Econlib Newsletter
September 2021

 
Dear friends,

We need your help. You know we're always hard at work bringing you the best economics content on the web, and that will always be true. Lately, we've also been hard at work thinking about how to improve your online experience with us. To that end we've developed a quick online survey to assess how we're meeting your needs and what else you'd like to see. We'd be very grateful if you would take  a few minutes to complete our survey.

Speaking of your experience, we hope you're considering joining one of our Virtual Reading Groups this year. They're a great way to connect with others who share your interests and engage in a lively discussion based on a comment set of texts. And by the way, both our sister sites, AdamSmithWorks and the OLL, now offer online reading groups as well. Check back often, both because individual programs fill fast, and we add new opportuntites all the time.

As always, we share the newest content and other highlights from across the site below. Let us know your thoughts on the latest, and tell us what else you'd like to see at [email protected]. We love to hear from you. 

Until next month, stay well, and stay curious.

 
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NEW Econlib Articles: September 2021
Progressives' Desires to Help the Poor Will End Up Hurting Them Instead
by Craig J. Richardson and Richard B. McKenzie

President Biden is crisscrossing the country, pitching his “American Families Plan” at various town halls and press conferences. The White House plan promises to “create millions of new jobs, rebuild the country’s infrastructure… and (help) families cover basic expenses” such as education, childcare and housing...

However, by expanding public assistance programs, the President’s plan will unavoidably impose a higher, hidden tax rate—known as an “implicit marginal income tax rate” (which we shorten to implicit tax rate)—on low-wage workers who receive welfare benefits.  Read More.
Immigration and
the Open Society
by Alberto Mingardi
 
Alberto Mingardi reviews Chandran Kukathas's latest this month. Says Mingardi of the book, "The book is both a serious philosophical essay and an argumentative tour de force. Kukathas does not pour erudition over the reader, but helps her with real world stories and historical examples. Those who won’t recognize the names of Will Kymlicka or Robert Nozick will nod at mentions of John Lennon and the movie The Lives of Others. A splendid epilogue challenges us to think what would happen were we to need a visa to fall in love." Read More.
The Role of "We" Versus the
Role of "I"
by Arnold Kling

Rabbi Jonathan Sacks's last book is the subject of Arnold Kling's latest review. In it, Sacks exhorts us to return from a focus on the "I" to a focus in the "We." Kling finds much to love in this plea, but also offers some important caveats. Read More.
Is Inequality a Problem?
by Nils Karlson
Public discussions in both Europe and the United States have focused heavily on wealth inequality in recent years. In Francis Teal's new book, he paints a picture of a sharp dichotomy between the world's rich and poor. In Nils Karlson's review, he commends Teal's effort at empirical analysis. Still, he says, "much more remains to be said on the topic, both empirically and normatively." Read More.
Over 800 Episodes of EconTalk
Michael Munger on Free Markets

Author and economist Michael Munger of Duke University talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about the virtues--and the flaws--of free markets. Munger says the best argument for a free market approach is not that it's perfect but that it's better than anything else we've been able to come up with over the centuries. Better at bringing people out of poverty, better at promoting wealth creation, and better at pushing up the standard of living for most of the people, most of the time. Topics include what exactly is a free market, why specialization is so important, the case for case-by-case intervention, and the challenge of picking the prettiest pig.  Explore more.

And don't miss our EconTalk Extra on Munger's episode. Use it to start a conversation in the Comments, in your classroom, or elsewhere offline.

More Recent Episodes:

Gary Becker asserts that during the 20th century, economics changed from a field of subject to one of methodology. What does he mean by this? To what extent does this continue to be true today? Do you agree with Becker that this is a negative trend? Why?

Explore these and other questions at Econlib Videos.
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