A Brief Economic History of Time

Capitalism changed how humans perceive the passage of hours, days, and weeks. This made people more productive, but did it make them any happier?

Globalization Doesn't Make as Much Sense as It Used To

Since its founding, America has swung from protectionism to free trade. What’s next?

Business Leaders and the Mixed Feelings They Inspire

The combination of suspicion and reverence that people feel toward the financially successful isn’t unique to the modern era, but reflects a deep ambivalence that goes back to the Roman empire.

How Humans Became 'Consumers': A History

Until the 19th century, hardly anyone recognized the vital role everyday buyers play in the world economy.

How Sociopathic Capitalism Came to Rule the World

Corporate executives haven't always believed that transactions must have winners and losers. But that’s not Donald J. Trump’s view.

The Hot New Millennial Housing Trend Is a Repeat of the Middle Ages

Communal living is hardly a departure from tradition—it's a return to how humans have been making their homes for thousands of years.

When Economic Growth Doesn’t Make People Happy

That economic expansion leads to greater well-being is a central tenet of modern thought. And yet, that’s not what is happening in America today.

Would a Work-Free World Be So Bad?

Fears of civilization-wide idleness are based too much on the downsides of being unemployed in a society premised on the concept of employment.

The Economy Is ​Great; the​ Economy Is Terrible

Journalists and policy makers can have a hard time describing the economy when “average” departs so markedly from what's normal.

The Myth of the Barter Economy

Adam Smith said that quid-pro-quo exchange systems preceded economies based on currency, but there’s no evidence that he was right.