Posts by Robert Murphy
Ep. 123 Faulty Economic Justifications for the Coronavirus Lockdowns
Bob explains some of the basic–but crucial–errors in the cost/benefit analyses that have been offered by economists to justify the political lockdowns issued in light of the coronavirus. Specifically, economists have conflated voluntary physical distancing with coerced lockdowns, and they are also misusing the concept of a Value of a Statistical Life (VSL). Mentioned in…
Ep. 122 Alex Salter on the Empty Slogan of “State Capacity” and the Famous Somalia Challenge
Alex Salter is an economist with the Free Market Institute at Texas Tech University. Bob asks him about his recent article (with Vincent Geloso) criticizing “state capacity” as an explanation for economic development. Along the way, they also discuss the historical record and its challenge to modern-day anarchists. Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links…
Ep. 121 The Tenth Amendment Center’s Michael Boldin on Hanging Out with 2 Live Crew and Sticking it to the NSA
Libertarians know Michael Boldin as the founder of the Tenth Amendment Center, but he started out as a leftist promoting clubs in LA and other major cities. In this fun conversation, Michael explains his origins and how he ended up advising state governments on how to kick the NSA out of their backyard. Mentioned in…
Ep. 120 The Guys Behind the Babylon Bee Interview Bob on the Fed, Krugman, and Jesus
The editors of the Babylon Bee have a podcast, and they invited Bob on to discuss the economic situation. Then they asked a series of fun questions, against the backdrop of their shared Christianity. Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: The YouTube version of this interview. The Babylon Bee main page. Help support the Bob…
Ep. 119 Guido Hulsmann Protests the Lockdown in France, and Discusses His Mises Biography and Novel Theory of Interest
Guido Hulsmann is a Senior Fellow with the Mises Institute and professor of economics at the University of Angers in France. He first discusses his article protesting the covid-19 lockdown in France. The conversation then turns to Guido’s biography of Ludwig von Mises. The final segment of the episode is devoted to Guido’s novel theory of…