The Curious Task

Alex speaks with Mike Munger about the concept of monopoly and the history of anti-trust and industrial policy in America.  References 1. “Is Capitalism Sustainable?” by Michael Munger Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Capitalism-Sustainable-Michael-Munger/dp/1630691739  2. “Michael Munger on Antitrust” Podcast by Econlib Link: https://www.econtalk.org/michael-munger-on-antitrust/  3. “The Antitrust Laws” by the Federal Trade Commission Link: https://www.ftc.gov/advice-guidance/competition-guidance/guide-antitrust-laws/antitrust-laws  4. “The Antitrust Paradox” by Robert H. Borke Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Antitrust-Paradox-Robert-H-Bork/dp/1736089706  5. “Banking Act of 1933 (Glass-Steagall)” by Federal Reserve History Link: https://www.federalreservehistory.org/essays/glass-steagall-act#:~:text=The%20Glass%2DSteagall%20Act%20effectively,Roosevelt%20in%20June%201933

Alex speaks with Bryan Caplan about his novel solutions to the housing crisis, his affinity for graphic novels as a teaching tool, and the market-based approaches that are already working despite what our psychology is leading us to believe. References 1. “The Myth of the Rational Voter: Why Democracies Choose Bad Policies” by Bryan Caplan Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Myth-Rational-Voter-Democracies-Policies/dp/0691138737  2. “The Case Against Education: Why the Education System is a Waste of Time and Money” by Bryan Caplan Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Case-against-Education-System-Waste/dp/0691174652  3. “Open Borders: The Science and Ethics of Immigration” by Bryan Caplan Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Open-Borders-Science-Ethics-Immigration/dp/1250316960  4. “Selfish Reasons to Have More Kids: Why Being A Great Parent is Less Work and More Fun Than You Think” by Bryan Caplan Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Selfish-Reasons-Have-More-Kids/dp/0465028616  5. “Build, Baby, Build: The Science and Ethics of Housing Regulation” by Bryan Caplan Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Build-Baby-Science-Housing-Regulation/dp/1952223415  6. “Build, Baby, Build: Now Under Construction” by Bryan Caplan Link: https://www.econlib.org/build-baby-build-now-under-construction/  7. “Laisseze-faire” by Britannica Link: https://www.britannica.com/money/laissez-faire  8. “Labour Econ Versus the World: Essays on the World’s Greatest Market” by Bryan Caplan Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Labor-Econ-Versus-World-Greatest/dp/B09QF44HHG

Alex speaks with Andrew Smith about capitalist peace theory and discusses a Canadian case study as an example of mutually beneficial exchange leading to peace and prosperity.  References 1. “Canadian Entrepreneurs and the Preservation of the Capitalist Peace in the North Atlantic Triangle in the Civil War Era, 1861-1871” by Andrew D. Smith and Laurence B. Mussio Link: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/enterprise-and-society/article/abs/canadian-entrepreneurs-and-the-preservation-of-the-capitalist-peace-in-the-north-atlantic-triangle-in-the-civil-war-era-18611871/228FB9ECC4A2E2BA40799185F77B0239

Alex speaks with Adam Gurri about how the large umbrella of liberalism under which a number of movements, systems of thought, and ideological identities may have more in common than is often thought.  References 1. Liberal Currents Magazine Link: https://www.liberalcurrents.com/  2. Embodiment and Exclusion Blog Link: https://embodimentandexclusion.com/  3. Jacobin Magazine Link: https://jacobin.com/  4. “The Communitarian Critique of Liberalism” by Michael Walzer Link: https://www.ias.edu/sites/default/files/sss/pdfs/Walzer/CommunitarianCritiqueLiberalism.pdf  5. Matthew McMannis Articles Link: https://www.liberalcurrents.com/author/mattmcmanus/  6. “Private Government: How Employer’s Rule our Lives (and Why We Don’t Talk about It)” by Elizabeth Anderson Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Private-Government-Employers-Lives-about/dp/0691176515  7. Alex Aragona Articles Link: https://www.liberalcurrents.com/author/alexaragona/

Alex speaks with Chandran Kukathas about the costs of limiting immigration and what effects there may be on policy if the question of who counts as an immigrant is itself unclear. References 1. “Immigration and Freedom” by Chandran Kukathas Link: https://www.amazon.com/Immigration-Freedom-Chandran-Kukathas/dp/0691189684

Alex speaks with Steve Davies about the meaning of "Global Catastrophic Risk", and what it can reveal about how restructuring our understanding of big gambles can help us combat the threats of pandemics, climate change, and even technological singularity.  References 1. “Empiricism and History” by Stephen Davies Link: https://www.amazon.com/Empiricism-History-Theory-Stephen-Davies/dp/0333964705  2. “A Dictionary of Conservative and Libertarian Thought” by Nigel Ashford and Stephen Davies Link: https://www.amazon.com/Dictionary-Conservative-Libertarian-Routledge-Revivals/dp/0415670527  3. “Apocalypse Next: The Economics of Global Catastrophic Risk” by Stephen Davies Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Apocalypse-Next-Economics-Global-Catastrophic/dp/0255368216

Alex speaks with Dan Shahar about the ethical implications of meat-eating, activism in relation to problematic markets, and a tricky thought experiment involving aliens and cows.  References 1. “Environmental Ethics: What Really Matters, What Really Works” by David Schmidtz and Dan C. Shahar Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Environmental-Ethics-Really-Matters-Works/dp/0190259221  2. “Why It’s OK to Eat Meat” by Dan C. Shahar Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Why-Its-OK-Eat-Meat/dp/0367172763

Alex speaks with Professor Will Clare Roberts about Marx's life, his liberal past, and the relationship between the Marxist and liberal conceptions of freedom. References 1. “Marx’s Inferno: The Political Theory of Capitalism” by William Clare Roberts Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Marxs-Inferno-Political-Theory-Capital/dp/0691172900  2. “Capital: Volume I” by Karl Marx Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Capital-Critique-Political-Economy-Kapital-ebook/dp/B002XHNMN0  3. “The Civil War In France” by Karl Marx Link: https://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1871/civil-war-france/  4. “The Paris Commune” by Karl Marx Link: https://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1871/civil-war-france/ch05.htm  5. “The International Workingmen’s Association: General Rules, October 1864” by Karl Marx Link: https://www.marxists.org/history/international/iwma/documents/1864/rules.htm  6. “Free Time and Free People” by William Clare Roberts Link: https://lareviewofbooks.org/article/free-time-free-people/  7. “The Wealth of Nations” by Adam Smith  Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Wealth-Nations-Adam-Smith/dp/1680920960  8. “The Eighteenth Brumiare of Louis Bonaparte” by Karl Marx Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Eighteenth-Brumaire-Louis-Bonaparte-Karl/dp/0717800563  9. “Articles by Karl Marx in the New York Tribune, 1852-61” by Marxist Internet Archives Link: https://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/subject/newspapers/new-york-tribune.htm

Alex speaks with James Harrigan about popular culture as a source of social change and the many ways in which the export of American pop culture has shaped the world. References 1. “Brown v. Board of Education” by the National Archives Link: https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/brown-v-board-of-education  2. “Roe v. Wade” by Britannica Link: https://www.britannica.com/event/Roe-v-Wade

Alex speaks with Curious Task Executive Producer Matt Bufton and Producer Sabine El-Chidiac about topics related to freedom from 2021, and reflect on their favourite moments and accomplishments from the past year of The Curious Task.  References 1. “Welcoming Afghans to Canada” by the Government of Canada Link: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/refugees/afghanistan.html?utm_campaign=gac-amc-afghanistan-21-22&utm_source=countrypageafghanistan&utm_medium=notice&utm_content=en  2. “What is Classical Liberalism” The Curious Task Podcast Episode by Nigel Ashford Link: https://thecurioustask.podbean.com/e/ep-1-nigel-ashford-%E2%80%94-what-is-classical-liberalism/  3. “Is Scarborough the Dining Capitol of the World?” The Curious Task Podcast Episode by Tyler Cowen Link: https://thecurioustask.podbean.com/e/ep-100-tyler-cowen-%e2%80%94%c2%a0is-scarborough-the-dining-capital-of-the-world/  4. Learn more about the Institute for Liberal Studies here:  Link: https://www.liberalstudies.ca/about/  5. Learn more about Freedom Week hosted by the Institute for Liberal Studies here: Link: https://www.liberalstudies.ca/freedom-week/  6. “How do We Bridge Divides” The Curious Task Podcast Episode by Ben Klutsey Link: https://thecurioustask.podbean.com/e/ep-117-ben-klutsey/  7. “Do Markets Need Capitalism?” The Curious Task Podcast Episode by Gary Chartier Link: https://thecurioustask.podbean.com/e/ep-118-gary-chartier-do-markets-need-capitalism/