Real-World Economics Review

from Dean Baker People in policy debates are not supposed to question the desirability of patent monopolies as a mechanism for financing the development of new drugs and vaccines. After all, why ask a question that could jeopardize the profits of some of the world’s largest corporations? But, since I live out in Southern Utah, far away from the great centers of policy debate, I thought I would ask the question in reference to vaccines against Covid. To be specific, suppose that...

United States

Axel Leijonhufvud – 1973 The Econ tribe occupies a vast territory in the far North. Their land appears bleak and dismal to the outsider, and travelling through it makes for rough sledding; but the Econ, through a long period of adaptation, have learned to wrest a living of sorts from it. They are not without some genuine and sometimes even fierce attachment to their ancestral grounds, and their young are brought up to feel contempt for the softer living in the warmer lands of their...

  The Rise and Fall of Debate in Economicsjoseph a. francis New data illustrate the extent to which economists have stopped discussing each other’s work. Once upon a time, economists regularly used to publicly criticise each other’s work in academic journals. But not any more. read more

from Lars Syll Economic growth has since long interested economists. Not least, the question of which factors are behind high growth rates has been in focus. The factors usually pointed at are mainly economic, social and political variables. In an interesting study from the University of  Helsinki, Tatu Westling has expanded the potential causal variables to also include biological and sexual variables. In  the report Male Organ and Economic Growth: Does Size Matter, he has — based on the...

TRADE WARS AFTER CORONAVIRUSEconomic, political and theoretical implications A webinar from the WEA Friday May 28, 2021.   5pm-7pm,  London Time.    LINK:  meet.google.com/nxr-ucuj-agf     1. WELCOME. Maria Alejandra Madi, Chair WEA Conference Programme 2. PRESENTATIONS America’s Trade Deficits: Blame U.S. Policies – Starting with Tax Laws Kenneth E. Austin University of Maryland The interplays of US, China and their intellectual monopolies Cecilia Rikap and Ariel Slipak Cecilia Rikap:...

from Lars Syll Now, I don’t care to discuss the alleged complaints American Indians have against this country. I believe, with good reason, the most unsympathetic Hollywood portrayal of Indians and what they did to the white man. They had no right to a country merely because they were born here and then acted like savages. The white man did not conquer this country … Since the Indians did not have the concept of property or property rights—they didn’t have a settled society, they had...

from Dean Baker Paul Krugman’s column today commented on the recent data showing continuing low fertility rates, which is likely to mean a stagnant or declining working age population in future years. Krugman points out that this is no big deal; Japan and Europe have been living with declining working age populations and have managed just fine. But he does point out that a declining working age population is likely to lead to lower rates of investment and therefore creates a risk of...

Dean makes the case for why Biden should act quickly: "In terms of announcing his reappointment soon, Biden should want to do what he can to remove uncertainty and shore up Powell’s position in coming months. We know that the Republicans will do everything in their power to stir up fears of runaway inflation and to undermine the Fed’s authority. If Biden can give him a clear endorsement now, it would help Powell’s effort to keep the focus on full employment."...