Religion & Liberty Online

Does Microfinance Help the Poor?

July 25, 2016 • by Allison Gilbert

Does Microfinance Help the Poor?

This week at the Institute for Faith, Work and Economics, contributor James Clark asked, “Can microfinance really help the poor?” His conclusion: yes microfinance can work, but with certain caveats. In the last decade, microfinance has become a popular strategy in poverty alleviation, yet many economists and philanthropists often call its effectiveness into question. Continue Reading...

Latest Posts

July 22, 2016

Explainer: What You Should Know About the Republican Party Platform (Part II)

Note: This second article in a two-part series on the Republican Party Platform. Part I can be found here. In the previous article we looked at summary outline of the Republican platform as it relates to several non-economic issues covered by the Acton Institute. Continue Reading...

July 22, 2016

Economics Is for Everyone

People have strong opinions on a variety of subjects in which they don’t have an advanced degree or training. Yet when it comes to economics many people defer to “experts.” But as Ha-Joon Chang, a South Korean economist who specializes in development, says, “Economics is for everyone.” Continue Reading...

July 21, 2016

Explainer: What You Should Know About the Republican Party Platform (Part I)

During the recent Republican National Convention the GOP delegates voted to adopt their party’s platform, a document that outlines the statement of principles and policies that the party has decided it will support. Continue Reading...

July 21, 2016

Now Available: Kuyper’s ‘Pro Rege: Living Under Christ the King, Volume 1’

How do we live in a fallen world under Christ the King? In partnership with the Acton Institute, Lexham Press has now released Pro Rege: Living Under Christ the King, Volume 1, the first in a three-volume series on the lordship of Christ. Continue Reading...

July 21, 2016

Paul Ryan emphasizes community in fight against poverty

Last week, House Speaker Paul Ryan sat down with NPR to discuss, among other things, poverty. As the highest ranking member of the House, Ryan has a crucial opportunity to change the way the government addresses poverty. Continue Reading...

July 20, 2016

How Doctors Send You the Bill for Their Student Loans

A solid case could be made that the most powerful natural law in the universe is the “law of unintended consequences.” It’s definitely the dominant force when it comes to public policy. Continue Reading...

July 20, 2016

The Harmful Effects of Protectionism

What is the biggest economic problem that the U.S. is currently facing? Depends who you ask. Some social justice warriors would tell you that capitalism is ruining our economy, yet many who have studied and understand economics would argue the opposite. Continue Reading...

July 20, 2016

6 quotes to help reflect on Captive Nations Week

On Tuesday, President Obama declared this week Captive Nations Week. The first Captive Nations Week was in 1959, proclaimed by President Eisenhower to call attention to the oppression of several countries in the Soviet Bloc and to encourage Americans to support fight for democracy and liberty worldwide. Continue Reading...

July 20, 2016

The Halo Effect: The Economic Value of the Local Church

As church attendance continues to decline across the West, many have lamented the spiritual and social side effects, namely a weakening of civil society and the fabric of community life. What’s less discussed, however, is the economic impact of such a decline. Continue Reading...

< Previous 1 … 397 398 399 400 401 … 1,311 Next >