Audio Mises Wire - What Is the Rationale Behind Current US Tariff Policy?

The Trump administration has pursued a high tariff policy, reversing the movement to lower trade barriers around the world. The justification for this policy is the presence of trade deficits with other nations. However, what if US trade deficits don't matter?

Original article: https://mises.org/mises-wire/what-rationale-behind-current-us-tariff-policy

 

 

Audio Mises Wire - Is Culture Degeneration Biological or Ideological?

Why do cultures degenerate? At the recent Natal Conference, Robin Hanson cites biological and evolutionary factors. However, if one looks to Mises and the Austrians, we look squarely at human action that begins with the human mind and purposeful action.

Original article: https://mises.org/mises-wire/culture-degeneration-biological-or-ideological

 

 

Audio Mises Wire - Price Controls and Drug Shortages in France: A Textbook Case of the Evils of Interventionism

France is facing critical shortages of a number of drugs, and one need look no further for a cause than a price control regime. Naturally, the French media and government blame capitalism and look to double down on the intervention that has causes this crisis.

Original article: https://mises.org/mises-wire/price-controls-and-drug-shortages-france-textbook-case-evils-interventionism

 

 

More or Less: Behind the Stats - Is the UN underestimating the global fall in fertility?

Every two years, the UN release their predictions for the future population of humanity ? currently expected to peak in the 2080s at around 10.3 billion people.

One of the things they use to work this out is the fertility rate, the number of children the average woman is expected to have in her lifetime. When this number falls below 2, the overall population eventually falls. In this episode of More or Less, we look at the fertility estimates for one country ? Argentina. The graph of the real and predicted fertility rate for that country looks quite strange.

The collected data ? that covers up to the present day ? shows a fertility rate that?s falling fast. But the predicted rate for the future immediately levels out. The strangeness has led some people to think that the UN might be underestimating the current fall in global fertility.

To explain what?s going on we speak to Patrick Gerland, who runs the population estimates team in the United Nations Population Division.

Presenter / producer: Tom Colls Production co-ordinator: Brenda Brown Sound mix: Sue Maillot Editor: Richard Vadon