Economic History

  • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Economics Classroom

    “Critics worry that DEI initiatives will lead to watered down, therapeutic curricula, but the DEI push is a great time for economics (and economists!) to shine in the classroom with hard-headed but soft-hearted analysis.” ~ Art Carden

    Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Economics Classroom
  • Was Keynes Right on Short Work Weeks?

    “When one takes the time to consider the multiple dimensions of what constitutes human well-being just as Crafts did, it is hard not to engage in hyperboles such as ‘We are infinitely better off than our close ancestors.'” ~ Vincent Geloso

    Was Keynes Right on Short Work Weeks?
  • Cryptocurrencies and the National Bank Act: Learning the Wrong Lessons from History

    “Perhaps the cryptocurrency market would benefit from regulatory oversight. But the regulators are certainly wrong to base their case on the historical experience of the US. The lesson they should learn from history is that regulation can be detrimental.” ~ Nicolás Cachanosky & William J. Luther

    Cryptocurrencies and the National Bank Act: Learning the Wrong Lessons from History
  • An Open Letter to Phil Magness, by Don Boudreaux

    “The future of economic analysis would be brighter if economists today were more knowledgeable about its past – and thought as deeply as did earlier scholars such as Buchanan, Stigler, and Dewey about the nature of competition and the complexities of real-world markets.” ~ Donald J. Boudreaux

    An Open Letter to Phil Magness, by Don Boudreaux
  • Money and the Constitution

    “The dubious constitutionality of the Federal Reserve System set up in 1912 might have been overlooked if it had provided price stability, lower unemployment, or enhanced economic growth.” ~ Robert F. Mulligan

    Money and the Constitution
  • Eyes on the Politicized Prize

    “We may conclusively establish that the monopsony scenario of the minimum wage was directly anticipated and discussed by economists for decades before Card and Krueger’s paper.” ~ Phillip W. Magness

    Eyes on the Politicized Prize
  • Behind Seemingly ‘Objective’ Statistics

    “The seemingly objective and straightforward reality is, in fact, a distorted reality. Government policy based upon such a distorted understanding of reality is likely to worsen the true reality.” ~ Donald J. Boudreaux

    Behind Seemingly ‘Objective’ Statistics
  • Review of Sheilagh Ogilvie, The European Guilds: An Economic Analysis

    “With The European Guilds, Ogilvie has written the definitive treatment of the subject. It is a book that every economist and historian should know about, and I expect it to be the standard work on the topic for many years to come.” ~ Art Carden

    Review of Sheilagh Ogilvie, The European Guilds: An Economic Analysis
  • When Grand Histories Go Wrong

    “Coggan embarked on an ambitious scheme to tell us about economic growth through the ages. In that he succeeds, but the account leaves much else to be desired.” ~ Joakim Book

    When Grand Histories Go Wrong
  • The Political History of Silver in America

    “The history of metals as monetary commodities is long, difficult, and highly contentious. With The Story of Silver, William Silber has earned his spot on that part of the library shelf.” ~ Joakim Book

    The Political History of Silver in America
  • Is It Time to Rethink Labor Day?

    “When we celebrate market freedom, we end up celebrating all those who participate in the process. From the most humble of bartenders to the wealthiest of bankers, we all matter in what we do for one another.” ~ Anthony Gill

    Is It Time to Rethink Labor Day?
  • The Year of Corporate Discontent

    “If you thought things were crazy on the corporate scene over the last few years, you should check out what happened in 1970. It is the stuff of blockbuster books and movies.” ~ Robert E. Wright

    The Year of Corporate Discontent