My awesome colleague Jacob Shwartz-Lucas mused, in his recent WorkandWealth piece, on Rent — which, he notes, “has a very nuanced meaning in Economics.” Though Jacob said “meaning,” he talked about definition — which is understandable. He was making an economic point — and academic economics has done its best to make sure normal readers won’t get a handle on… Continue reading On Rent
Is New Technology Destroying Jobs?
On the NewsHour Friday night, in response to the dismal new jobs numbers, Andrew McAfee of the MIT Center for Digital Business blames the loss on “powerful” new labor-saving technology. But if he’s right, is it the technology itself, or the large corporations that install it? The claim that new technology destroys jobs is at least as old as… Continue reading Is New Technology Destroying Jobs?
IN. YOUR. FACE.
New York City has always provided us with icons: the Statue of Liberty, The Brooklyn Bridge, Central Park, The Empire State Building, the World Trade Center (in place, and in destruction). Now a new one is rising: 432 Park Avenue, a new 1,396-foot high tower in Midtown. It’s being advertised as an icon. It will quite alter… Continue reading IN. YOUR. FACE.
Have the seeds of world war III been sown? Dig out the rents before it’s too late.
Optimal Policies for Avoiding World War III. Debt, Depression and the final Crisis of Capitalism. Economic commentator Fred Harrison describes how Land Value Tax could help avert the coming crisis in capitalism & how history teaches us that world wars have their origins in similar crises in the past. It is the unearned increment, the… Continue reading Have the seeds of world war III been sown? Dig out the rents before it’s too late.
What the Plutocrats Don’t Want You to Know: Washington Post Response
I’ve been very excited the past few days to see so many great articles published in big name journals in reference to what I see as the most fundamental issue facing our planet. How do we divide our natural “wealth”, i.e. natural resources, and our (wo)man made wealth? The way we collectively answer that question has broad implications,… Continue reading What the Plutocrats Don’t Want You to Know: Washington Post Response
Lonely Tax Reformers Press On
The economy is surging forward. Clean-energy stocks are outpacing the markets. Seventeen of the 20 largest cities in the United States have voluntarily increased their debt-retirement payments to the federal government. This is the climate in which independent film producer Ashley Charles must pitch “The Short List,” her documentary project on economic and tax reform based on… Continue reading Lonely Tax Reformers Press On
Seeing What’s There
One afternoon, back in the days of the great bloom of New York City panhandling in the early 90s, I made the by-then reflexive plunge into my pocket, and found nothing but a twenty-dollar bill. I explained to the beggar that the twenty was all I had, and I couldn’t afford to give it to… Continue reading Seeing What’s There
Don’t Worry. I’ll Fix It.
I have some good news for you, citizens. Your dysfunctional government gridlock has finally hit bottom. You’ve been thinking, “Why can’t some benevolent King just come in and impose a system that works?” Now, I recognize that democracy is OK, in theory. If you could be confident that your vote would be counted — and… Continue reading Don’t Worry. I’ll Fix It.
The Only Economic Reform Worth Talking About
The world is a complex place, or so we are told here in the USA. The pundits and journalists will tell you that there are no simple remedies to our problems, with an air of authority reserved only for those serious few with the courage to offer up this sober dose of “reality.” Besides, even… Continue reading The Only Economic Reform Worth Talking About
In Emergency, Break Glass
Too much of the talk about today’s JOBS issue has been theoretical. Here’s a real-world proposal. We need to put people to work, NOW! What’s more, it would be nice, if these newly-created jobs didn’t create too much environmental harm. My modest proposal involves two basic materials, both of which are abundant, renewable and recyclable.… Continue reading In Emergency, Break Glass