Thomas Schelling has been one of the, and in many cases the, pioneer in developing the following ideas: coordination concepts, focal points, convention, commitments (including promises and threats) as strategic tactics, the idea that strategic strength may lie in weaknesses and limitations,...

This brief document introduces the EJW-Mercatus symposium on sovereign debt tipping points and crash dynamics. It explains the motivation for the symposium, chiefly the need for the imaginative formulation and analysis of possible scenarios. The symposium itself contains contributions by Jeffrey...

The presence of iconic superstars declines in many fields of endeavor, and economics is no exception to those principles. As for political orientation, those raised up to relative prominence today fit the spirit of the times.

The 20th century has seen some of the greatest restrictions on liberty of any period in human history, as well as significant liberalizations and improvements. These questions do not always hold a central place in mainstream academic dis-course, but there are scholars who seek to explain how and...

Some of the biggest debates over the last decade have focused on the rate of progress, both economic and scientific. As is common in times of economic crisis or slowdown, commentators have focused on what might have gone wrong. In this paper, we consider whether the rate of scientific progress...

While development economics tends to focus on national and international policy, local government and social institutions can also play a critical role in either promoting or inhibiting economic prosperity. In this essay, Cowen describes the significant problems associated with the cargo system...