The Economics of Prohibition: The BLUNT Truth

Join the GMU Economics Society as we welcome GMU Professor Donald Boudreaux as he lectures on the economics of prohibition and the drug war.

Wednesday, April 18th

6:00pm :: Lecture and $0 Munchies

Enterprise 80

Attend the Facebook Event!

Professor Donald J. Boudreaux was the Chairman of the Department of Economics at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, from August 2001 to August 2009. Previously, he was president of the Foundation for Economic Education (1997-2001); Associate Professor of Legal Studies and Economics at Clemson University (1992-1997); and Assistant Professor of Economics at George Mason University (1985-1989).

During the Spring 1996 semester he was an Olin Visiting Fellow in Law and Economics at the Cornell Law School. His PhD in economics is from Auburn University (1986) and his law degree is from the University of Virginia (1992).

He has lectured, in the United States, Canada, Latin America, and Europe, on a wide variety of topics, including the nature of law, antitrust law and economics, and international trade. He is published in The Wall Street Journal, Investor's Business Daily, Regulation, Reason, Ideas on Liberty, The Washington Times, The Journal of Commerce, the Cato Journal, and several scholarly journals such as the Supreme Court Economic Review, Southern Economic Journal, Antitrust Bulletin, and Journal of Money, Credit, and Banking.

He is the author of Globalization (Greenwood Press, 2008) and has a blog with Russ Roberts entitled Cafe Hayek.

Caplan-Smith Debate Video

Check out the video of the debate between Bryan Caplan and Karl Smith on "How deserving are the poor?", courtesy of Terra Strong.

How Deserving are the Poor? Bryan Caplan vs. Karl Smith from GMU Economics-Society on Vimeo.

DEBATE: How Deserving Are The Poor?

Join the Economics Society in welcoming GMU Professor Bryan Caplan and UNC's Karl Smith as they debate the question, "How Deserving are The Poor?"

Wednesday, February 1st -- JC Meeting Room A
6:00pm - zero-price refreshments!
6:30pm - DEBATE

Attend the Facebook event!



Karl Smith joined UNC's School of Government in 2007 and writes for the blog Modeled Behavior. Prior to that, he was a graduate fellow at the Institute for Emerging Issues, where his work was focused on state and local tax reform. Smith holds a BA and a PhD in economics from North Carolina State University. Smith writes and consults primarily on issues of tax reform, structural deficit reduction and long-run public spending trends. He is also the developer of several interactive tax forecasting tools used by the North Carolina General Assembly and the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners.

Bryan Caplan is the Professor of Economics at George Mason University and blogger for EconLog. His first book, The Myth of the Rational Voter, was named "the best political book of the year" by the New York Times. His new book, Selfish Reasons to Have More Kids, is also a bestseller. He has published in the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, American Economic Review, Economic Journal, Journal of Law and Economics, and Intelligence, and appeared on 20/20 and C-SPAN.

Charles K. Rowley Video

Check out the video from the FFF event with Charles Rowley:

Charles K. Rowley "Liberty and the State: A Virginia Political Economy Perspective" from The Future of Freedom Foundation on Vimeo.

Larry White Lecture THURSDAY

Join the GMU Economics Society as we welcome economist and GMU professor Larry White as he lectures on "Central Banking and The Sovereign Debt Crisis" for the first Community Economics Forum co-sponsored by the GMU Economics Department!


THIS Thursday November 17th
7:30pm - Innovation Hall 105

Zero-price refreshments will be served. Attend the Facebook event HERE.




Lawrence H. White specializes in the theory and history of banking and money. He received his A.B. from Harvard and his Ph.D. from the University of California, Los Angeles. He previously taught at New York University, the University of Georgia, and the University of Missouri - St. Louis.

Professor White is the author of The Theory of Monetary Institutions (1999), Free Banking in Britain (2nd ed., 1995), and Competition and Cu rrency (1989). He is the editor of The History of Gold and Silver (3 vols., 2000), Free Banking (3 vols., 1993), and other volumes. His articles on monetary theory and banking history have appeared in the American Economic Review, the Journal of Economic Literature, the Journal of Money, Credit, and Banking, and other leading professional journals.

In 2008 he received the Distinguished Scholar Award of the Association for Private Enterprise Education. He has been a visiting research fellow at the American Institute for Economic Research, a visiting lecturer at the Swiss National Bank, and a visiting scholar at the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. Professor White is a co-editor of Econ Journal Watch and a member of the board of associate editors of the Review of Austrian Economics. He is a contributing editor to the Foundation for Economic Education's magazine The Freeman and an adjunct scholar of the Cato Institute.

"Liberty and the State: A Virginia Political Economy Perspective"

Join the GMU Economics Society and the Future of Freedom Foundation in welcoming economist, professor, and author Charles K. Rowley lecture on "Liberty and the State: A Virginia Political Economy Perspective"!

Wednesday, November 2nd
5:30 pm – Free Pizza ($0)
6:00 pm – Lecture with Q&A
8:00 pm – Social Hour at Brion’s Grille (across the street from George Mason in University Mall)


Check out the Facebook events for the Lecture and Social!


Biography:
Charles K. Rowley is a Professor of Economics at GMU and General Director of The Locke Institute. He is editor (joint) of 'Public Choice' (since May 1990), Honorary Lifetime President of The European Public Choice Society, founding editor of 'The International Review of Law and Economics' 1981-87, member of the Editorial Board of 'The Review of Austrian Economics', and memeber of the Academic Advisory Council of The Institute of Economic Affairs.

Dinner & Discussion of Adam Smith with Prof. Dan Klein

Join the GMU Economics Society in welcoming GMU Econ Prof. Daniel Klein to discuss Adam Smith's The Theory of Moral Sentiments. The Econ Society will be providing dinner with the discussion.

Wednesday, May 4th at 6:00pm

Enterprise 318

Daniel Klein is a Professor of Economics at George Mason University. He holds degrees from George Mason University and New York University, where in both cases he studied the classical liberal traditions of economics. His teaching focuses on economic principles and public policy issues.

Professor Klein has published research on policy issues including toll roads, urban transit, auto emission, credit reporting, and the Food and Drug Administration. He has also written on spontaneous order, the discovery of opportunity, the demand and supply of assurance, why government officials believe in the goodness of bad policy, and the relationship between liberty, dignity, and responsibility.
Klein is the coauthor of Curb Rights: A Foundation for Free Enterprise in Urban Transit, editor of Reputation: Studies in the Voluntary Elicitation of Good Conduct, and editor of What Do Economists Contribute?

Recently, Klein has coauthored with Alex Tabarrok a comprehensive Web site on the Food and Drug Administration (FDAReview.org), and co-edited with Fred Foldvary a book The Half-Life of Policy Rationales: How New Technology Affects Old Policy Issues (New York University Press, 2003).

Bryan Caplan on Selfish Reasons to Have More Kids

GMU Economics Professor Bryan Caplan will be giving a talk on his new book "Selfish Reasons to Have More Kids." After the talk, there will be Q&A and a social time with refreshments.

Wednesday, April 27th

at 5:30pm

in Lecture Hall Room 1

GMU Fairfax campus

Prof. Caplan was recently on Fox discussing his book:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GkA7mraYdw

Bryan Caplan is an Associate Professor of Economics at George Mason University and an adjunct scholar of the Cato Institute. His articles have appeared in the American Economic Review, the Economic Journal, the Journal of Law and Economics, Social Science Quarterly, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, and many other outlets.

Bryan Caplan is the author of The Myth of the Rational Voter: Why Democracies Choose Bad Policies. His current project is a new book, Selfish Reasons to Have More Kids: Why Being a Great Parent Is Less Work and More Fun Than You Think.

His webpage, http://www.bcaplan.com/, features both his academic research and his numerous other interests.

Bryan Caplan blogs on EconLog along with Arnold Kling and David Henderson.

Larry White Video

Below is the video for the FFF & GMU Econ Society lecture with Lawrence H. White held at George Mason University on Monday, April 4th.

Economic Liberty Lecture Series: Lawrence H. White from The Future of Freedom Foundation on Vimeo.

Larry White: The Threat to Sound Money and the Free Banking Solution

Join the GMU Econ Society & FFF in welcoming GMU Professor of Economics, Lawrence H. White.

Date: Monday, April 4th
5:30 pm – Free Pizza
6:00 pm – Talk with Q&A
7:30 pm – Social Hour at Brion’s Grille (across the street from George Mason)

Location:

Student Union Building II - Rooms 5-7
4450 Rivanna River Lane
Fairfax, VA

Topic: The Threat to Sound Money and the Free Banking Solution

Biography:
Lawrence H. White specializes in the theory and history of banking and money. He received his A.B. from Harvard and his Ph.D. from the University of California, Los Angeles. He previously taught at New York University, the University of Georgia, and the University of Missouri - St. Louis.

Professor White is the author of The Theory of Monetary Institutions (1999), Free Banking in Britain (2nd ed., 1995), and Competition and Currency (1989). He is the editor of The History of Gold and Silver (3 vols., 2000), Free Banking (3 vols., 1993), and other volumes. His articles on monetary theory and banking history have appeared in the American Economic Review, the Journal of Economic Literature, the Journal of Money, Credit, and Banking, and other leading professional journals.

In 2008 he received the Distinguished Scholar Award of the Association for Private Enterprise Education. He has been a visiting research fellow at the American Institute for Economic Research, a visiting lecturer at the Swiss National Bank, and a visiting scholar at the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. Professor White is a co-editor of Econ Journal Watch and a member of the board of associate editors of the Review of Austrian Economics. He is a contributing editor to the Foundation for Economic Education's magazine The Freeman and an adjunct scholar of the Cato Institute.

Political and Economic Change in Egypt and the Middle East

Join the Mercatus Center and GMU Econ Society in welcoming four panelists to discuss the recent changes in Egypt: Dr. Ramachandran, Chris Coyne, Jack A. Goldstone, and Peshwaz Faizulla.

Thursday, March 3rd at 6pm

Johnson Center Bistro (GMU Fairfax Campus)

The majority of the event will be centered around Q&A, so come prepared with your questions for the panelists!

Dr. Ramachandran recently retired after some 25 fascinating years working on a wide range of issues and countries at the World Bank and the IMF: banking reforms in Latin America, privatisation in Eastern Europe and the transformation of their economies, and the financial crisis of East Asia. This operational experience was leavened by some years in the Operations Evaluation Department examining the effectiveness of the World Bank’s loans and country assistance. He has also contributed to and authored major reports including "Economic Growth in the 1990s: Learning from a Decade of Reform" the Development Policy Review report on Egypt and most recently "Natural Hazards, UnNatural Disasters: The Economics of Effective Prevention."

Chris Coyne is the F.A. Harper Professor of Economics at the Mercatus Center and a member of the Department of Economics at George Mason University. He is also the North American Editor of The Review of Austrian Economics, a member of the Board of Scholars for the Virginia Institute for Public Policy, and he was named the Hayek Fellow at the London School of Economics in 2008. He received his Ph.D. in Economics from George Mason University and has since authored and edited numerous academic articles, book chapters, and policy studies. Prof. Coyne is the author of "After War: The Political Economy of Exporting Democracy."

Jack A. Goldstone is the Virginia E. and John T. Hazel Professor of Public Policy and a Senior Fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. He received his Ph.D. in sociology from Harvard University. He has previously taught at Northwestern University and the University of California, Davis, where he was Professor of Sociology and International Relations. He has authored or edited ten books and published over one hundred articles in books and scholarly journals. He is currently director of the Center for Global Policy in Mason’s School of Public Policy, and editor of Foreign Policy Bulletin.

Peshwaz Faizulla is currently an editor for the Atlas Economic Research Foundation, working with their Kurdish and Persian websites. Prior to beginning this work, he was managing editor of Hawlati, the highest circulated newspaper in northern Iraq, and on the editorial board of the independent news agency, Voices of Iraq. He received his BA in English from Suliemany University, and his MS in Journalism from Columbia University in New York.

Don Boudreaux's "Liberty, Legislation, and Law" VIDEO

Professor Boudreaux's talk on "Liberty, Legislation, and Law" is now up - check out the video!

http://www.fff.org/comment/com1010c.asp

This Week's Upcoming Events

GMU Economics Society Meeting
Wednesday, September 22nd, at 5:00pm
Enterprise 318


Atlas Liberty Café with Peter Boettke
Wednesday, September 22nd at 10am
At the Cato Institute
1000 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC

The Atlas Economic Research Foundation hosts monthly Liberty Café’s. This month’s Liberty Café will focus on the Wall Street Journal article, "Spreading Hayek, Spurning Keynes." George Mason University Professor of Economics Dr. Peter J. Boettke will discuss the current economic crisis, its causes and a free market response. To RSVP for the event, please contact Anca.Rusu@atlasnetwork.org.

A couple of us will be going in together - we're taking the Mason to Metro shuttle at 8:40am and then taking the metro in - if you'd like to join, meet at the Mason to Metro Shuttle Stop right by Rappahannock Parking Deck. Email me at liya02@gmail.com for details or questions.

Facebook event: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=145624268808425#!/event.php?eid=154405574577515&ref=ts


Cato on Campus: Balancing Liberty and Security in an Age of Terrorism
Friday, September 24th at 4:00pm
At the Cato Institute
1000 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC

Come out to the FIRST DC Forum For Freedom Event at the Cato Institute. The event will be featuring David Rittgers, Legal Policy Analyst, Cato Institute; and Michael German, National Security Policy Counsel, American Civil Liberties Union; moderated by Chip Bishop, Manager of Student Programs, Cato Institute.

This will be a great opportunity to meet the Cato Scholars as well as other students from George Washington University, Georgetown, American, Maryland—and more! There will be a FREE reception to follow. To register: http://www.cato.org/events/100924sf.html

If you want to metro in, a bunch of us will be meeting at at the Mason to Metro shuttle at 2:40pm and taking the metro in - if you'd like to join, meet at the Mason to Metro Shuttle Stop right by Rappahannock Parking Deck. Email me at liya02@gmail.com for details or questions. The dress code is business casual. After the event & reception, there will be the Mason Liberty Social (see next event below for details).

Facebook event: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=145624268808425#!/event.php?eid=152252314795032&ref=ts


Mason Students For Liberty Social
Friday, September 24th at 6:30pm
Hunan Number 1 - 3033 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, VA

Hunan happy hours have been a great way for Mason and DC area liberty groups to come together! Come join Mason Liberty again this year for great discussion and networking-Friday, September 24th at 6:30 pm. If you’ll be at the Cato for Campus Event on Friday, all of us will be heading to the social after the Cato event. Hope to see you guys there!

Facebook event: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=145624268808425


Economics Society Discussion Group
Wednesday, September 29th at 5pm
Enterprise 318

Next week’s reading will be the first History of Economic Thought paper of the semester before we dive into specific schools of thought. Email us so we can send you the paper!

Be sure to come out to the discussion group and bring your questions!

Additionally, we’ll start using the Econ Discussion Group on Facebook, so be sure to join that as well: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=160522500628158&ref=ts



Reminders:


Students for Liberty Mid-Atlantic Conference
Saturday, October 9th
Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA

Have you registered for the Students For Liberty Mid-Atlantic Conference yet? If you haven’t be sure to do so ASAP! Join Students For Liberty in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania birthplace of the Declaration of Independence as Drexel University’s Student Liberty Front hosts the 2010 Mid-Atlantic Regional Students For Liberty Conference. Come meet fellow students as we improve our knowledge and understand of individualism and free markets. The Mid-Atlantic Conference is your opportunity to meet other students interested in similar ideas and some of the biggest names in the liberty movement. Leave with the skills necessary to be a leader for liberty on campus, a stronger intellectual framework, connections to new friends and organizations dedicated to liberty, and a revitalized vision for the future of the freedom movement. As of now, there are over 100 registered students – you don’t want to miss out!

Registration and attendance is FREE, as are all of the events and meals during the day-long conference. Several members of the GMU Econ Society have already registered, and we're planning on carpooling up there - so if concern over transportation is holding you back, worry no longer! If you have registered for the conference and need a ride, email us back ASAP so we can start planning. And if you’ve registered and would LIKE to drive, let us know how many you’re able to take. The drive is about 2-2 ½ hours. Additionally, accommodations will be taken care of as well – just be sure to note that in your registration application and they will get you connected to stay with students at Drexel. To find out more about the conference and to register, visit: http://politicalconferences.org/2009/10/philadelphia-conference/.

Facebook event: http://www.facebook.com/?sk=messages&tid=1188099640258#!/event.php?eid=110082322375037&ref=ts


Fall 2010 Economics Department Welcome Reception
Thursday, September 23, 3-4:30pm
Economics Department, Enterprise 354

Econ majors and minors are invited to come enjoy refreshments and meet professors and advisers. This is a great way to meet other economics students, as well as a way to get to talk to your professors outside of a classroom environment. There will also be a raffle...you can win some free books (possibly signed by some of your professors)!

Atlas Liberty Cafe with Peter Boettke

Atlas Economic Liberty Cafe with Peter Boettke
Spreading Hayek, Spurning Keynes

This month’s Liberty Café will focus on the Wall Street Journal article, "Spreading Hayek, Spurning Keynes." George Mason University Professor of Economics Peter Boettke will discuss the current economic crisis, its causes and a free market response.

Wednesday, September 22nd
at 10:00am
Cato Institute,
1000 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC

A couple of us will be going in together - we're taking the Mason to Metro shuttle at 8:40am and then taking the metro in - if you'd like to join, meet at the Mason to Metro Shuttle Stop right by Rappahannock Parking Deck. Email gmueconsociety@gmail.com for details or questions.

Hope to see you there!

Bryan Caplan on “Immigration Restrictions--A Solution in Search of a Problem”

Economic Liberty Lecture Series: Bryan Caplan
“Immigration Restrictions--A Solution in Search of a Problem”
Monday, September 13th, 5:30pm
Johnson Center Cinema (bottom floor)

We will be having dinner, a lecture by GMU Economics Professor Bryan Caplan, and a social hour at Brion’s Grille.

5:30 pm – Free Pizza
6:00 pm – Talk with Q&A
7:30 pm – Social Hour at Brion’s Grille (across the street from George Mason)
ADMISSION: FREE

SPEAKER: Bryan Caplan is an Associate Professor of Economics at George Mason University and an adjunct scholar of the Cato Institute. His articles have appeared in the American Economic Review, the Economic Journal, the Journal of Law and Economics, Social Science Quarterly, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, and many other outlets.

Bryan Caplan is the author of The Myth of the Rational Voter: Why Democracies Choose Bad Policies. His current project is a new book, Selfish Reasons to Have More Kids: Why Being a Great Parent Is Less Work and More Fun Than You Think.

His webpage, http://www.bcaplan.com, features both his academic research and his numerous other interests.

Bryan Caplan blogs on EconLog along with Arnold Kling and David Henderson.

Social Hour: At Brion’s Grille, across the street from George Mason. 10621 Braddock Road
Fairfax, VA 22032-2200

Questions? Need directions to the campus or room? Email us! gmueconsociety@gmail.com

Upcoming September Events

First GMU Economics Society Meeting
Wednesday, September 8th, 5pm
Enterprise 318

Come out to the first GMU Economics Society meeting to learn more about the Econ Society and ways to get involved, help with planning events, and share your ideas for events this year! This is a great way to meet the new officers, other members, and Economics students!

Economic Liberty Lecture Series: Bryan Caplan
“Immigration Restrictions--A Solution in Search of a Problem”
Monday, September 13th, 5:30pm
Johnson Center Cinema (bottom floor)

We will be having dinner, a lecture by GMU Economics Professor Bryan Caplan, and a social hour at Brion’s Grille.

5:30 pm – Free Pizza
6:00 pm – Talk with Q&A
7:30 pm – Social Hour at Brion’s Grille (across the street from George Mason)
ADMISSION: FREE

SPEAKER: Bryan Caplan is an Associate Professor of Economics at George Mason University and an adjunct scholar of the Cato Institute. His articles have appeared in the American Economic Review, the Economic Journal, the Journal of Law and Economics, Social Science Quarterly, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, and many other outlets.

Bryan Caplan is the author of The Myth of the Rational Voter: Why Democracies Choose Bad Policies. His current project is a new book, Selfish Reasons to Have More Kids: Why Being a Great Parent Is Less Work and More Fun Than You Think.

His webpage, http://www.bcaplan.com, features both his academic research and his numerous other interests, including the online Museum of Communism.

Bryan Caplan blogs on EconLog along with Arnold Kling and David Henderson.

Social Hour: At Brion’s Grille, across the street from George Mason. 10621 Braddock Road
Fairfax, VA 22032-2200


Fall 2010 Economics Department Welcome Reception
Thursday, September 23rd, 3-4:30pm
Economics Department, Enterprise Hall 354

Econ majors and minors are invited to come enjoy refreshments and meet professors and advisers. This is a great way to meet other economics students, as well as a way to get to talk to your professors outside of a classroom environment. There will also be a raffle...you can win some free books (possibly signed by some of your professors)!

Questions? Email us: gmueconsociety@gmail.com

Video: Larry White on Sound Money

The video for Larry White's lecture on Sound Money is available here -- be sure to check it out!

http://www.soundmoneyproject.org/?p=1335

Separation of Health & State Debate Video

All,

The video for Debate over the Separation of Health & State with Economists Bryan Caplan and David Balan is now up!

Debate: Separation of Health & State from GMU Econ Society on Vimeo.

This is only the debate portion -- unfortunately the audience Q&A did not come out due to technical difficulties.

Dr. Caplan also set-up a resource page where you can have access to the opening statements by both debaters, the PowerPoint slides, and the video, check it out:

http://econfaculty.gmu.edu/bcaplan/hsdeb.htm

DEBATE: The Separation of Health & State

The GMU Economics Society will be hosting a debate entitled "The Separation of Health & State" between GMU Economics Professor Bryan Caplan and Economist David Balan.

Wednesday, March 24th at 5pm

Enterprise 80 (George Mason University -- Fairfax Campus)

The Resolution: "Significant governmental involvement in health care is both economically sensible and morally just."

Dr. David Balan will defend the motion that "Significant governmental involvement in health care is both economically sensible and morally just," while Dr. Bryan Caplan will oppose the motion and advocate for a separation between health and state.

Event Schedule:

Opening Statements by both debaters

Debate -- with moderator

Closing Statements

Audience Q&A

Refreshments with speakers and attendees

Come out to see the arguments for both sides and determine the winner of this important issue. This is definitely an event you don't want to miss out on -- mark your calendars!

Questions? Need Directions? Email us! gmueconsociety@gmail.com

Russ Roberts' "Fear the Boom and Bust" a Hayek vs. Keynes Rap Anthem

A highly entertaining and educational video.... a must-watch. Enjoy & spread the word: