Econ Blog

your daily dose of economic commentary

2541. Review of Boettke, Candela, and Truitt: The Socialist Calculation Debate

Robert Vienneau reviews Boettke, Candela, and Truitt's work on the socialist calculation debate, discussing its chapters and critiques of economic theories related to socialism.

My days collecting Mexican art, part I

2542. My days collecting Mexican art, part I

The author recounts discovering Mexican art through a visit to an art dealer, leading to a journey to a remote village to find a specific painter.

Why Gen Z is feeling 'money dysmorphia'

2543. Why Gen Z is feeling 'money dysmorphia'

Darian Woods discusses Gen Z's perception of financial insecurity despite having higher earnings and wealth compared to previous generations, a phenomenon termed 'money dysmorphia'.

“Trump may actually want a recession…”

2544. “Trump may actually want a recession…”

An argument that a recession could align with Trump's economic goals, exploring its implications for trade deficits and the necessary economic conditions to achieve them.

My Weekly Reading for June 1, 2025

2545. My Weekly Reading for June 1, 2025

The post discusses factors contributing to California's high gas prices, the benefits of global trade, and the historical context of Reagan's trade policies.

Everyone Has Their Reasons

2546. Everyone Has Their Reasons

The discussion centers on the complexities of national security in trade policies, particularly how different countries justify protectionism for agricultural sectors despite lacking comparative advantages.

Taking Economic Policy Uncertainty Seriously

2547. Taking Economic Policy Uncertainty Seriously

An argument that rising economic policy uncertainty negatively affects employment, with projections indicating significant declines based on historical data and analysis of recent trends.

Nowcasted Equipment Investment Decelerates

2548. Nowcasted Equipment Investment Decelerates

The post discusses the decline in equipment investment linked to increased trade policy uncertainty, supported by various economic analyses and data visualizations.

The Free Market Is Not a Tool for Politicos

2549. The Free Market Is Not a Tool for Politicos

An argument that markets should not be viewed as tools of politics, emphasizing individual freedom and the philosophical underpinnings of economic exchange without coercion.

Scott Alexander replies

2550. Scott Alexander replies

Tyler Cowen critiques Scott Alexander's views on aid and overhead, addressing misunderstandings and misrepresentations in their discussions on these topics.

An Emergency Trade Discussion With Joey Politano

2551. An Emergency Trade Discussion With Joey Politano

Paul Krugman discusses a court ruling on Trump's trade war with Joey Politano, highlighting the implications for tariffs and emergency powers in trade policy.

The anti-economists have overreached

2552. The anti-economists have overreached

An argument that critiques the oversimplification of economics by some commentators, emphasizing the importance of understanding economic theories and methods before making broad claims.

Schedule for Week of June 1, 2025

2553. Schedule for Week of June 1, 2025

Bill McBride outlines the key economic reports scheduled for the week of June 1, 2025, including employment and manufacturing data.

Continuous diff in diff

2554. Continuous diff in diff

Scott Cunningham discusses the rapid evolution and citation surge of continuous diff-in-diff methods in economics, highlighting recent developments and personal applications in causal inference.

GDP and “Core GDP” Nowcasts

2555. GDP and “Core GDP” Nowcasts

Menzie Chinn discusses the concept of "core" GDP and its implications for economic momentum and growth forecasts in 2025Q2.

Meta plans to replace humans with AI to assess privacy and societal risks

2556. Meta plans to replace humans with AI to assess privacy and societal risks

Concerns arise over Meta's automation strategy, which may enable AI to make critical decisions regarding privacy and societal risks associated with its applications.

Trump Predicts at Least 3% Growth

2557. Trump Predicts at Least 3% Growth

Menzie Chinn discusses Trump's growth predictions, comparing them to past promises and analyzing GDP data related to those forecasts.

Despite Upward Revisions, Sentiment Still Looks Pretty Poor

2558. Despite Upward Revisions, Sentiment Still Looks Pretty Poor

Menzie Chinn discusses the updated Michigan survey figures, highlighting improvements in economic sentiment despite previously negative expectations.

Who Bears the Burden of Tariffs?

2559. Who Bears the Burden of Tariffs?

An argument that the burden of tariffs primarily falls on consumers or producers depends on the elasticities of demand and supply, not merely on who pays the tariffs.

Business Cycle Indicators as Reported at May’s End

2560. Business Cycle Indicators as Reported at May’s End

Menzie Chinn discusses revisions in consumption and income levels, along with indicators of economic growth through April, based on various data sources.