Class and Choice in “Mommy Track” Jobs
During a childcare crisis, it's important to listen to mothers who have made sacrifices for their kids. But not all sacrifices are identical.
World War I Austerity Couldn’t Stop the Fashion Show
To the designer Lucile, luxury consumerism was a virtue as wartime economies struggled.
How Accurate Are Prediction Markets?
Will I get COVID-19? Will I have a job in three months’ time? Will the shops have what I need? Research indicates that markets might not know best.
The Commercial Real-Estate Market’s Impending Crash
Shopping malls are in trouble, as are the commercial mortgage-backed securities built around them. Can another 2008 be averted?
Why Does Meatpacking Have Such Bad Working Conditions?
In the long time between The Jungle and today, meatpacking has changed—first for the better, due to strong unions, then for the worse.
Why Being Laid Off Can Hurt So Much
If an occupation becomes part of your identity, losing work can feel like a personal failing, even if it's clearly not your fault.
What If a Shrinking Economy Wasn’t a Disaster?
The degrowth movement is building a vision of a society where economies would get smaller by design—and people would be better off for it.
Why Are Tax Forms So Complicated?
When it comes to the U.S. tax system, benefits are often indirect, which makes them more politically palatable to many.
Why There Is No “Countervailing Power” Against Monopolies
The New Deal revolutions in law and policy were so successful that the economist John Kenneth Galbraith took their accomplishment for granted.