The idea that we should “buy local” or that goods should be produced locally is fairly popular, but economically incoherent. There seems to be two main arguments for localism: 1) that long distance transportation is wasteful, and 2) that local spending benefits the local economy and makes people better off. Both arguments are wrong: localism [...]
Everybody knows that the minimum wage is a good policy, right? Problem is, they’re all wrong. Economists proved long ago that price controls can’t work—they only create shortages and surpluses. The minimum wage is a price floor: if it is set above the market wage it will create a surplus, leaving some workers unable to [...]
Good morning and welcome to the February, 2009 edition of the Market Anarchist Blog Carnival. David Gross presents Like the withered stalk of a cattail posted at The Picket Line. David argues that there is growing awareness of the corruption in the central institutions of authority — government, economy, media, etc. Andrew Q presents A [...]
I’ve uploaded a new article – The Case Against Gun Control. Here’s the abstract: Gun control violates the right of individuals to control their own property. It also violates economic law. Enforcement of gun control creates incentives to produce guns on the black market. Gun control causes crime and corruption, whereas gun ownership actually deters [...]
I’ve uploaded another article – The Case Against Drug Prohibition. Here’s the abstract: Prohibition violates the right of individuals to control their own bodies, and violates economic law. Any increased enforcement of prohibition creates greater incentives to produce drugs. Prohibition causes crime and corruption. It increases the potency and reduces the quality of drugs, causing [...]
Here’s the first article from my new articles section – The Case for Free Trade. Here’s the abstract: Free trade is both morally and practically superior to protectionism. First, protectionism violates the right of individuals to engage in voluntary exchange. Second, specialization and trade are beneficial whenever there is absolute or comparative advantage between individuals. [...]
Are humans smarter than yeast? In this interview about peak oil, Richard Heinberg tries to show us a parallel between yeast and humans: “If we put yeast in a bottle of grape juice, they’d be eating up the sugar in the grape juice, consuming their energy source, and at the same time they’d be giving [...]
An educational strategy for achieving anarchy I’ve thought up is community conversions: teaching anarchism to specific intellectual or cultural communities, like atheists, gun nuts, 9/11 Truthers, anti-war groups, personal development gurus, spiritual teachers, cannabis activists, etc. The best communities would be ones with a distinct leader, who could directly influence their followers. Web-savvy communities would [...]
“It is no crime to be ignorant of economics, which is, after all, a specialized discipline and one that most people consider to be a “dismal science.” But it is totally irresponsible to have a loud and vociferous opinion on economic subjects while remaining in this state of ignorance.” – Murray Rothbard There is no [...]