Economic Concepts

A Reader’s Guide to Economic Headlines

With the media posting sensational economic stats daily, filtering out the noise becomes crucial.

Sep 2 •

GDP Will Reflect “AI”, But How Focused Should We Be On It?

Podcaster Dwarkesh Patel believes the value AI will not be accurately reflected in GDP – he’s both right and wrong

Aug 19 •

Clearing Up the Free-Bus Debate

The provision of a government service, such as buses, and how to fund it, are fundamentally two different questions.

Jul 6 •

GenAI – Will Workers Disappear?

Public predictions about the impact of genAI on workers and the economy are dramatic – but are they right?

Jun 30 •

Yes – Tariffs Have Increased Prices and Inflation in the US

The price increases from tariffs can be seen in both economy-wide data and retail data.

Jun 16 •

Can Large Tech Companies Be 'Bad' for the Economy but Good for Workers?

Dominant tech firms can stifle innovation, but this may actually benefit their employees.

Jun 9 •

Why Import Tariffs are Identical to Export Taxes

Proponents of import tariffs would quickly criticize the imposition of export taxes. But both these policies are basically identical.

Apr 13 •

Book Recommendation – Economic Fables

Ariel Rubinstein's "Economic Fables" is a great, albeit not your typical, introduction to economics and economic thinking.

Mar 31 •

Why Policy Changes Are Often Misjudged – the Lucas Critique

When policies fail to deliver, it is often that the Lucas Critique that wasn't considered.

Feb 2 •

Higher Education – Is It Worth It?

Do the extra years of schooling at college increase people’s skills or is college just an expensive signal? A recent study suggests it’s the former

Dec 10, 2024 •

Holidays and Gift Giving

Gift giving is a contentious topic on economics – is it valuable or a waste of money. The evidence points to the former.

Dec 3, 2024 •

Electoral Issue #2: Why We Demand Bad Policy

Under-appreciating equilibrium effects can result in voters demanding sub-optimal policy.

Sep 23, 2024 •

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