Economan Captures the Knowledge Economy: David Warsh on Knowledge and the Wealth of Nations

David Warsh’s engaging new book Knowledge and the Wealth of Nations tells two stories. One story, beginning with Adam Smith, covers the history of thought about the relationship of economic growth and economies of scale. Warsh finds in Smith a contradiction between the huge technical economies of the pin factory, which should create monopolies, and . . . → Read More: Economan Captures the Knowledge Economy: David Warsh on Knowledge and the Wealth of Nations

The Mother of All Bungles in Iraq

Introductory Economics Lesson One: Price controls can backfire. Exhibit A: New York City rent control. Landlords neglect repairs, and harass poor tenants into leaving. Meanwhile, well-to-do renters pay thousands of dollars in “key money” to owners or supers to obtain choice apartments.

Exhibit B: Iraqi oil price control. Remember when the Provisional Authority took over . . . → Read More: The Mother of All Bungles in Iraq