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Econ Talk: Mike Munger of Duke University talks about the difference between directionalism and destination ism. Econ Talk's first episode was recorded 17 years ago on March 14th, 2006. We're recording this just two days before the 17th birthday of that show. Go to econtalk.org where you can subscribe, comment on this episode, and find links down there related to today's conversation. You'll also find our archives with every episode we've done going back to 2006.

Is the perfect really the enemy of the good? Or is it the other way around? In 2008, Duke University economist Michael Munger ran for governor and proposed increasing school choice through vouchers for the state's poorest counties. But some lovers of liberty argued that it's better to fight for eliminating public schools instead of trying to improve them. Munger realized his fellow free-marketers come in two flavors: directionalists--who take our political realities as given and try to move outcomes closer to the ideal--and destinationists--who want no compromises with what they see as the perfect outcome. Listen as Munger talks to EconTalk's Russ Roberts about two different strategies for achieving political goals. Along the way, they discuss rent control, the minimum wage, and why free-market policies are so rare.