Adam Smith Said Colonists Should Join the British Union. Was He Serious?
Reading between the lines of The Wealth of Nations
Economics
The Next President Needs To Cut Spending
At a minimum, the national debt should be smaller than the size of the economy. A committed president just might be able to deliver.
Turns Out 'Bidenomics' Means Top-Down Economic Control
Joe Biden's big economic speech is a poor attempt at a branding exercise.
CBO Projects Huge Deficits, $116 Trillion in New Borrowing Over the Next 30 Years
A new Congressional Budget Office report warns of "significant economic and financial consequences" caused by the federal government's reckless borrowing.
Fearmongering Won't Solve Climate Change
Global warming is an issue. But there are other pressing problems that deserve the world's attention.
Trucking Company, Careening Toward Bankruptcy, Could Default on $700 Million Federal Bailout Loan
After losing more than $100 million in a single year, Yellow Corporation got a $700 million pandemic assistance loan from the government. It has only paid $230 on the principal.
Canada Is Poaching America's High-Skilled Foreign Workers
It’s an entirely predictable consequence of an inhospitable immigration system.
Ohio E.V. Manufacturer Fails Despite Millions in Taxpayer Subsidies
Lordstown Motors received $24.5 million to operate an Ohio factory. G.M., the factory's previous owner, received $60 million before shuttering it.
Oregon Partially Repeals Ban on Adults Fueling Their Own Cars
After many failed efforts at reform, the Oregon Legislature has passed a bill allowing gas stations to designate up to half their pumps as self-service.
How Other Countries Benefit From America's Dysfunctional Immigration System
The U.S. is keeping talented foreigners away—and failing to retain them.
Polls Reveal Americans' Fears About A.I.
Americans are more afraid than excited about A.I. But these technologies offer far more to cheer than to fear.
Confidence in Market Principles
Why are some Republicans turning their backs on the free market principles we’ve advocated for generations?
Gadgets and Gizmos That Inspired Adam Smith
Smith appreciated the beauty and allure of intricate systems.
An Interview With Adam Smith (No, Not That One)
The so-called father of capitalism was not available for comment, so we talked to another economist, Adam C. Smith.
New York City Orders Inflation-Adjusted Rent Cuts at Rent-Stabilized Buildings
The country's largest legacy rent-control policy is pushing building owners to the breaking point.
The Federal Trade Commission's Latest Frivolous Antitrust Suit Takes Aim at Amazon
Plus: Texas’ new anti-porn law, Biden meets with A.I. critics, and more...
She's Suing the Fed To Open a Rothbardian Bitcoin Bank
Caitlin Long's Custodia Bank will hold 108 percent of customer funds on deposit...if the Federal Reserve will allow it to open.
Economic Freedom Is Declining in the U.S.
We once ranked No. 4 in the world, according to the Heritage Foundation. Now we're 25th.
Study Blames Regulation for Lower Rates of Innovation
An examination of French firms associates labor regulations with lower innovation and consumer welfare.
Bitcoin's Greatest Test
The FTX meltdown, "Operation Chokepoint 2.0," and a "crypto winter" have only strengthened the resolve of the enthusiasts Reason spoke with at the annual National Bitcoin Conference in Miami.
Adam Smith at 300: The Gospel of Mutual Service
A 1926 lecture captures timeless truths about the Scottish thinker.
The Fed Won't Save Us From the Inflation Iceberg
Plus: Was Gerald Ford right to pardon Richard Nixon?
Butchers, Brewers, and Bakers Still Thrive in Urban Marketplaces
Adam Smith recognized that man has a natural "propensity to truck, barter, and exchange."
Thank Dutch Merchants, Not a Strong State, for Capitalism
Pioneers of Capitalism chronicles centuries of bottom-up economic evolution in the Netherlands.
Can Republicans Fix Student Debt?
Unlike Democrats, Senate and House Republicans have released proposals that would actually tackle the root causes of increasing student loan debt.
Companies Shouldn't Have the Right To Veto Their Competition
Certificate of need laws hurt consumers by decreasing the supply of services, raising prices, and lowering service quality.
California Is Killing Fast Food Jobs
California lawmakers and President Joe Biden seem determined to help fast-food workers by eliminating their jobs.
Adam Smith Understood That We Need Each Other
The thinker's views of human sympathy, beneficence, justice, and the division of labor still resonate.
The Vast Majority of People Who Want To Immigrate to the U.S. Have No Legal Option
A new Cato Institute report highlights just how hard it is to come to the U.S. legally.
The Rail Safety Act Is About Union Handouts, Not Safety
The legislation—which was introduced in response to the derailment in East Palestine, Ohio—pushes pet projects and would worsen the status quo.
Peter Bagge: From Adam Smith to Punk to Grunge
The libertarian creator of alternative comix Hate and Neat Stuff explains why he's fond of the invisible hand and individualism.
Did Trump Break a Law That Shouldn't Exist?
Plus: A rundown of recent nonsensical proposals for constitutional amendments
Private Employers May Not Fire Employees for Writing to the Legislature, Tennessee Court Holds
BlueCross BlueShield allegedly fired an employee for "email[ing] Tennessee state legislators with her concerns and grievances regarding vaccine mandates."
Gary Gensler's SEC Cracks Down on Coinbase and Binance
The SEC is suing Coinbase, alleging that it's an unregistered securities broker, after targeting Binance the day before.
The Debt Ceiling Deal Does Not Go Nearly Far Enough
Projections of huge savings are making the rounds. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Permitting Reforms in Debt Ceiling Bill Will Accomplish Little
The Fiscal Responsibility Act falls well short of solving America's permitting crisis.
Socialism Is Bad for the Environment
"All the time we hear socialists say, 'Next time, we'll get it right.' How many next times do you get?"
One Reason for New York's Pitiful Rollout of Legal Pot: License Preferences for Victims of Prohibition
More than two years after legalizing recreational use, the state has just a dozen licensed retailers.
The Student Loan Pause Has Made Borrowers Worse Off
A new working paper finds that borrowers whose loan payments were paused actually had more debt at the end of 2021 than those whose loans were never paused.
Comic: The Revised Adam Smith
The ghost of the so-called father of economics chastises those who would use his words for their own misbegotten ends.
No, Corporate Greed Didn't Cause the 2023 Egg Price Shock
A much more plausible explanation is the avian flu outbreak that devastated the poultry industry last year.
Adam Smith Wasn't a Progressive
Stop quoting him out of context on taxation, education, and monopoly.
Incentives Increase Vaccine Uptake After All
A new review suggests modest incentives appear to have positive effects on vaccine uptake.
California Regulations Prevent Insurers From Accurately Pricing Wildfire Risk, so Now They're Fleeing the State
California homeowners are finding out that government-imposed market distortions cannot be maintained forever.
The Economics of Prohibition Doom Plans To Reduce Drug Use by Busting Online Dealers
A study suggests that "selectively targeting large-scale drug vendors" on the dark web can succeed where all previous enforcement efforts have failed.
In Virginia, No Degree Is No Problem
The state is the latest of several in recent months that have moved to eliminate college degree requirements for the vast majority of state government jobs.
