I rarely venture in the field of the history of economic thought. I much prefer to work on the history of economies per se. However, in the wake of the work of Nancy MacLean on James Buchanan and my own emerging work on institutional roots of inequalities between individuals and groups (I am finishing another working paper […]
Situating Southern Influences in James M. Buchanan and Modern Public Choice Economics
Situating Southern Influences in James M. Buchanan and Modern Public Choice Economics
06 Nov 2026 Leave a comment
in discrimination, economic history, James Buchanan, labour economics, Public Choice
Ireland fact of the day
05 Nov 2026 1 Comment
in fiscal policy, macroeconomics, Public Choice, public economics Tags: Ireland, taxation and entrepreneurship, taxation and investment
Almost half of Ireland’s corporation tax haul comes from just three companies: Apple, Eli Lilly and Microsoft. Here is much more from Jude Webber at the FT, on why Ireland does not always feel or operate like a wealthy country. The post Ireland fact of the day appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.
Ireland fact of the day
Douglas vs Seymour
04 Nov 2026 Leave a comment
in economic history, fiscal policy, macroeconomics, politics - New Zealand, Public Choice, public economics, rentseeking Tags: 2026 general election
Roger Douglas released: Muldoon Is Back — Only the Names Have Changed: ACT’s proposed KiwiSaver tax exemption risks repeating the mistakes of New Zealand’s protected economic past ACT’s proposal to make KiwiSaver investment earnings tax-free raises an important question: is this good economic policy, or is it an attempt to win votes by offering another…
Douglas vs Seymour
A Sacred Trust Betrayed
03 Nov 2026 Leave a comment
in comparative institutional analysis, constitutional political economy, development economics, economic history, economics of education, law and economics, liberalism, Marxist economics, politics - New Zealand, property rights, Public Choice, rentseeking Tags: constitutional law
Judicial independence and the reliance on tikanga in New Zealand courts
A Sacred Trust Betrayed
Sweden government formation 2026
03 Nov 2026 Leave a comment
in politics, Public Choice, constitutional political economy Tags: Sweden
Since we are all comparativists on this blog, I [Yibo] am comparing Israel to the ongoing Swedish government formation. The 2026 Swedish election was fought clearly between two blocs of four parties each.
Sweden government formation 2026
All About Tariffs
31 Oct 2026 Leave a comment
in applied price theory, economic history, history of economic thought, industrial organisation, international economics, politics - USA, Public Choice, rentseeking Tags: tarrifs
I have made no secret of me deep skepticism about President Trump’s tariff policies since he announced his “Liberation Day” tariffs in April 2025. My first-blink “Thoughts on the Trump Tariffs” from a few days after the announcement has held held up reasonably well, and I have posted follow-ups on the subject a number of…
All About Tariffs
Creating Voter Confusion About Candidates’ Names is Bad – But Exploiting Voter Ignorance About Policy Issues is a Much Bigger Problem
30 Oct 2026 Leave a comment
in economics of information, politics - USA, Public Choice
Democrats’ apparent effort to confuse Alaska voters about candidates’ names is reprehensible. But politicians’ routine lying and exploitation of ignorance about policy issues is much worse.
Creating Voter Confusion About Candidates’ Names is Bad – But Exploiting Voter Ignorance About Policy Issues is a Much Bigger Problem
When Moochers Outnumber Producers, Can a Nation Be Salvaged?
27 Oct 2026 Leave a comment
in budget deficits, development economics, economic history, fiscal policy, growth disasters, income redistribution, labour economics, labour supply, macroeconomics, Public Choice, public economics, rentseeking, welfare reform
I periodically share data on the age-dependency ratio in various nations. That’s very important data. It helps to explain why young-to-old redistribution programs in many nations are becoming a recipe for fiscal crisis. But to fully understand the level of dependency in a country, you have to know the share of people who actually produce […]
When Moochers Outnumber Producers, Can a Nation Be Salvaged?
Some Links
26 Oct 2026 Leave a comment
in applied price theory, entrepreneurship, fiscal policy, human capital, income redistribution, labour economics, labour supply, macroeconomics, politics - USA, poverty and inequality, Public Choice Tags: California, taxation and entrepreneurship, taxation and investment
TweetMegan McArdle writes insightfully about California’s pending proposal to soak the rich. Three slices: These days, legislators generally don’t enact tax hikes so confiscatory that they trigger an immediate, obvious response. They adjust income tax rates by a few percentage points, fiddle with the deductions or impose new levies on some tiny portion of the…
Some Links
Will bystander economies be able to finance their governments?
24 Oct 2026 1 Comment
in Public Choice, entrepreneurship, macroeconomics, public economics, economic growth, applied price theory, fiscal policy, budget deficits Tags: creative destruction
From Jesús Fernández-Villaverde: Will AI poison the public finances of many modern states? There is a real risk that it will. Yesterday, I circulated a new paper, “Saving for the Machines,” which makes a simple point. Building the AI transformation will require enormous investment. The only way to induce agents to save for that investment…
Will bystander economies be able to finance their governments?
The Economic Consequences of Different Ways of Propping Up Social Security
24 Oct 2026 Leave a comment
in fiscal policy, income redistribution, macroeconomics, politics - USA, Public Choice, public economics Tags: social insurance
My Ph.D. dissertation last century was about Australia’s system of personal retirement accounts, so I have a long-time interest in how to fix America’s Social Security system. Which leads me to a good news-bad news situation. The good news is that politicians will probably be forced to deal with Social Security at some point in […]
The Economic Consequences of Different Ways of Propping Up Social Security
Are Banking Systems Inherently Unstable? | @GeorgeSelgin | Hayek Program…
22 Oct 2026 Leave a comment
in applied price theory, Austrian economics, business cycles, economic history, economics of regulation, great depression, great recession, history of economic thought, law and economics, macroeconomics, monetary economics, property rights, Public Choice, rentseeking Tags: monetary policy
SIEPR Economic Summit 2026 | California Wealth Tax
22 Oct 2026 Leave a comment
in applied price theory, economic growth, economic history, entrepreneurship, fiscal policy, history of economic thought, human capital, income redistribution, labour economics, labour supply, macroeconomics, Public Choice, public economics Tags: California, taxation and entrepreneurship, taxation and investment
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