Economics and Economic Freedom

A free and prosperous society requires a functioning market economy at its foundation. Using a broad array of tools drawn from price theory, public choice analysis, Austrian theory, and classical empiricism, our study of economics and economic freedom explores the underpinnings of the market system, the roots of economic prosperity, and emerging threats to the same in the public policy sphere. Our work includes the measurement of freedom and providing practical economic information for people to make better decisions.

Articles

Medicare’s Real Contribution: Hollowing Out Healthcare

“Declining reimbursement rates, on top of losses in purchasing power, result in reduced access to care, as some physicians have limited the number of Medicare patients they accept or have stopped accepting new Medicare patients altogether.” ~Peter C. Earle

Investors are Not to Blame for the Priciest Housing in History 

“As of Q1 2024, investor purchases are below levels experienced seven years ago. As it turns out, rising interest rates impact the ability of investors to deploy capital profitably, just as this environment makes it difficult for families to acquire a home.” ~Joel Griffith

After Moore v. US, Wealth Taxes Are Only Mostly Dead

“The question of whether the government could tax the defendants’ unrealized gains — a common device in what are often called ‘wealth taxes’ — seemed to be teed up. But Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who wrote the majority opinion, avoided it.” ~GianCarlo Canaparo

A Tale of Two States: Idaho and California

“People have continued to move away from California and to Idaho, but the main drivers have probably been less the affordability of housing and more the higher quality of life and better economic opportunities in general.” ~Jason Sorens

The Threats Posed by Environmental, Social, and Governance Policies

Leaders in business, government, and finance have increasingly imposed Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) criteria on the rest of society. These top-down restrictions on society are costly and ineffective ways to address perceived and actual social problems. Societies flourish when