In 2020, Alex spoke with Mike Munger about the sustainability of capitalism. We're republishing that very important conversation today.

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Alex Aragona talks with Mike Munger as he explores his views on the sustainability of capitalism and the factors that contribute to it.

References from Episode 23 with Michael Munger

• You can order Michael Munger’s book Is Capitalism Sustainable on Amazon Canada here

Matt speaks with Jeffrey Miron about the justice and effectiveness of "sin taxes," evaluating whether taxes on goods like alcohol, tobacco, and sugary drinks achieve their intended public health goals or whether they unfairly restrict individual choice. The conversation explores the ethical implications of using taxation as a tool for social engineering and questions the actual impact these policies have on behavior.

"Should Governments Try to Reduce Sin?" by Jeffrey Miron

"The Time Travelling Dietitian" (YouTube Video)

"Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness" by Richard H. Thaler and Cass R. Sunstein

"The Theory of Moral Sentiments" by Adam Smith

"For Your Own Good: The Anti-Smoking Crusade and the Tyranny of Public Health" by Jacob Sullum

"The Constitution of Liberty" by Friedrich Hayek

Thanks to our patrons including: Amy Willis, Kris Rondolo, and Christopher McDonald.

Alex speaks with Ádám Lovász about the concept of spontaneous order, examining its philosophical roots in thinkers like Hayek and exploring its applications beyond human societies, including ecosystems and insect colonies, as well as its implications for understanding the limitations of technocratic control in both markets and ecological systems.

Adam's Author Page on Amazon

"The Constitution of Liberty" by Friedrich Hayek

"The Sensory Order: An Inquiry into the Foundations of Theoretical Psychology" by Friedrich Hayek

"The Wealth of Nations" by Adam Smith

"Anarchy, State, and Utopia" by Robert Nozick

"Stigmergic Epistemology, Stigmergic Cognition

"The Road to Serfdom: Texts and Documents -- The Definitive Edition" by Friedrich Hayek

Thanks to our patrons including: Amy Willis, Kris Rondolo, and Christopher McDonald.

Matt speaks with Colin Craig about the Canadian healthcare system, discussing its inefficiencies, long wait times, and potential reforms, while comparing it to healthcare models in other countries and offering practical suggestions for improvement.

"Universal Health Care: What the United States Can Learn from the Experience of Other Developed Nations" Panel featuring Karen Davis

"The Healthcare Fix: Universal Insurance for All Americans" by Laurence J. Kotlikoff

"Cross-Border Healthcare"

"Analytical methods to assess the impacts of activity-based funding (ABF): a scoping review"

"Waiting Your Turn: Wait Times for Health Care in Canada, 2022 Report" by Bacchus Barua and Mackenzie Moyer

"The Overton Window"

Thanks to our patrons including: Amy Willis, Kris Rondolo, and Christopher McDonald.

To celebrate Sabine’s time at the ILS and her work with the Curious Task, we’re revisiting Sabine’s first appearance as a guest on the podcast.

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Alex Aragona speaks with Sabine El-Chidiac as she explores the different ways civil society solutions help refugees succeed when they move to their new home.

References from The Curious Task Episode 68 with Sabine El-Chidiac

• You can find Sabine's work on this topic mentioned in the podcast at Police Options here

Alex speaks with Mark Koyama about the historical context and economic implications of the Manila Galleon trade, focusing on how monopolistic practices increased the risk of shipwrecks and the broader lessons for contemporary economics about the unintended consequences of monopoly power.

"Shipwrecked by Rents" by Mark Koyama, Desiderio Desideri, and Fernando Arteaga

"The Wealth of Nations" by Adam Smith

"Institutions, Institutional Change and Economic Performance" by Douglass C. North

"An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations" by Adam Smith

"The East India Company: A History" by Philip Lawson

"Empire: How Britain Made the Modern World" by Niall Ferguson

"The Rise and Fall of the Spanish Empire" by William Maltby

Alex speaks with Jacob Levy about the concept of a liberal party, exploring its philosophical foundations, historical context, and touch on all of these points within the context of Jacob's article "The Liberal Party Idea" (2024).

"On Liberty" by John Stuart Mill

"The Constitution of Liberty" by Friedrich Hayek

"The Federalist Papers" by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay

"Reflections on the Revolution in France" by Edmund Burke

"Democracy in America and Two Essays on America" by Alexis de Tocqueville

"Two Treatises of Government" by John Locke

"Political Liberalism" by John Rawls

Thanks to our patrons including: Amy Willis, Kris Rondolo, and Christopher McDonald.

Sabine speaks with Nathan Goodman about the complexities of border control and domestic policy, focusing on how these issues intersect with libertarian philosophy, the economic implications of immigration, and the ethical considerations of state power in regulating borders.

References

"The Machinery of Freedom: A Guide to Radical Capitalism" by David D. Friedman

"Anarchy, State, and Utopia" by Robert Nozick

"The Ethics of Liberty" by Murray Rothbard

"Borders of Justice" edited by Etienne Balibar, Sandro Mezzadra, and Ranabir Samaddar

"Free to Move: Foot Voting, Migration, and Political Freedom" by Ilya Somin

"Politics in Plural Societies: A Theory of Democratic Instability" by Alvin Rabushka and Kenneth A. Shepsle

Thanks to our patrons including: Amy Willis, Kris Rondolo, and Christopher McDonald.

"The Privacy Fallacy: Harm and Power in the Information Economy" by Ignacio Cofone

"The Age of Surveillance Capitalism: The Fight for a Human Future at the New Frontier of Power" by Shoshana Zuboff

General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

"Privacy and Freedom" by Alan F. Westin

"Code and Other Laws of Cyberspace, Version 2.0" by Lawrence Lessig

"Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness" by Richard H. Thaler and Cass R. Sunstein

"The Right to Privacy" by Samuel D. Warren and Louis D. Brandeis

Thanks to our patrons including: Amy Willis, Kris Rondolo, and Christopher McDonald.

Matt speaks with Bruce Pardy about the rule of law in Canada, implications of the notwithstanding clause, the evolving interpretation of the Charter, and the balance between individual rights and state power. 

Friedrich Hayek - "The Road to Serfdom" - https://www.amazon.ca/Road-Serfdom-Fiftieth-Anniversary/dp/0226320553

Magna Carta - "The Magna Carta" - https://www.archives.gov/files/press/press-kits/magna-carta/magna-carta-translation.pdf

U.S. Bill of Rights - "The Bill of Rights" - https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/bill-of-rights

Section 33 - The Notwithstanding Clause - "Section 33 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms" - https://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/csj-sjc/rfc-dlc/ccrf-ccdl/check/art33.html

Adam Smith - "The Wealth of Nations" - https://www.amazon.ca/Wealth-Nations-Adam-Smith/dp/1505577128

John Locke - "Two Treatises of Government" - https://www.amazon.ca/Two-Treatises-Government-John-Locke/dp/1616190345

Milton Friedman - "Capitalism and Freedom" - https://www.amazon.ca/Capitalism-Freedom-Anniversary-Milton-Friedman/dp/0226264211

Thanks to our patrons including: Amy Willis, Kris Rondolo, and Christopher McDonald.