A new study documents the failure of major redistribution programs to reduce poverty.

The things we applauded and face-palmed over in 2014.

Social attitudes play a large role in determining a nation’s long-run prosperity. But how easily can they be changed?

Did the Pope really endorse statism?

Back in 2010, I shared some wise words from Walter Williams and Theodore Dalrymple about how society can become unstable when people figure they can “vote themselves money.” On a related note, I shared the famous “riding in the wagon” cartoons in 2011 and the “Danish party boat” image in 2014. Both of these posts highlighted the danger that […]

We know the welfare state is good news for people inside government. Lots of bureaucrats are required, after all, to oversee a plethora of redistribution programs. Walter Williams refers to these paper pushers as poverty pimps, and there’s even a ranking showing which states have the greatest number of these folks who profit by creating dependency. But […]

When asked about the most worrisome statistic for a nation, I don’t say it’s the top marginal tax rate, even though I think class-warfare taxation is very poisonous for long-run economic performance. Nor do I say it’s the burden of government spending relative to private economic output, even though the size of the public sector gives us a good idea of the degree […]

I’m a pessimist about public policy for two simple reasons: 1) Seeking power and votes, elected officials generally can’t resist making short-sighted and politically motivated choices that expand the burden of government. 2) Voters are susceptible to bribery, particularly over time as social capital(the work ethic, spirit of self reliance, etc) erodes and the entitlement mentality takes […]