Archive - David Friedman’s Substack

Tribal Comments

I have commented in past posts on the tendency of people, online and elsewhere, to treat arguments as declarations of tribal affinity, to assume that…

8 hrs ago •

Misrepresenting Adam Smith

From time to time I see or hear claims that Adam Smith favored progressive taxation, on at least one occasion that he favored a progressive income tax.

Aug 7 •

is the ability to secede a good thing?

Aug 4 •

Economic Methodology

a Chicago perspective

Aug 1 •

July 2025

The Intensive Margin

I was told, by an undergraduate at a top school who had been considering majoring in economics and decided not to, that the required courses had turned…

Jul 29 •

More Short Story Ideas

The Missing Masters of Civilization

Jul 26 •

Short Story Ideas

From time to time, I think of an idea for a short story.

Jul 23 •

Can an Economist Make Things Better?

“This is the best of all possible worlds” can be said by an optimist or a pessimist, for the former with emphasis on “best,” for the latter on…

Jul 20 •

History, Institutions and Economics

I have read and enjoyed several series of novels set in the British navy during the Napoleonic wars, most recently one by Naomi Novik that departs a…

Jul 17 •

Arguments with Interesting Leftists

which side are you on? Robert Wolff, Murray Rothbard, and me

Jul 14 •

There are three and a never completed sequel to the first.

Jul 11 •

Hostility to Money

What explains the hostility to money payments in what can loosely be described as social contexts?

Jul 8 •

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