The Indicator from Planet Money Moochers, monopolists and market-based poverty help
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Nov 26, 2025 Join two hosts as they compete in a fun quiz about public-sector economics! Discover how the freerider problem affects public goods like national defense. Learn about the impactful breakup of Standard Oil and the implications of antitrust laws. Dive into the concept of Pigouvian taxes and their role in curbing externalities. Explore how automatic stabilizers like unemployment insurance help during recessions, and uncover alternatives like the negative income tax and UBI. It's a lively mix of trivia and economic insights!
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Why Governments Provide Public Goods
- The free-rider problem explains why private markets often underprovide public goods like national defense.
- Governments step in because individuals can benefit without paying, undermining voluntary provision.
Rapid-Fire Quizroom Banter
- Darian answered the free-rider question instantly and jokingly blamed Waylon's brain buffering.
- The hosts used humor to show quiz dynamics and how quick recall matters in trivia.
Standard Oil Set Antitrust Precedent
- The Sherman Antitrust Act anchors U.S. antitrust law and targeted early 20th-century monopolies.
- The 1911 Standard Oil case declared Standard Oil an illegal monopoly and established the rule-of-reason precedent.