On the retail level, certainly when you go into a Walmart or a Target, your confidence that there's going to be stuff on the shelves is of course complete. But I think your point about brands are very important. There's a strange phenomenon that's happened over my lifetime which is that contrary to the standard view that business is constantly trying to exploit us. We often exploit business. Of course we pay for that.
Author and economist Tyler Cowen of George Mason University talks about his book, Big Business, with EconTalk host Russ Roberts. Cowen argues that big corporations in America are underrated and under-appreciated. He even defends the financial sector while adding some caveats along the way. This is a lively and contrarian look at a timely issue.