Common Sense Economics Archives — Page 5 of 10 — News From London, Ontario, And Beyond

Abolish Government Schools

March 3, 2020 – Gor Mkrtchian …… Even if it’s true that some wouldn’t be able to afford schooling without government financial assistance, the idea that this necessitates the government creating and running its own schools is a glaring non sequitur. Continue reading →

When It Comes to Raw Power, Few Have More of It Than Central Bankers

March 2, 2020 – Per Bylund …… Anticapitalists often complain that people with more money exercise power over people with less money. Yet these same people seem oddly untroubled by the fact that central bankers can manipulate the money supply at any time to enrich themselves at everyone else’s expense. Continue reading →

Private Sector Truck Drivers Are Nepal’s Lifeline to Clean Water

February 16, 2020 – Doug French …… Government officials have repeatedly failed to deliver clean water to the people of Kathmandu. So the private sector stepped in to get the job done. Continue reading →

Pope Francis Owes It to the Poor to Be More Informed about Markets

January 28, 2020 – Antony Davies, James R. Harrigan …… For the sake of the poor, it’s time for Pope Francis to get a better understanding of basic economics. Continue reading →

What the Survival of the Fittest Tropes Get Wrong — and Right

January 26, 2020 – Gary M. Galles …… The Darwinian imagery of the survival of the fittest people was emphasized not by capitalism’s proponents, who recognized its dramatically un-Darwinian results, but by capitalism’s opponents. Continue reading →

Entitlement Liabilities Are a Graver Threat to the Next Generation of Americans Than Climate Change

January 23, 2020 – John Phelan …… We are on the brink of inter-generational strife. We have the political shortsightedness of decades past to thank for that. Continue reading →

Henry Ford Did More for Workers than Unions Did

January 9, 2020 – Chris Calton …… In the early 20th century, Henry Ford’s factories had a hard time keeping workers because the work was monotonous. In a successful effort to retain workers, Ford doubled their pay, reduced their hours, and provided vacation time and other benefits that are now considered typical. Continue reading →

We Don’t Need Sunday “Blue Laws”

December 10, 2019 – Ryan McMaken …… The reason businesses open on Sunday is due to bottom-up pressure from consumers, not top-down conniving on the part of management. As much as some people would prefer otherwise, the fact is we live in a society where most people see no problem at all with going to the movies or shoe shopping on Sunday. Business owners merely respond by attempting to meet this demand. Continue reading →

Serving the Consumer: The Secret to Walt Disney’s Success

December 9, 2019 – Barry L. Linetsky …… Had consumers in 1938 been uninterested in a feature-length cartoon, Snow White would have bankrupted the Disney studio. Instead, Walt Disney was richly rewarded for his risk-taking. Continue reading →

The Driving Force of Free Markets Is Empathy, Not Greed

December 4, 2019 – Dr. Rainer Zitelmann …… Only the entrepreneur who prioritizes other people’s needs can be successful. Continue reading →