I do not usually go for political arguments that talk about rights, but I also do not recoil in anger when people make them. I understand discussion of rights is a common language people have, and it helps many people express their ideas. One of the key questions in that discussion of course is what… Continue reading Amartya Sen: what is a human right?
Author: Matt Bruenig
Think deeply about what closing the achievement gap requires
The achievement gap refers to the gap in educational outcomes between rich and poor kids (and sometimes among white and non-white students). The education reform movement is all about closing that gap. I am skeptical that marginally altering the schooling environment will do much on that front, but we can leave that skepticism aside for… Continue reading Think deeply about what closing the achievement gap requires
The Reagan Myth
If you watch Fox News or listen to any conservative pundits, you will hear about Reagan on an almost daily basis, usually in reference to his economic success. Generally, the liberal pundit response is very underwhelming. At worst, you get some mention of deficits (which were of course high under Reagan) and at best you… Continue reading The Reagan Myth
More fun with procedural property rights
I’ve mentioned before that there was a period when I spent (wasted?) an incredible amount of time studying philosophies of procedural property rights. I call them philosophies of procedural property rights because these philosophies try to justify property rights by appealing to just processes, namely non-aggressive and voluntary processes. As I wrote before, that is… Continue reading More fun with procedural property rights
Looks like rich kids are driving up college costs
A few days ago, I had a purely speculative post about the possibility that the consumption preferences of rich kids are driving up the cost of college. The basic idea of the piece is simple. Most kids do not go to college because they love education. They do so because college is the gatekeeper of… Continue reading Looks like rich kids are driving up college costs