Ep. 271 The Economics of Reparations and the Danger of AI
Bob first explains his long-held position on the economics of slavery and reparations, and then applies it to the debate over the danger of superintelligent machines. Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: Matt Walsh rips on Ryan McMaken and (indirectly) Murphy. Bob Murphy Show episodes on economics of slavery, with Jeffrey Rogers Hummel…
Ep. 129 Identity Politics Is Hurting Young People–Of All Colors
Pointing to a recent Twitter thread from a progressive detailing his white male cisness, Bob shows how narrow the focus is on only particular “privileges” and not others. More generally, the effort to demonize white men is causing young people great harm, whether white or otherwise. The movement is based on power politics and relies on…
Ep. 71 Mark Thornton on How Government Propped Up Slavery in the American South
Economic historian Mark Thornton has published several peer-reviewed articles on the economics of slavery in the American South. In this episode, he and Bob discuss the various ways in which government intervention propped up slavery and masked its inefficiency. . . . Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: Two of Mark Thornton’s…
Ep. 54 How the Left and the Right Move the Goalposts in Economic Arguments
Bob goes solo to explain a common rhetorical dodge that he’s encountered from both the progressive Left and the conservative Right. On the issue of slavery and reparations, the Left will argue that modern whites benefited from the institution. When someone like Murphy points out that slavery actually made the average white person poorer, the…