Does economic freedom make the rich richer and the poor poorer?

I had the pleasure of talking with Justin Callais about his research — the first causal investigation of this important question.

In episode 6 of The Cause and Effect, we dive into Justin’s research on how economic freedom affects both economic growth and inequality — and what this means for ordinary people, not just for GDP statistics.

We discuss:

✅ What economic freedom actually measures

✅ Who benefits from economic freedom

✅ How countries with higher freedom perform across different income groups

✅ Why improving economic institutions might be key to reducing poverty

✅ How his empirical design allows him to causally examine this question

Justin shares compelling data showing that economic freedom raises incomes across the entire income distribution — and doesn’t necessarily increase inequality. The poor, as well as the rich, benefit significantly when institutions improve.

It’s a conversation that challenges important assumptions about growth, fairness, and opportunity.

📺 Watch on YouTube:

https://youtu.be/uF8f9M8hTn4📝 Read more on our Substack:https://substack.com/@thecauseandeffect🎧 Subscribe and follow for weekly episodes connecting economic research to real-world problems—without the jargon.#EconomicFreedom #Economics #Podcast #Inequality #Growth #PublicPolicy #Development #JustinCallais #TheCauseAndEffect #Liberty #EconomicGrowth #IncomeInequality #EconomicPolicy #SocialMobility #FreeMarkets

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐄𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐨𝐦 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐝𝐨 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞?

In this new episode of The Cause and Effect, I talked with Justin Callais about one of the most fundamental — and often misunderstood — questions in economics:

🌎 Does economic freedom make everyone better off, or only the rich? Justin’s research dives into the relationship between economic freedom, income levels, and inequality. He explores whether reforms like lowering regulations, improving property rights, and expanding free trade actually help the poor or simply increase the gap between rich and poor.

🔎 We discussed:

✅ What “economic freedom” really means (it’s not just free markets for the sake of it!),

✅ Why some countries are rich and others stay poor

✅ Whether economic freedom increases inequality

✅ How reforms affect the poor, middle class, and the rich

✅ Why countries like Brazil might desperately need these reforms

Justin shares compelling evidence that economic freedom lifts incomes across the entire income distribution — and surprisingly, doesn’t increase inequality. Everyone gains, and in some cases, the poorest benefit even more.

If you’ve ever wondered whether there’s a trade-off between economic growth and fairness, this is an episode for you.

📺 Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/m2fZQ2pr6dU📝 Read more on our Substack:https://substack.com/@thecauseandeffect🎧 Subscribe and follow for weekly episodes connecting economic research to real-world problems—without the jargon.

#EconomicFreedom #Economics #Podcast #Inequality #Growth #PublicPolicy #Development #JustinCallais #TheCauseAndEffect #Liberty #EconomicGrowth #IncomeInequality #EconomicPolicy #SocialMobility #FreeMarkets

Guest: Rohen Shah

We've all heard it: “If you want to truly learn something, teach it.” But does the research support this idea?

In this episode, economist and educator Rohen Shah shares his insights on why teaching others may be the most effective learning strategy—especially for students and self-learners. Based on evidence from real-world applications, including platforms like Khan Academy, we explore how peer instruction and active explanation enhance understanding and retention.

🎯 Topics include:

·        How teaching activates deeper cognitive processing

·        Why “teaching to learn” is powerful even for beginners

·        How peer instruction improves outcomes in classrooms

·        What this means for education policy and learning design.

🎧 Listen now on your favorite platform: ⁠https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/the-cause--effect⁠

📝 Read more on our Substack: ⁠https://substack.com/@thecauseandeffect

Guest: Rohen Shah

We've all heard it: “If you want to truly learn something, teach it.”

But does the research support this idea?

In this episode, economist and educator Rohen Shah shares his insights on why teaching others may be the most effective learning strategy—especially for students and self-learners. Based on evidence from real-world applications, including platforms like Khan Academy, we explore how peer instruction and active explanation enhance understanding and retention.

🎯 Topics include:

• How teaching activates deeper cognitive processing

• Why “teaching to learn” is powerful even for beginners

• How peer instruction improves outcomes in classrooms

• What this means for education policy and learning design.

🎧 Listen now on your favorite platform:
https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/the-cause--effect📝 Read more on our Substack:https://substack.com/@thecauseandeffect

How fair is the college admissions process? In this episode, economist Tyler Ransom joins host Vitor Melo to explore one of the most controversial and impactful issues in U.S. education: racial discrimination in college admissions.

Together, they examine the data behind who gets into college—and who doesn’t. Does race play a role? What about class? And how do policies like affirmative action shape access to higher education?

📊 Based on Tyler's research, this episode digs into the evidence, the misconceptions, and the real-world consequences of admissions decisions at selective colleges.

🎯 In this episode, you'll learn:

·        What the data says about racial disparities inadmissions

·       The limits and impacts of affirmative action policies

·        Why some groups are consistently underrepresented

·        How admissions criteria may unintentionally favor some students over others

·        The difference between equity and equality in education

🎥 Watch the full video episode on YouTube: ⁠https://youtu.be/pYTWuXxJz6o

📝 Read more on our Substack: ⁠https://substack.com/@thecauseandeffect⁠

🌐 Learn more:

Vitor Melo – ⁠https://melovitor.com⁠

Tyler Ransom – ⁠https://tyleransom.github.io/

⁠

🎧 Subscribe and follow for weekly episodes connecting economic research to real-world problems—without the jargon.

#TheCauseAndEffect #TylerRansom #CollegeAdmissions #AffirmativeAction #EducationPolicy #Inequality #Discrimination #HigherEd #PublicPolicy

In this episode, economist Edward Timmons joins host Vitor Melo to discuss the real impact of occupational licensing laws on workers, consumers, and the economy.

🎯 Over 1 in 5 American workers must obtain a government license to do their job—barbers, teachers, massage therapists, even florists. But does licensing actually protect the public? Or is it a barrier that drives up costs and keeps people out of work?

💡 Edward explains how these rules have expanded over time, what their economic consequences are, and how universal recognition policies—a growing reform trend in U.S. states—could reduce friction and benefit both workers and consumers.

🔍 In this episode:

• What occupational licensing is and how it works

• Why some low-risk professions still face strict regulations

• How licensing impacts wages, employment, and mobility

• What research says about the real benefits (or lack thereof) of these laws

• How universal recognition could be the reform we need

  
  

📢 Don’t miss this in-depth conversation about one of the most underappreciated labor market policies—and how it affects us all.

🎧 Available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and all major platforms.

📢 Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/BxfJ9gzIlLQ

📢 Follow for more content on economics and public policy:

🌐 Vitor Melo’s website: https://melovitor.com

🌐 Edward Timmons’s website: https://sites.google.com/view/edwardtimmons/home?authuser=0

Welcome to the second episode of The Cause and Effect! 🎙️✨In this episode, Riley League, assistant professor of finance at the University of Illinois, joins us to discuss a critical issue in the U.S. healthcare system: waste and fraud. 💰🏥The healthcare sector is worth trillions, but how much of that spending is wasted? We explore:✔️ The true cost of fraud and inefficiencies in healthcare✔️ How Medicare loses billions to improper payments✔️ Three approaches to tackling waste: regulations, civil lawsuits, and criminal enforcement✔️ What research reveals about the most effective solution.📢 Follow for more content on economics and public policy:🌐 Vitor Melo’s website: https://melovitor.com🌐 Riley League’s website: https://rileyleague.github.io/🎧 Listen to the podcast on your favorite platform:

🎙️ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-cause-and-effect-podcast/id1801621701

🎙️ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/03hcijNkBWyhbTVsuhdYuQ

🎙️ Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/41a20e4e-4ddc-4631-a07d-0134feec67ac/the-cause-and-effect-podcastt

🎙️ Goodpods: https://goodpods.com/profile/thecauseandeffect-95628

🎙️ Pocket Casts: https://pca.st/s1uyxk2f

📌 Enjoyed the episode?👍 Leave a review to support the show📝 Share your thoughts on tackling healthcare fraud🔔 Follow for more insights on economics and public policy#Podcast #Economics #Healthcare #Fraud #Policy #Medicare #Waste #Regulation #PublicHealth #TheCauseAndEffect #RileyLeague #VitorMelo #EconomicImpact #HealthServices

📢 Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/rPKPw0a0IrM

🎙️ Welcome to the first episode of The Cause and Effect Podcast! ✨

Today, we’re joined by Liam Sigaud, researcher and economist, to dive into a critical topic: Certificate of Need Laws (CON Laws). These regulations were designed to control healthcare costs, but are they actually restricting access to quality medical services? 🤔

🔎 In this episode, we explore:

✔️ What Certificate of Need Laws are and why they were created

✔️ How these laws impact hospitals and healthcare access

✔️ What research reveals about their real effects

✔️ Who truly benefits—and why these laws still exist

📢 We want to hear from you! After listening, let us know: do you think these laws help or hurt the healthcare system? Rate the podcast on Spotify and share it with a friend who’s interested in economics and public policy!

🔔 Don’t miss future episodes! Follow the podcast to stay updated on new discussions about economic policies and their real-world impact.