How to Balance Freedom and Security

"The world after 9/11 has led many Western countries to rethink their security policies, but where does the limit lie between protecting citizens and eroding their civil liberties?" asks Der Spiegel.

Is Democracy the Best Setting for Growth?

Daron Acemoglu and Edward Glaeser answer this question.

The Tale of Two Bids

Private equity goes after Britain’s Boots.

Who Are the Jihadists in Europe

In the Der Spiegel :"242 jihadists, 31 attacks, 28 networks. After examining militant Islamism in Europe, researchers have found that self-recruitment is on the rise among terrorist leader Osama bin Laden's Eurofighters, and that there is no such thing as a standard terrorist".

Michael Jensen

David Warsh writes:"By any measure, Michael Jensen is an interesting figure. After graduating from Macalester College in 1962, he learned economics at the University of Chicago in the mid-1960s, and became co-founder in 1973 of the Journal of Financial Economics that, along with two other scientific journals, launched a revolution in quantitative finance -- portfolio selection, options pricing and all that. His 1976 paper with William Meckling, "Theory of the Firm: Managerial Behavior, Agency Costs and Ownership Structure" started another revolution, and quickly became one of the most-cited papers in all of present-day economics". Read the rest here.

Is Transition from Communism Possible?

Sam Vaknin writes:"Can Socialist Professors of Economics Teach Capitalism? Is Transition from Communism Possible? Lest you hold your breath to the end of this article - the answers to both questions in the title are no and no. Capitalism cannot be "learned" or "imported" or "emulated" or "simulated". Capitalism (or, rather, liberalism) is not only a theoretical construct. It is not only a body of knowledge. It is a philosophy, an ideology, a way of life, a mentality and a personality".

A Brand New Journal in Economics

A new journal in economics, economics-ejournal. The journal is free, quick, democratic, widely disseminated, convenient and up to date.