Considering grad school for public policy, economics, international development. Help me sort out my life. [more inside]
posted by ropeladder on Nov 3, 2009 - 8 answers

Do-Gooder Needs Help With Amusing Slackronym! [more inside]
posted by Lipstick Thespian on Nov 1, 2009 - 21 answers

Did ancient greeks pay for their tickets to the theatre? The Romans for their seats at the Circus? [more inside]
posted by kandinski on Oct 29, 2009 - 7 answers

[Economics101Filter] How is it that the cost of living can go up, but salaries stay the same? Economics n00b questions inside. [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Oct 26, 2009 - 27 answers

Trying to understand issues around cricket as compared to baseball -- player drafting, financing, culture/conduct, etc. -- hoping an enthusiast can help me. [more inside]
posted by jfwlucy on Oct 19, 2009 - 16 answers

Examples of anything that conservatives DON'T think would benefit from the free market? [more inside]
posted by jnnla on Sep 13, 2009 - 35 answers

Does anyone have any experience with the USDA Graduate School in DC? Is this an acceptable place to do prerequisites for graduate programs? [more inside]
posted by downing street memo on Aug 25, 2009 - 16 answers

What is the difference between spending and consuming? And what is the meaning of "luxury goods"? [more inside]
posted by thesailor on Aug 20, 2009 - 5 answers

Are there good articles/books that explain in detail the economics concept of fundamental demand vs. speculative demand, and how one might distinguish one from the other? What is the basis of this distinction in the economics literature and which famous economists, living or dead, talk about it (and in which of their works)?
posted by shivohum on Jul 2, 2009 - 1 answer

Arline prices: a specific question (Italy, late September, how to minimize cost?). And a general (airline econ 101). [more inside]
posted by paultopia on Jul 1, 2009 - 6 answers

As a former scientist, help me gain some faith in economics. What were the great successes of economics as a tool for making better decisions in the last 100 years? [more inside]
posted by zaebiz on Jun 23, 2009 - 20 answers

In what cases is game theory a good model of actual human behavior? [more inside]
posted by jasonhong on Jun 17, 2009 - 9 answers

Do you know any accredited post graduate program in economics that is offered completely online? I am finishing my undergraduate through distance learning and am very interested in economics. I would like to get my MA but due to my work/life schedule attending at a campus is not feasible. I have been unable to find any, but am optimistic that the filter can help me out. Thanks for your time.
posted by gibbsjd77 on Jun 11, 2009 - 2 answers

Did Keynes really say, "Capitalism is the astounding belief that the most wickedest of men will do the most wickedest of things for the greatest good of everyone."? [more inside]
posted by CCBC on May 20, 2009 - 11 answers

Is there some database of historical market prices for commodities? As in, if I wanted to know the average market price for a tonne of salt petre in 1835 where would I look?
posted by selenized on May 14, 2009 - 7 answers

What are the best "grand theory" books and essays purporting to explain generally how the world works - at the macro, economic/political/historical/sociological/foreign policy scale - written in or after the 20th century?
posted by shivohum on May 12, 2009 - 24 answers

What single book presents the most forceful argument against both Randian Objectivism and the libertarian political philosophy that presents itself (in some ways, at least) as having followed naturally from Rand's ideas? [more inside]
posted by killdevil on May 11, 2009 - 28 answers

The Federal Reserve just ended its College Federal Reserve Challenge Competition, which I have always enjoyed competing in. What other economics, public policy, or problem solving collegiate-level competitions can you recommend? [more inside]
posted by BusyBusyBusy on May 6, 2009 - 1 answer

Looking for source of an anecdote about social capital and trust. It involves renting a car: and apparently, in some developing countries (or possibly rural China?) where there are low levels of trust of outsiders, people at first found even the idea of renting a car implausible because they can't see why you would let a stranger drive away with your car or why you would return the car to a stranger you will never see again. [more inside]
posted by Maias on Apr 26, 2009 - 5 answers

Economicsfilter: How do mortgages work in developing countries with high rates of inflation and high interest rates? For example, Pakistan has a 20% inflation rate and the average fixed term prime residential mortgage for people with good credit is priced at 17%. What are the effects of this on a market? [more inside]
posted by thewalrus on Apr 4, 2009 - 13 answers

I'm a recent master's graduate in Applied Economics (Concentration: Community and Economic Development), and I’m looking for a research position with the government or a consulting firm that performs public policy-related research (e.g. The Urban Institute, Brookings, Pew Research Center, etc.). I've had no luck to this point (been looking for about two months), and I'd like some advice. [more inside]
posted by bcredrabbit on Mar 30, 2009 - 10 answers

[EconomicsFilter] Deflation is evil... or so everyone in government and main stream media says. The government has an obvious conflict of interest in this instance (inflation is essentially a hidden tax) and I'm unimpressed with the main stream media's coverage of monetary policy. What's the real deal? [more inside]
posted by thekiltedwonder on Mar 25, 2009 - 11 answers

Why is all this money going to industry and commerce, not the citizenry? [more inside]
posted by turgid dahlia on Mar 19, 2009 - 19 answers

[MonetaryPolicyFilter] In relation to the Fed's huge injection of money yesterday, please explain to me how, if at all, the Federal Reserve can destroy money on its balance sheet in a way that offsets the inflation that normally would result. [more inside]
posted by Pastabagel on Mar 19, 2009 - 16 answers

paper filter: I'm doing a paper on information technology's effect on population growth/migration. Where do I start?! [more inside]
posted by dunderwood on Mar 17, 2009 - 4 answers

I'm writing an essay on the blindness of experts. Kremlinologists didn't see the collapse of the Soviet Union coming. Economists thought U.S. home prices would keep going up forever. Can you think of more examples?
posted by markcmyers on Mar 13, 2009 - 25 answers

What were the social impacts of the lost decade in Japan? Yes, I know economists are all about growth-growth-growth and if you don't have it you're a failure. But what were the actual impacts on levels of personal happiness and satisfaction? [more inside]
posted by alms on Feb 26, 2009 - 18 answers

What are the day-to-day details of a world based on Social Credit? How do companies conduct their business? How are civic services accomplished? [more inside]
posted by cowbellemoo on Feb 26, 2009 - 5 answers

Is there a website or other source that lists graduate student placements across universities? [more inside]
posted by lionelhutz5 on Feb 20, 2009 - 2 answers

First let me say I'am ignorant when it comes to economics, but I'd like to have a better understand of it. With that in mind this clip makes sense to me but I also understand it flys in the face of everything held to be sensible about modern economics. Help me understand. Thanks.
posted by nola on Feb 19, 2009 - 8 answers

Why are there restrictions on spending US taxpayer money on US goods? [more inside]
posted by waxlight on Feb 7, 2009 - 17 answers

I'm trying to wrap my head around Marx's conception of Capitalist economic crises. He claims that these crises emerge every 7 years, and are caused by "the epidemic of overproduction." Is there any historical justification for this? (Especially in the modern era?)
posted by matkline on Feb 4, 2009 - 20 answers

How would you go about proving that the law of demand does not exist? [more inside]
posted by johannahdeschanel on Jan 31, 2009 - 8 answers

Best books, websites, lecture series on game theory and its applications for smart people who understand mathematics but can't stand trawling through pages of unnecessary complex formulae?
posted by vizsla on Jan 26, 2009 - 8 answers

Why is Megan McArdle so highly regarded? [more inside]
posted by waxbanks on Jan 26, 2009 - 23 answers

I'm a first-year economics PhD student in Washington, DC. I'm looking for a paid, summer internship relating to economic development. I'm open to any geographic location. What are some good online resources I could utilize to help me find such an internship?
posted by sun_also_rises on Jan 10, 2009 - 6 answers

I want to go back to school. Where do I start? [more inside]
posted by thekiltedwonder on Jan 9, 2009 - 12 answers

What is the largest National debt to GDP ever held? [more inside]
posted by complience on Dec 23, 2008 - 8 answers

[EconomistFilter] Are interest based money systems fundamentally broken? [more inside]
posted by symbollocks on Dec 11, 2008 - 23 answers

Christmas gift: what non-fiction political or economic book should I get for my liberal intellectual brother? [more inside]
posted by naju on Dec 7, 2008 - 24 answers

Buying local: Facts and fictions. Help me sort through the arguments about buying local as I get inundated with requests to do so this holiday season. [more inside]
posted by proj on Dec 4, 2008 - 25 answers

Given that at least $350 billion of Federal bailout money remains to be allocated by Congress to the Treasury, a hypothetical: what would happen if Congress decided that the problem with the credit markets was ultimately not a lack of money to lend, but a lack of credible lendees, and decided to just give every American a million dollars? [more inside]
posted by Embryo on Dec 2, 2008 - 18 answers

MoneyFilter: Help me understand the Treasury yield curve. [more inside]
posted by up in the old hotel on Nov 29, 2008 - 4 answers

Are there any estimates that exist of the value to a football team (not the host city) of winning the Super Bowl? [more inside]
posted by bucksox on Nov 25, 2008 - 5 answers

I read the Wikipedia article on Dubai itself, but am still confused as to exactly how businesses such as a hotel located in the country can afford to do things like put on a larger fireworks show than the opening ceremony of the Olympics.

A friend of mine with Republican/Libertarian leanings told me they do not charge any form of taxes and that is why business has boomed there, but I am a bit dubious about this answer.

I know they use a lot of borderline slave labor to build, but there has to be more than that too.
posted by idyllhands on Nov 24, 2008 - 25 answers

I'm looking for a good, intermediate economics textbook. [more inside]
posted by dead_ on Nov 14, 2008 - 3 answers

EconomicsNewbieFilter: I'm confused about absolute advantage, comparative advantage and specialisation. Particular example inside. [more inside]
posted by obiwanwasabi on Nov 3, 2008 - 5 answers

Help me find an internship in Oregon! I am not sure of my next move, at this point. [more inside]
posted by thatbrunette on Nov 1, 2008 - 6 answers

The Dow Jones average on November 5th: Is it going up or down, help me decide. [more inside]
posted by clearly on Oct 29, 2008 - 33 answers

Looking for opinions here. My husband just retired, we have a government pension of $1,600/month. House paid for, ditto basic health insurance; we can live comfortably (high speed net access, Netflix, newspaper) if we're careful. We have $12,000 in savings, in cash. SO: save it all & add to it (last summer's plan) or spend some or all of it on useful items that may get scarcer and/or more expensive. What would you do?
posted by kestralwing on Oct 27, 2008 - 21 answers