Acton Institute Powerblog Archives

Post Tagged 'economist'

Economist as prophet vs. savior

What do economists actually know? What can they possibly know? Assuming his usual role as the insider skeptic, economist Russ Roberts ponders those questions at length, concluding that far too much economic analysis is conducted and promoted with far too little humility. Continue Reading...

5 Facts about Jean-Baptiste Say

Today is the 250th anniversary of Jean-Baptiste Say, one of the most important economic thinkers of the nineteenth century. Here are five facts you should know about this French economist: 1. Continue Reading...

Lessons from Poverty, Inc.

“An underlying theme in basic economics says, ‘offering a product for free can destroy the local economy’” writes Luis Miranda.  Miranda recently watched Poverty, Inc and since seeing the award winning Acton Institute documentary he has shared some of its lessons in an article at The Indian EconomistContinue Reading...

Where Billionaire Crony Capitalists Live

It’s never easy becoming a billionaire, but the path to achieving a 10-figure level of wealth is smoother when you have the government as a business partner. Crony capitalism is a general term for the range of activities in which particular individuals or businesses in a market economy receive government-granted privileges over their customers or competitors. Continue Reading...

Are We Better Off If We Buy Local?

Does spending more money locally keep money in the community, creating jobs and improving the economic situation of our immediate neighbors? Probably not. Economist Don Boudreaux shows that if we bought everything because it was “local” (rather than because it was the best product or service) we would just be voluntarily making ourselves poorer. Continue Reading...