Government

November 7, 2014

Four Ways to Understand Marijuana Demand

With an increasing number of states legalizing marijuana, demand is shifting because of changes in utility, complementary products and the number of buyers.

November 4, 2014

The Benefits of Perpetual Federal Debt

Very long term federal debt that has no date for redemption like UK First World War bonds and U.S. Revolutionary War debt depend on good public credit.

October 27, 2014

The Reason Norway Said No to the Olympics

Because host countries for the Olympics and World Cup spend too much on new stadiums, their subsequent return on investment (ROI) is usually inadequate.

October 26, 2014

An Economist’s Definition of Misery

While a misery index shows a nation's inflation and unemployment rates, the eurozone's high unemployment might create disproportionate unhappiness.

October 16, 2014

The Best Places For Growing Old

With populations growing older in the developed world, their wellbeing might affect the GDP growth rate because of the expense of their care.

October 2, 2014

Marijuana Money Problems

Colorado's marijuana growers and dealers are wasting resources because banks and insurance companies will not act as their financial intermediaries.

September 30, 2014

A Solution for Too Few Doctors: More Patience

Decreases in supply, increases in demand and legislative price ceilings are resulting in "network adequacy" problems for U.S. healthcare systems.

September 28, 2014

When You Can Expect to Be Most Creative

Knowing about how and when creative people achieve optimal productivity is important because of the connection between human capital and economic growth.

September 14, 2014

The Nudge Toward a Goldilocks Savings Rate

We need to raise the low U.S. savings rate with new incentives like a lottery on savings deposits because households and business investment need savings.

August 31, 2014

Bedtime Stories… About the Economy.

From statistics and a satellite image of the world at night, we can see that developing countries lack the electrification they need for economic growth.

August 29, 2014

Solving the Airplane Seat Problem

According to Ronald Coase, if reclining in an airline seat creates a negative externality, both parties can negotiate because the transaction costs are low.

August 28, 2014

The Path of the Shifting Center of Global Economic Power

Led by Chinese economic growth and other emerging markets, the center of economic gravity is moving eastward from the developed world to Asia.