Topic: Government

Illustration of a map Research Brief / Cultural History

How Local Governance Came to England’s Economy

Nico Voigtländer found that to combat arbitrary taxes and corruption, merchants persuaded the king to cede control

An image of the national debt amount Research Brief / Debt

How Much Debt Can the Government Roll Over Forever?

Public bonds compete against other investments; a model of that relationship

Illustration of a capital city Research Brief / Government

How the Seemingly Rapid Advance of Democracy Goes Astray

Using voting records from a unique transition in the 19th-century Caribbean, Christian Dippel examines the embrace of self-interest by new legislators

Highspeed rail Research Brief / Housing

Impact of High-Speed Rail: Surprising Data on Real Estate Prices

In Japan, speedier commutes let workers live farther from jobs, taking some pressure off high-priced housing markets

Person walking by a train with Uber logo Research Brief / Ride-Sharing Services

Is Uber the Answer to Public Transit’s Last-Mile Problem?

And if so, who’s going to pay?

Monochrome photo of FDR Research Brief / Economics

Keynes vs. FDR: Lessons from the Great Recession

Sebastian Edwards finds Keynes’ public take-down of Roosevelt’s gold policies still relevant today

A portrait of King Charles II of Spain. The image depicts the king's Habsburg Jaw. Research Brief / Leadership

Leadership Matters: Countries Suffered Under Poor Quality Monarchs

Measuring inbreeding allows study to isolate rulers from circumstances

Illustration of dollar bills folded into a Staff of Hermes Research Brief / Health Care

Medicare Could Save by Subsidizing Providers’ Capital Spending

Projects that make health care delivery more efficient require upfront financial help

Nursing home at night - looking through multiple windows Feature / COVID-19

Medicare Ratings Didn’t Predict Nursing Homes’ Initial COVID-19 Vulnerability

Rate of spread in the surrounding community was a bigger indicator of risk

Politicians looking at a report Feature / Government

Might More Lobbying Groups, Rather than Fewer, Be Good for Industry and the Public?

Make the influence industry more competitive, a theoretical study suggests

People with luggage Research Brief / Economy

Modern Monetary Theory: Fiasco in Latin America, Option in U.S.?

The populist model, embraced by some on the American left, resembles policy that helped torpedo some smaller economies

TV News anchor Research Brief / Politics

Municipal Pension Crisis Made Worse by Democrats in Close Elections

Sixty years of data suggest retirement obligations rise after Democrats scrape into office

A farm on the prairie with one side dry Research Brief / Public Policy

Ownership Structure of Tribal Land Exacts a Multibillion-Dollar Penalty

Can’t sell it, can’t borrow against it, can’t develop it

A beige curtain separates three people in a voting booth shown from below the knee to their feet Research Brief / Politics

Reimbursing Candidate Campaign Contributions Makes Elections More Competitive

Incumbents in France are reelected less often when all candidates can be repaid for personal outlays

Marijuana dispensary Feature / Taxes

Setting the Tax Rate on Legal Marijuana: Consumption, State Revenue and the Black Market

Taxes not high enough? An examination of Washington’s experience even suggests state ownership of pot stores might boost the public coffers

Aerial view of Newport Beach California with ocean and waterways. Research Brief / Taxes

Should Part-Time Californians, Avoiding the State’s Income Levy, Pay More in Property Tax?

As it stands, they’re free-riding, in effect subsidized by full-time resident taxpayers