Christ healing the paralytic, by Anthony van Dyck (c. 1619)

Will We Always Have the Poor Among Us?

To end poverty, public policy must provide much more than economic resources
toy train

Why We Give Children Toys for Christmas

Giving children toys for Christmas first became a thing in early nineteenth century England.
Hazelton PA postcard

Could Immigration Save Middle America?

This election season has drawn enormous attention to the anxiety that many Americans in economically-distressed rural places seem ...
Clinton welfare reform

Why Welfare Reform Didn’t End Welfare Stigma

20 years after welfare reform, stigma surrounding cash benefits remains.
NYSE floor

Should We Set a Speed Limit on High-Speed Trading?

Can slower financial traders find a haven in a world of high-speed algorithms?
A CEO who has the head of a deer setting at a desk with a typewriter, a telephone, and a Boss mug filled with coffee

What’s (Still) Wrong with Executive Compensation in America

Executive compensation reflects neither productivity nor demand for skills in a particular sector. Yet some CEOs are still receiving 881 percent raises.
smoking

How to Cut Smoking Rates

A working paper released the National Bureau of Economic Research suggests that lifting people out of poverty could cut smoking rates. 
A Republican satire on Bryan's "Cross of Gold" speech

Has the Famous Populist “Cross of Gold” Speech Been Unfairly Tarred by Anti-Semitism?

July 9 marks the 120th anniversary of Populist leader William Jennings Bryan’s famous "Cross of Gold" speech at the 1896 Democratic National Convention.
Illustration of Bretton Woods Hotel

Why Does the IMF Care if Britain Leaves the EU?

The IMF is warning against a "Brexit." But what's the history behind the organization that has such an influence in world financial affairs?
The Titanic at sail in black and white

What the Titanic Reveals About Class and Life Expectancy

The recent anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic reminds us of the serious and often-roundabout influence socioeconomic status can ...