Bob Murphy

Author Archive

A Possible Flaw in the Way Economists Typically Solve Problems

I was helping some students study for an exam–the thing I was best at in my life was taking tests, so I always find ways to go back to that activity–and I encountered what may be a subtle inconsistency in the way economists typically solve these types of problems. But, before I decide whether I’ve […]

Murphy Twin Spin

==> An interview on anarcho-capitalism and the liberty movement. ==> My talk on taxes in Bratislava:

Outrageous Rulings in the Silk Road Trial

I have seen Lyn Ulbricht, Ross’ mom, give talks on how her son got railroaded in the “Silk Road” trial a few times. After the most recent one in San Antonio, I realized that a lot of libertarians probably aren’t aware of these details. Regardless of what you think about Silk Road, this is pretty […]

The Problems With Carbon Tax “Border Adjustments”

This is counterintuitive for even academic economists, so if you’re into this stuff, don’t miss it. Here’s a key part: The RFF [Resources for the Future] study does not so much come down against the use of border adjustments to mitigate the problem of “leakage,” but rather the authors are pointing out that economists have […]

Airbnb: Regulation Without the State

My latest at FEE. An excerpt: If potential renters had perfect information and deliberated over such decisions with the discipline of a samurai, there would be little need for external rules or regulation. Owners could offer rooms of varying attributes (including price), and each renter would pick the option that he or she liked best. […]

Murphy Twin Spin

==> My appearance on the “Reinvent Money” podcast. ==> At Lara-Murphy.com I show that Japan has been shedding Treasuries a lot more than China.

A Stickler for the Rules Because We’re All Failures

Believe me, I understand the popular frustration with many Christians who are judgmental in a self-righteous manner. Having said that, the Biblically correct position is to be (1) a stickler for God’s rules and (2) acknowledge that oneself can’t meet that impossibly high standard, either. In other words, when a Christian warns the world, “Hey […]

Why I Can’t Take Jonah Goldberg’s Anti-Trumpism Seriously

Scott Sumner linked with approval to this Jonah Goldberg article lamenting how ever more people are having their bodies snatched and now support Trump. Anyway, I was OK with Jonah’s piece for a while, until he had to write this: I concede that for conservatives living in swing states, this is a legitimately painful decision. […]