Stamp Collecting as Metaphor for the Free Market
The hobby was originally pursued by middle-class women and children. But its resemblance to capitalist values made it attractive to men.
A Fistful of Data: Information and the Cattle Industry
Beef barons needed cowboys less and bookkeepers more as the nineteenth century wore on.
The Rise and Fall of Montana’s Christmas-Tree Harvest
Douglas firs weren't great for lumber, but they once made the small town of Eureka the Christmas-tree capital of America.
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.
Growing Cannabis to Fight Exploitation
In the early years of cannabis prohibition, agricultural workers in the western United States used the plant to treat pain and supplement family incomes.
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.