Jakub Zofcak

  Taxes and tariffs are—unsurprisingly—a major topic for economists. On one hand, they generate huge inefficiencies, deadweight losses, and perverse incentives; on the other hand, they reveal the fascinating creativity with which entrepreneurs find ways to avoid these costs. Sometimes in a quite amusing way. Let’s look at a few examples from not-too-distant history. Wall […]

  As you read this, 103,000 men, women, and children in the U.S. are waiting for a kidney. Last year alone, over 43,000 transplants were performed. Yet, 17 people die every day while waiting. In economic terms, we are witnessing a situation where demand far exceeds supply. However, it is not the free market that is […]

  Prison cells are a fascinating economic laboratory, where for over a century thriving markets in goods, services, labor—and even money—have existed. Nowhere else do you find so many people craving entertainment and consumer goods, alongside so many innovative individuals willing to bend the rules to supply them. Everyday prison life also nicely illustrates how […]