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Prosperity

Tokyo, Japan | Fazon1/Dreamstime

Japan

Is Japan a Libertarian Paradise? Not Quite. 

Behind Japan's economic success lies a government and legal system that clearly prioritize social stability and group harmony over individual rights.

Lloyd Botway | 6.7.2026 7:00 AM

The Statue of Liberty, in front of an arrow trending down | Envato

Immigration

America Is Losing Its Allure for the World's Migrants

The U.S. economy continues to outstrip the competition but takes a hit from declining immigration.

J.D. Tuccille | 4.27.2026 7:00 AM

Nick Gillespie on the left and Brink Lindsey on the right, with a central photo of Jeff Bezos seated among tech leaders at a formal event. Large text reads “NEW CLASS DIVIDE? | Illustration: Adani Samat

Capitalism

How Capitalism Lost the Working Class

Brink Lindsey discusses the gap between mass prosperity and mass flourishing, capitalism’s crisis of inclusion, and the implications of falling fertility.

Nick Gillespie | 4.1.2026 11:00 AM

Illustration featuring Sen. Bernie Sanders (I–Vt.) and Rep. Ro Khanna (D–Calif.) | Credit: Ghawam Kouchaki/ZUMAPRESS/Newscom/Ron Sachs-CNP for NY Post/picture alliance/Consolidated News Photos/Newscom

Prosperity

The Sanders-Khanna 'Billionaire Tax' Would Make All Americans Poorer

The senators are ignoring the predictable consequences of their wealth tax.

Jack Nicastro | 3.3.2026 10:18 AM

John Stossel next to a Rolling Stone headline that asks: "Are we witnessing the fall of the American empire?" | Stossel TV

Freedom

The Real Reason Golden Ages Collapse—and How the U.S. Can Avoid It

Past societies tried to regulate their way to stability. But it came at a great cost.

John Stossel | 12.31.2025 12:30 AM

8-29-25-V3-B (1) | Illustration: Eddie Marshall | Pytyczech | Dreamstime.com | Midjourney

book

How Civilizations Lose Their Spark—and How We Might Keep Ours

Golden ages teach us a lot about what makes civilizations rise and fall.

Johan Norberg | 9.2.2025 6:30 AM

President Donald Trump speaking | https://openai.com/index/announcing-the-stargate-project/

Artificial Intelligence

Stargate: Artificial Superintelligence in 4 Years?

The dawn of a new golden age?

Ronald Bailey | 1.22.2025 12:25 PM

A Thanksgiving feast | ID 200077001 © Chernetskaya | Dreamstime.com

Thanksgiving

This Thanksgiving, Be Thankful for Free Markets

The Pilgrims learned this lesson the hard way. Fast forward 400 years, and many Americans have forgotten.

John Stossel | 11.28.2024 10:59 AM

A hand holds a permit surrounded by a web of red tape | Illustration: Lex Villena; adapted from Peshkova | Dreamstime.com

Regulation

The Government's Permitting Regime Is Choking the Economy

Housing costs, job availability, energy prices, and technological advancement all hinge on a web of red tape that is leaving Americans poorer and less free.

Veronique de Rugy | 9.5.2024 12:01 AM

An austere black-and-white photo of a bald eagle, head cast slightly downward. | Ian Dyball | Dreamstime.com

United States

Experts Wonder, Is America Truly in Decline?

The “cure” to national decline might be part of the disease.

J.D. Tuccille | 5.8.2024 7:00 AM

A man works in manufacturing at a factory | Photo 161332327 © Omar Osman | Dreamstime.com

Economy

Politicians Are Showering Manufacturing Companies With Crony Subsidies for 'Job Creation.' It Won't Work.

These handouts will flow to businesses—often big and rich—for projects they would likely have taken on anyway.

Veronique de Rugy | 4.4.2024 12:01 AM

Two photos illustrate Vietnam's progress over time | Photo: Hanoi, Vietnam, 1985; Christopher Pillitz/Gettya; Photo: Hanoi, Vietnam, 2020; Manan Vatsyayana/AFP via Getty

Capitalism

How Capitalism Beat Communism in Vietnam

It only took a generation to go from ration cards to exporting electronics.

Rainer Zitelmann | 3.26.2024 6:00 AM

John Stossel is seen next to Argentinian President Javier Milei | Stossel TV

Libertarianism

Argentina, Once One of the Richest Countries, Is Now One of the Poorest. Javier Milei Could Help Fix That.

The new libertarian president believes in free markets and the rule of law. When people have those things, prosperity happens.

John Stossel | 1.31.2024 12:30 AM

Javier Milei, President of Argentina, speaks at the World Economic Forum in Davos | Hannes P Albert/dpa/picture-alliance/Newscom

Javier Milei

What Javier Milei Could Teach Democrats and Republicans About Capitalism

His speech in Davos challenged the growing worldwide trend of increased government involvement in economic affairs.

Veronique de Rugy | 1.25.2024 12:05 PM

johan | Illustration: Joanna Andreasson; Source images: Wikimedia. Johan Norberg; Remo Neuhaus

Capitalism

Does Capitalism Really Make Us Lonely?

What both the left and the right don't understand

Johan Norberg | 9.21.2023 6:00 AM

Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders holds up a copy of the Youth Hiring Act after signing it into law. | Illustration: Lex Villena; ABC 40/29 News (YouTube)

State Governments

Critics Lose Their Mind as Arkansas Makes It a Bit Easier for Teens To Work

Youth employment is a recognized path to greater prosperity.

J.D. Tuccille | 3.15.2023 7:00 AM

John Stossel dressed in a Pilgrim costume stands next to a sign that says "Happy Starvation Day" | Stossel TV

Capitalism

The Pilgrims Dreamed of Socialism. Then Socialism Almost Killed Them.

Private property was the solution to their failed experiment. But people keep repeating the Pilgrims' mistakes.

John Stossel | 11.23.2022 12:30 AM

earthday | Paul Sequeira/Getty

Earth day

Earth Day Turns 50

Half a century later, a look back at the forecasters who got the future wrong—and one who got it right

Ronald Bailey | 4.22.2020 6:00 AM

Large image for longform feature pages. | Jonathan Timmes

Tyler Cowen

Tyler Cowen's Gospel of Prosperity

The George Mason University economist and Marginal Revolution founder explains why a richer world is a better world.

Nick Gillespie | 2.11.2019 6:00 AM

Large image on homepages | RobertoVi/Pixabay

Roman Catholic

Skeptical of the 'Common Good'? Don't Be!

Libertarians think freedom creates the conditions that lead to human flourishing. The Catholic Church has a name for that.

Stephanie Slade | 8.18.2018 8:30 AM

Large image on homepages

Donald Trump

Donald Trump, Lying, and Eroding Social Trust

Are presidential lies pushing us toward a low-trust society?

Ronald Bailey | 12.15.2017 5:05 PM

Large image on homepages

Economic Growth

The Most Important Graph in the World

There has been a massive increase in wealth throughout the world in the last two centuries.

Marian Tupy | 12.13.2016 7:00 AM

Large image on homepages | JeepersMedia/flickri

Prosperity

Americans Forget How Good They Have It

Less than 3 in 10 Americans believe the country's headed in the right direction

A. Barton Hinkle | 6.29.2016 12:00 PM

Large image on homepages | Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

Prosperity

The Cult of Victims

Attaching attention and moral status to "victimhood" is changing the character of the nation.

John Stossel | 9.30.2015 12:01 AM

Large image on homepages | NBER

Prosperity

Free and Fair

Economic freedom

Ronald Bailey | 5.1.2015 12:01 AM

Large image on homepages | Edward Betts

Policy

Regulating Our Way to Prosperity

According to government math, issuing new rules is the same as minting money.

Roger Meiners | 3.18.2014 4:30 PM

Large image on homepages | Catherine Scott

Economics

Human Progress: Not Inevitable, Uneven, and Indisputable

We haven't achieved utopia, but a new website documents the enormous progress humanity has made, especially over the last two centuries

Marian Tupy | 10.30.2013 7:00 AM

Julian Simon

Ronald Bailey Picks Sides in the Wager Between the Cornucopians and the Collapsists

Reason Staff | 9.13.2013 1:30 PM

Politics

Betting on Humanity's Future

Cornucopians versus collapsists

Ronald Bailey | 9.13.2013 1:30 PM

Politics

Federal Regulations Have Made You 75 Percent Poorer

U.S. GDP is just $16 trillion instead of $54 trillion

Ronald Bailey | 6.21.2013 1:30 PM

Politics

27 Percent Say Government Investments Made America Great

Emily Ekins | 4.24.2012 1:27 PM

Politics

27 Percent Say Government Investments Made America Great

Origins of American Prosperity: The Varied Viewpoints

Emily Ekins | 4.24.2012 1:24 PM

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