The Case Against the New “Secular Stagnation Hypothesis”
Abstract: The new “secular stagnation hypothesis” developed by Lawrence H. Summers attempts to justify why the demand stimulus applied in the aftermath of the global financial crisis failed to revive growth in a satisfactory manner. Building on previous ideas of
An Anatomy of Failure: China’s Wind Power Development
Abstract: China is currently the world’s largest installer of wind power. However, with twice the installed wind capacity compared to the United States in 2015, the Chinese produce less power. The question is: Why is this the case? This article
Restoring the Promise: Higher Education in America
Restoring the Promise: Higher Education in AmericaRichard K. VedderOakland, Calif.: Independent Institute, 2019, 400 + xiv pp. Timothy Terrell (terrelltd@wofford.edu) is T.B. Stackhouse Professor of Economics at Wofford College and a Senior Fellow at the Mises Institute. Higher education in the United
Welfare Payments and Foreign Policy Fears Are the Only Things Holding America Together
In case you haven’t noticed, America is “deeply divided.” At least, that’s what a seemingly nonstop stream of headlines from major media sources would have us believe. “Trump Leaves America at Its Most Divided since the Civil War,” reads one
Pandemics, Infection, and Libertarianism
Western countries will adopt (or consider adopting) state-mandated “medical passports”—so-called green passes—meant to prevent covid-19’s spread. They will compel private individuals to carry such passports if they want access to certain facilities or events (restaurants, theaters, concert arenas, etc.), I often hear libertarians—or people just
The Future of Afghanistan Post U.S. Withdrawal
On July 8, Joe Biden, the U.S. President announced that the U.S. is finally set to end its presence in Afghanistan that lasted for 20 years, after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. While 90% of the stationed troops and their equipment
Are Free Market Fiduciary Media Possible? On the Nature of Money, Banking, and Money Production in the Free Market Order
Abstract: Recent debates in monetary theory have centered on so-called free banking and the role of banks in providing money in the form of fiduciary media in a pure market economy. This paper examines how and to what extent fiduciary
Monetary Policy after the Great Recession: The Role of Interest Rates
Monetary Policy after the Great Recession: The Role of Interest RatesArkadiusz SieronNew York: Routledge, 2020, xviii + 230 pp. Nikolay Gertchev (ngertchev@gmail.com) holds a PhD in economics from the University of Paris 2 Panthéon-Assas and currently lives in Belgium, where he
Trust in a Polarized Age
Trust in a Polarized AgeKevin VallierOxford: Oxford University Press, 2021, 310 + x pp. David Gordon (dgordon@mises.com) is a Senior Fellow at the Mises Institute. Kevin Vallier, who teaches philosophy at Bowling Green State University, is a leading advocate of “public reason
Old and New Development Economics: A Reassessment of Objectives
ABSTRACT: The “new development economics” (also called behavioral development economics) consists of microeconomic experimentation based on behavioral economics and randomized controlled trials. This approach would illuminate the close relationships between preferences, culture, and institutions and point to new political opportunities.