Adam Smith Archives - Econlife (original) (raw)

April 23, 2024

Icon of the Seas cruise ship economics

Why a Cruise Ship is Like a Model-T

Because the newest cruise ships are so massive, their owners can take advantage of the economies of scale that optimize efficiency.

November 20, 2023

Ukrainian food distribution

How To Prepare Three Tons of Food

In Krakow, Poland, hundreds of voluteers implement Ukrainian food distribution by using Adam Smith's division of labor.

June 26, 2023

traffic signal

A New Kind of Traffic Signal

Including Nantucket and the Netherlands, the places that replaced traffic signals with "shared space" had surprising results.

May 16, 2023

power of the market

New Nudges From the Invisible Hand

Moving from the bottom up, the power of the market gives countless nudges to consumers and businesses that shape their berjavior.

November 3, 2022

Weekly Economic News Roundup and cornhole corruption

The Cornhole BagGate Scandal

At this year's American Cornhole World Championship, the cheating accusations could have the same impact as economic corruption claims.

July 6, 2022

traffic lights and Adam Smith's Laissez-faire

What a Traffic Light Can Surprisingly Signal

Called laissez-faire, Adam Smith's prescription for less government in the economy relates to an island with no traffic lights.

June 30, 2021

traffic lights and Adam Smith's Laissez-faire

When We Don’t Need Traffic Lights

Having recently driven in Manhattan (NYC) and now on Nantucket (an island located 30 miles from the coast of Massachusetts), I’ve been pondering the difference a […]

May 23, 2021

chores gap

Why We Have a Chores Gap

Especially evident during pandemic lockdowns, at home we have a chores gap that determines who does the housework.

March 28, 2021

Weekly Economic News Roundup and value of a vaccine

Why You Should Bet On a Vaccine

Giving us unbiased insight about the future, vaccine prediction markets can help us predict when the economy could return to normal.

June 24, 2020

economic news roundup and water shortages

Why Water Is a Worry

Looking at Cape Town, South Africa and 12 U.S. cities we can see why the basic water tradeoff involves a choice between conservation and affordability.

January 23, 2020

weekly economic news roundup and economic complexity

A Simple Look at the World’s Most Complex Economies

To its detriment, the U.S. might have insufficiently recognized the impact of China's economic complexity in the U.S. China trade deal.

November 28, 2019

turkey pardons

What Presidents Added to Thanksgiving Economics

From George Washington to Abraham Lincoln and Franklin Roosevelt to George H.W. Bush, U.S. presidents have influenced Thanksgiving economics.