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New York’s Socialist Temptation: Young People’s Idealism Ignores Economics

New York’s Socialist Temptation: Young People’s Idealism Ignores Economics

Socialism,” said the British free speech campaigner Lord Young, “Always begins with a universal vision for the brotherhood of man and ends with people having to eat their own pets.” While exaggerated, the point stands — socialism never delivers what it promises. Yet now, the world capital of capitalism is flirting with that catastrophe. The...

By Iain Murray

A Tribute to FedEx Founder Fred Smith

A Tribute to FedEx Founder Fred Smith

Three of us were fortunate to have studied together at Northwood University under some of the most iconic professors of our time, including Dr. V. Orval Watts, Dr. David E. Fry, Mr. Jeffrey Bennett, Dr. Robert Serum and Dr. Dale M. Haywood. It was in Dr. Haywood’s business strategy class that we were first introduced...

By Dr. Timothy Nash

Real Prosperity Begins with the Individual

Real Prosperity Begins with the Individual

In the tradition of classical liberalism, success — whether in business or in governance — should ultimately be judged by how well it serves the individual, not by how efficiently it props up institutions or satisfies bureaucratic metrics. A small but telling episode from my own life illustrates how far we’ve drifted from that principle....

By Allen Gindler

The Penny Problem Has a Third Option: Buy Them Back (With Interest)

The Penny Problem Has a Third Option: Buy Them Back (With Interest)

Adam Smith recognized the importance of the “make or buy” decision. It is the maxim of every prudent master of a family, never to attempt to make at home what it will cost him more to make than to buy…What is prudence in the conduct of every private family, can scarce be folly in that...

By Michael Munger

It’s Not Easy, But We Can All Learn to Think Like Adam Smith

It’s Not Easy, But We Can All Learn to Think Like Adam Smith

When the disciplines of economics and sociology were being invented in Britain 250 years ago, their progenitors such as Adam Smith, David Hume, Adam Ferguson, and others were preoccupied with how vibrant commercial activity and human behavior were related. Economic dynamism was not only about economic growth, money, and the division of labour, though it...

By Ryan Streeter

Employment Stagnation Drives Hiring Down to Near Ten-Year Low (Ex Covid)

Employment Stagnation Drives Hiring Down to Near Ten-Year Low (Ex Covid)

The latest data indicates half of the new jobs the U.S. added in June were government jobs. It’s the weakest month for private-sector jobs in nine months. Additionally, unemployment claims last month reached the highest levels since 2018 (ex covid). There’s another indicator of how stagnant this job market is: the number of hires. In...

By Ryan McMaken

What the End of the Chevron Doctrine Means

What the End of the Chevron Doctrine Means

Regulations by government agencies may often be well-intended. A few may even be essential for maintaining safety standards, environmental quality, and reducing fraud. But the rapid growth of the administrative state interferes with our liberties and hampers our economy. Even estimating the cost of complying with extensive regulations is no easy task. A 2023 report...

By Paul Mueller

Bureaucracy, Conformity, and Mediocrity

Bureaucracy, Conformity, and Mediocrity

Europe’s free university model is often seen as a triumph of modern society. With no crushing tuition bills, minimal student debt, and a promise of equal access, it sounds ideal. In countries like Germany and France, students pay only a small administrative fee, typically between $200 and $500 a year, compared to the staggering tuition...

By Lika Kobeshavidze

Test Your Knowledge of Capitalism in Online Free Enterprise Course

Test Your Knowledge of Capitalism in Online Free Enterprise Course

Northwood University is announcing the culmination of its complimentary online course about free enterprise: The Philosophy of Free Enterprise Certificate of Completion. The Philosophy of Free Enterprise is a complimentary, self-paced course that introduces learners to the foundational principles of free enterprise, including limited government, individual responsibility, the rule of law, voluntary exchange, and the...

By Kate Hessling

Despite Tariffs, Inflation Remained Low in May

Despite Tariffs, Inflation Remained Low in May

New data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis confirm that inflation remained low in May. The Personal Consumption Expenditures Price Index (PCEPI), which is the Federal Reserve’s preferred measure of inflation, grew at an annualized rate of 1.6 percent last month. It has averaged 1.1 percent over the last three months and 2.3 percent over...

By William J. Luther

Why DOGE Failed

Why DOGE Failed

When Donald Trump vowed to tackle excessive federal spending, few expected Elon Musk, the world’s most prominent entrepreneur, to lead the charge. Yet, in a move that reflected Trump’s unconventional style, Musk was appointed head of the newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), tasked with dismantling the bloated federal bureaucracy. DOGE launched ambitiously, aiming...

By Mohamed Moutii

Rising U.S. Debt: What Will Be The End Game?

Rising U.S. Debt: What Will Be The End Game?

America’s economy is by far the world’s biggest. With a projected 2025 GDP of over $30 trillion, we have been better at bringing prosperity to large groups of people than any nation in history. We’re also the most indebted. In absolute terms, the U.S. owes more money than any other nation, and was recently downgraded...

By Scott Beyer

The Techno-Industrial Policy Playbook Isn’t Conservative — It’s Central Planning

The Techno-Industrial Policy Playbook Isn’t Conservative — It’s Central Planning

The Techno-Industrial Policy Playbook, published by American Compass, The Foundation for American Innovation, The Institute for Progress, and New American Industrial Alliance (NAIA) Foundation, is being sold as a bold new blueprint for American renewal. It proposes that the federal government directly invest in politically chosen “strategic sectors,” led by a National Investment Council and...

By Vance Ginn

JAWS: 50 Years of the Summer Blockbuster

JAWS: 50 Years of the Summer Blockbuster

“Amity Island had everything. Clear skies. Gentle surf. Warm water. People flocked there every summer. It was the perfect feeding ground.” On June 20, 1975, moviegoers lined up to see a new picture, a pulpy horror movie about a shark. And it delivered, offering popcorn-spilling jump-scares as the shark leapt up on the screen. The...

By Katrina Gulliver