Theory

Social Distancing: A Game of Two Locales

A basic game theoretic model is developed to explain the challenge of implementing social distancing across locales.

The Coronavirus Externality Problem

Characterizing the coronavirus pandemic as an externality lends credibility to the actions being taken by the government to address it.

Payroll Tax Cuts?

First, it was an aggressive interest rate cut, then a spending bill, now its payroll tax cuts. Will this latest move stop the bleeding?

Price Gouging in the Wake of the Coronavirus?

Any crisis that creates a shortage would necessarily raise prices. Are businesses taking advantage of the coronavirus to gouge consumers?

Trump Tariffs: A Test of Trade Theory

President Trump's tariffs put economic trade models to the test, I argue that they should still come out unfazed. But what do they predict?

The Minimum Wage Debacle

Does an increase in the minimum wage lead to job losses or job increases? We turn from inconclusive empirics to methodical thinking.

Waxing Theoretical: Social Capital and Markets

In principles level coverage in economics, we typically identify land, labor, capital and entrepreneurship as the productive resources an...