The Economic and Social Consequences of Rent Control

Economic liberalism advocates for a clear separation between government and commerce, allowing the market to operate independently without state interference. This philosophy, termed “laissez-faire,” posits that individuals pursuing their self-interest ultimately benefit society without central organization, planning, or control. However, government intervention disrupts natural market processes.

No, Affirmative Action and Merit Are Not Compatible

Supporters of affirmative action often claim that taking race or sex into account is compatible with merit-based selection. In the wake of the United State Supreme Court ban on affirmative action in college admissions, and with diversity, equity and inclusiveness schemes banned in several states, the question now arises whether promoting racial or sexual “diversity” as a component of merit remains permissible.

Could an Increase in the Supply of Gold Cause a Boom-Bust Cycle?

According to the Austrian Business Cycle Theory (ABCT), the artificial increase in the money supply via central bank expansionary monetary policy lowers the market interest rate. This, in turn, causes the market interest rate to deviate from the natural rate, determined by the market. Consequently, this leads to the boom-bust cycle. Understanding this, on the gold standard, where money is gold and—assuming that there is no central bank—an increase in the supply of gold will also result in the lowering of the market interest rates.