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May 6, 2014
Gary Becker opened a new world when he used economics to study human behavior
Published by Elaine Schwartz at May 6, 2014
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The Rotten Kid Theorem and Other Gary Becker Ideas

Gary Becker image courtesy of University of Chicago. All too often, if you say you are looking at the economics of the family, people assume you […]

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May 1, 2014
Resource allocation involves similar concepts whether personal, for business or a country.
Published by Elaine Schwartz at May 1, 2014
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How To Divide the Rent, a Cake and a Country

Assume for a moment that you have just rented a 4th floor walk-up apartment for $3000 with 2 friends. One bedroom is mid-sized and near a […]

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April 9, 2014
Salamander ant prey
Published by Elaine Schwartz at April 9, 2014
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The Big Impact of a Little Salamander

The woodland salamander made me think of Adam Smith. In North American forests, wherever it is dark and damp, under a rock or a log, a […]

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January 5, 2014
Economic Geography British Coastline Mandelbrot
Published by Elaine Schwartz at January 5, 2014
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One Reason That Geography Matters

Have you ever looked closely at Japan and the United Kingdom? Described by geographer Jared Diamond in a fascinating podcast, they look remarkably similar. Today Japan […]

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October 22, 2013
French fries, Adam Smith and restaurant mass production
Published by Elaine Schwartz at October 22, 2013
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Restaurant Economics: How to Make 1500 Meals a Day

At 2 am, converging at the delivery entrance of Balthazar in NY’s SoHo are mussels from New Zealand, russet potatoes from Idaho, steak from the Midwest and chicken breast […]

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October 14, 2011
The Panama Canal Project Facilitates World Trade.
Published by Elaine Schwartz at October 14, 2011
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The Fabric of Free Trade

The roof of the big-box store near your home could contain fabric that was made in Greensboro, N.C. Transported in rolls that are 12 feet wide […]

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