In this 750th (!) episode, Duke University's Michael Munger talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about whether the pandemic might create an opportunity for colleges and universities to experiment and innovate. Munger is Professor of Political

Michael Munger on Crony Capitalism

Feb 25th, 2019 1h 10m

Michael Munger of Duke University talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about whether real capitalism is unstable and leads inevitably to crony capitalism. They also discuss ways to prevent the descent into cronyism and speculate on their own b

Michael Munger on Sharing, Transaction Costs, and Tomorrow 3.0

Oct 29th, 2018 1h 10m

Economist and author Michael Munger of Duke University talks about his book, Tomorrow 3.0, with EconTalk host Russ Roberts. Munger analyzes the rise of companies like Uber and AirBnB as an example of how technology lowers transactions costs. Us

Michael Munger on Traffic

Apr 2nd, 2018 1h 14m

Does rush-hour traffic drive you crazy? Is a congestion tax on car travel a good idea? Michael Munger of Duke University talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about the economics of traffic and congestion taxes. It takes a while to get there (h

Michael Munger on Permissionless Innovation

Oct 30th, 2017 1h 7m

Michael Munger of Duke University talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about permissionless innovation. Munger argues that the ability to innovate without permission is the most important concept of political economy. Munger defends this claim

Michael Munger on the Basic Income Guarantee

Jan 16th, 2017 1h 4m

Michael Munger of Duke University talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about the virtues and negatives of a basic guaranteed income--giving every American adult an annual amount of money to guarantee a subsistence level of well-being. How woul

Munger on Slavery and Racism

Aug 22nd, 2016 1h 14m

Michael Munger of Duke University talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about how attitudes in the American South toward slavery evolved over time and what we can learn from that evolution about the role culture plays in our lives.

Michael Munger on EconTalk's 500th Episode

Nov 23rd, 2015 1h 13m

Michael Munger of Duke University makes his 29th appearance on the 500th episode of EconTalk alongside EconTalk host Russ Roberts. He talks about his personal intellectual journey, his interest in public choice, and Unicorn economics. Other top

Michael Munger on Choosing in Groups

Feb 23rd, 2015 1h 15m

Michael Munger of Duke University talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about his latest book (co-authored with Kevin Munger), Choosing in Groups. Munger lays out the challenges of group decision-making and the challenges of agreeing on constit

Russ Roberts and Mike Munger on How Adam Smith Can Change Your Life

Oct 13th, 2014 1h 4m

EconTalk host Russ Roberts is interviewed by long-time EconTalk guest Michael Munger about Russ's new book, How Adam Smith Can Change Your Life: An Unexpected Guide to Human Nature and Happiness. Topics discussed include how economists view hum

Michael Munger on the Sharing Economy

Jul 7th, 2014 1h 3m

Mike Munger of Duke University talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about the sharing economy--companies like Uber, AirBnB, FlightApp, and DogVacay that let people share their houses, cars, or other assets with strangers in exchange for money.

Munger on Milk

Sep 2nd, 2013 1h

Mike Munger of Duke University talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about why milk is in the back of the grocery store. Michael Pollan and others argue that milk is in the back so that customers, who often buy milk, will be forced to walk thro

Munger on John Locke, Prices, and Hurricane Sandy

Nov 12th, 2012 1h 4m

Mike Munger of Duke University talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about the gas shortage following Hurricane Sandy and John Locke's view of the just price. Drawing on a short, obscure essay of Locke's titled "Venditio," Munger explores Locke

Munger on Profits, Entrepreneurship, and Storytelling

Dec 12th, 2011 1h 4m

Mike Munger of Duke University talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about profit. What is profit's role in allocating resources? How should we feel about the people who earn profits or who take them in ways that may not be earned? How easy is

Munger on Exchange, Exploitation and Euvoluntary Transactions

Jun 20th, 2011 1h 2m

Mike Munger of Duke University talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about the psychology, sociology, and economics of buying and selling. Why are different transactions that seemingly make both parties better off frowned on and often made ille

Munger on Microfinance, Savings, and Poverty

Apr 18th, 2011 58m 10s

Mike Munger of Duke University talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about microfinance. Munger argues that cultural forces make it difficult for some families to save, and the main value of microfinance is to allow a higher level of savings. F

Munger on Private and Public Rent-Seeking (and Chilean Buses)

Aug 23rd, 2010 58m 27s

Mike Munger of Duke University talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about private and public rent-seeking. When firms compete for either private profit opportunities or government contracts, there are inevitably firms or people who spend resou

Munger on Love, Money, Profits, and Non-profits

Apr 19th, 2010 1h 5m

Mike Munger of Duke University talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about the world of profit, money, love, gifts, and incentives. What motivates people, self-interest or altruism? Both obviously. But how do these forces interact with each oth

Munger on Many Things

Jan 18th, 2010 1h 12m

Mike Munger of Duke University talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about many things. Listeners sent in questions for Mike and Russ to talk about and they chose ten of the most interesting questions with the idea of talking about each for six

Munger on Shortages, Prices, and Competition

Oct 19th, 2009 1h 8m

Mike Munger of Duke University talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about the limits of prices and markets, especially in the area of health. They talk about vaccines, organ transplants, the ethics of triage and what role price should play in

Munger on Cultural Norms

Aug 31st, 2009 58m 33s

Michael Munger of Duke University talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about cultural norms--the subtle signals we send to each other in our daily interactions. Mike, having returned from a four-month stint as a visiting professor in Germany,

Munger on Franchising, Vertical Integration, and the Auto Industry

Jun 22nd, 2009 57m 16s

Michael Munger, of Duke University, talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about franchising, particularly car dealerships. Munger highlights how the dealers used state regulations to protect their profits and how bankruptcy appears to be unrave

Munger on Middlemen

Oct 27th, 2008 1h 12m

Mike Munger of Duke University talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about the often-vilified middleman--someone who buys cheap, sells dear and does nothing to improve the product. Munger explains the economic function of arbitrage using a clas

Munger on the Political Economy of Public Transportation

Jul 7th, 2008 56m 7s

Michael Munger of Duke University talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about Munger's recent trip to Chile and the changes Chile has made to Santiago's bus system. What was once a private decentralized system with differing levels of quality a

Munger on Subsidies and Externalities

Mar 24th, 2008 1h 2m

Mike Munger of Duke University talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about the economics of subsidies. What is the economic argument for subsidies? What is the history of the economic argument and what is its relevance today? Munger draws on hi