Microsoft. Google. These massively successful companies don’t owe their success to innovative ideas alone—they are successful, in part, because of copyrights and patents. In this new online course, Professor Tom W. Bell of Chapman University explores how intellectual property can help—and harm–entrepreneurs. Through real case studies and practical instruction on things like registering copyrights, you’ll […]
While there’s a great deal of controversy around video games and their potential link to violent behavior in youth, statistics show something a little bit different. The studies done by Professor Michael Ward and other researchers argue that video games don’t make today’s youth violent. Still, law makers and congressmen are making decisions that could […]
What can The Walking Dead teach us about prosperity? A lot, according to Professor Dan D’Amico of Loyola University. While The Walking Dead has shown viewers what zombies do to society since 2010, political thinker Alexis de Tocqueville wrote about shambling, lonesome, soulless creatures and the decline of society long before the show debuted. D’Amico explores what The Walking Dead […]
How did more than 300,000 people avoid bloodshed and chaos when they crossed the American plains between 1840 and 1860? Trappers used to say there was no law west of Leavenworth, Kansas. No one established a government to rule the wagon trains — it’s true. But they governed themselves instead. They signed contracts that worked […]
Thousands of people die in the US every year because there’s a shortage of willing kidney donors. Some people are saved by the generosity of friends and family, but many more suffer because no willing & compatible donors come forward. As in most countries, it is illegal to compensate donors in the US for donating […]
People tend to think the world is much worse off than it actually is. Bad news gets a lot more attention than good news. Professor Bryan Caplan calls this “Pessimistic Bias,” and argues that it affects the policies people vote for. Despite the amazing economic gains of the past 100 years and even the past […]
As technological developments increased the US agricultural worker’s output tremendously over the last two centuries, the share of the population employed in agriculture fell from around 90 percent to around 2 percent. The lay American public supposes that when workers lose their jobs, we become worse off — they suffer from what economist Bryan Caplan […]
The rule of law, Hayek wrote, is “a rule concerning what the law ought to be”: It ought to be general and abstract; equally applied, with legal privileges for none; certain, not subject to arbitrary changes; and just. In this Learn Liberty Academy, Andrew Morriss sets sail to show how the law of the Cayman […]
This program will explore the economic and political themes of Game of Thrones through an analysis of the novels by George R.R. Martin along with the television adaptations. The course brings together ideas from economics, history, and political philosophy to show the similarities between this complex fantasy realm and the real economic and social problems […]
Off the Clock Economist Dan D’Amico is still going strong in his pursuit to know all there is to know about New Orleans. Join him as he learns how to make gumbo, the signature dish of the Big Easy. This delicious food will get him thinking too, so sit tight as he delves into topics […]
What if we told you that the decadent and debaucherous nature of New Orleans made it easier, not harder, for the Big Easy to come back strong after Hurricane Katrina? Follow our Off the Clock Economist, Dan D’Amico, as he explores the underlying social capital of jazz music, parades, and much more. You will also […]
New Orleans, the one and only! So much culture, so many parties, so many parades, so much food, and so much more. Where does it all come from? How did it survive the destruction brought on by Hurricane Katrina? Join Off the Clock Economist Dan D’Amico as he punches out from Loyola University to tramp […]
Off the Clock Economist Dan D’Amico is at it again exploring Louisiana and the culture of Mardi Gras. This time he will explain the social capital behind eating the babies that are placed in each “King Cake” made in New Orleans. Join him as he gets to the bottom of it at the Swiss Confectionary […]
Off the Clock Economist Dan D’Amico gallivants through Mardi Gras festivities in New Orleans. Discover what Balinese cock fighting and lavish parades in the French Quarter have in common: keeping corruption low and citizen cohesion high. Did you know that the breasts, beads, and booze of New Orleans point to something else than just a […]
The question of how to address poverty in the United States is complicated. Steven Horwitz, chair of the department of economics at St. Lawrence University, and Jeffrey Reiman, professor of philosophy and religion at American University, debate the level of government assistance that should be given to help the poor. In this clip from the […]
What is the value of free will and the ability to make your own choices? Prof. James Otteson recalls a parable his teacher taught him in high school. If you had the ability to make a woman fall in love with you, would you like it? Would you prefer to force someone to love you […]
Did you know you own a person? It’s you. When you own something, you have the right to determine who has access to it. This goes for your car as well as for your own body. While this may seem like a simple concept, it makes a big difference in how we live our lives. […]
Like most Americans, are you frustrated by ticket scalpers? These middle men buy tickets for events and then resell them at more than face value to make a profit. If you’ve ever purchased from a scalper, you may have been frustrated at having to pay higher than face value for your seats. But what were […]
Many people believe capitalism and imperialism are the same thing, or at least closely related. Professor Stephen Davies explains that this is not the case. While capitalism is based on voluntary exchange that benefits all parties involved, imperialism is based on exploitation and the exercise of political power, generally backed by a military force. We […]
Why is it so difficult for young people to find jobs today? Professor Carrie Kerekes offers three reasons. 1. Mismatch of skills: Many young people may lack the skills employers desire or require. They may have college degrees but not in fields where jobs are available. Government may help subsidize college costs, but getting a […]
You may be familiar with the tune of Giuseppe Verdi’s “La Donna è Mobile” from his opera Rigoletto. If not, perhaps you recognize it from popular soccer chants. Verdi’s famous tune provides an interesting case study in intellectual property rights. Professor Stephen Davies outlines three ways intellectual property can be understood: 1. It can be […]
The controversial Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) in the United States and the attempts to shut down the peer-to-peer music-sharing website Pirate Bay in Europe have brought the debate over intellectual property to the fore. Professor Stephen Davies explains the three different ways people tend to understand intellectual property. Intellectual property: – May be considered […]
Economic freedom is about the freedom to buy and sell things, says Professor Antony Davies, but it’s also about the freedom to interact with people, to converse with others, to travel, and to say what we want to say. Evidence shows that economic freedom is associated with many positive things in society. This holds true […]
Is what’s good for General Motors really what’s good for America? Professor Steve Horwitz explains the difference between free market and pro-business attitudes – and why one is better than the other. In a free market system, Horwitz argues, competition encourages firms to provide higher quality products at lower prices. Because firms have to compete […]