economics

Build Housing Faster, Okay

Hamilton Nolan · 07/18/16 08:50AM

Many areas of America—the areas where lots of people want to live—also have crushing housing shortages. One unorthodox, wild idea seems to be becoming more attractive... build more housing, faster.

Global Inequality Explained by Branko Milanovic 

Hamilton Nolan · 06/03/16 10:18AM

Globally, inequality is falling. You may not have known that, because within countries, inequality is rising. We live in dangerous times. Why? We talked to the man who wrote the book on it.

Yep, Everything Checks Out

Ashley Feinberg · 06/02/16 05:47PM

According to these vague, unlabeled charts retweeted by Donald Trump just minutes ago, we are at a record 4.4 in money printing.

Warren Buffett Is the Best Argument for Capitalism. Is It Good Enough? 

Hamilton Nolan · 05/05/16 10:55AM

As the “Empire State of Mind” beat filled the packed CenturyLink Arena in Omaha, the chorus slid in: “At Berkshire, financial strength is what dreams are made of, there’s nothing you can’t dooooo….” The white, middle-aged crowd of investors jammed. Is this is the humble setting from which champions arise?

Automation and Basic Income

Hamilton Nolan · 03/25/16 12:46PM

Without meaning to, the CEO of a restaurant corporation that is busily trying to automate employees out of existence is becoming one of the best spokesmen for the idea of providing all Americans with a universal basic income.

How Rent-Seeking Is Driving Inequality

Hamilton Nolan · 02/29/16 04:30PM

When someone like Bernie Sanders rails against a “rigged” economy that is fueling inequality, some believe that he is espousing a radical view. Nothing could be further from the truth. Even the White House knows the economy is rigged.

Moral Hazard and Its Victims

Hamilton Nolan · 07/13/15 11:25AM

After all of the boisterous noise about rejecting austerity, Greece has finally agreed to the outlines of a bailout to address its debt crisis: more austerity. Its future is grim(mer). At times like this, it is useful to ask which side has the morality, and which has only the hazards.

Fed Survey: We're Poor, Unless We're Rich

Adam Weinstein · 06/02/15 04:07PM

Who ruined our economy, Bush or Obama? Trick question! The economy’s never been better, for investors and rentiers. And it’s never getting better for everybody else, including the half of Americans who just told the U.S. government they’d be fucked if they needed to come up with $400, like, now.

Behavioral Science and Poverty

Hamilton Nolan · 06/01/15 01:25PM

The fastest way to fight poverty is to redirect money from higher-income to lower-income people. In the meantime, behavioral scientists have some tips on how the present system can do a better job of helping the poor.