Economic Thinkers

March 26, 2018

Why the Retail Apocalypse Could Be a Renaissance

Even with mall traffic declining and stores closing, retail restructuring might lead to a renaissance fueled by creative destruction rather than an apocalypse.

March 19, 2018

A 2018 Update: The World’s Top and Bottom Laissez-Faire Countries

The Index of Economic Freedom is a handy source of data for judging whether or not a government has a laissez-faire philosophy.

March 2, 2018

Four Fantastic Charts That Tell What We Need to Know About the Plastic Problem

Store by store, through one aisle that has 700 items, the Dutch supermarket chain Ekoplaza will support sustainability with plastics-free grocery shopping.

February 27, 2018

What a Strawberry and a Chicken Say About Free Trade

More than governments negotiating agreements, free trade is about the variety of strawberries, chickens, pickup trucks and pencils that we can buy.

February 14, 2018

What Men and Women Want in a Mate

By identifying the decisions that men and women make while speed dating, we can see where they rank intelligence, attractiveness and ambition.

February 12, 2018

Why Valentine’s Roses Bloom in Colombia

Most of our Valentine's roses come from Colombia because of the U.S. government, the perfect combination of land, labor and capital, and Walmart.