September 2016 Archives

September 27, 2016

New book explores the historical results of reforms and reformations

The Reformation in the 1500s was more than a movement started by Martin Luther. He played a crucial role, but there was more to it. Samuel Gregg recently reviewed a book for the Library of Law and Liberty that explains the historical significance of Catholic and Protestant reformations. Continue Reading...

September 27, 2016

How to understand the supply curve

Note: This is the third post in a weekly video series on basic microeconomics. The supply curve seems like an easy enough concept to understand: it’s a graphic representation of the relationship between the quantity of product that a seller is willing and able to supply at a particular price. Continue Reading...

September 26, 2016

Should religious exemptions be given even if they harm third parties?

“Religious liberty exemptions should be given as long as _____________.” How would you fill in the rest of that sentence? Most Americans (who are somewhat sympathetic to religious freedom) would say as long as “they don’t harm third-parties.” Continue Reading...

September 26, 2016

What WALL-E and Wilhelm Röpke teach us about work and economics

Humans have a tendency to daydream about a day or a place where work is no more, whether it be a retirement home on a golf course or a utopian society filled with leisure and merriment. Continue Reading...

September 26, 2016

Catholicism in a world of secular moralism

Acton Institute Director of Research, Samuel Gregg, wrote a piece for The Catholic World Report yesterday talking about Catholics in an age of secular moralism. Often times, Catholics fall into a trap of reducing their faith to various political, economic, and social agendas, losing sight of what is at the core of true Catholicism. Continue Reading...

September 26, 2016

A husband’s unemployment increases the risk of divorce

As I note every month when reporting on the latest unemployment data, jobs are one of the most important aspects of a morally functioning economy. They help us serve the needs of our neighbors and lead to human flourishing both for the individual and for communities. Continue Reading...

September 23, 2016

How Texas churches are fighting predatory lending on behalf of the poor

How should Christians address predatory lending that takes advantage of the poor when they are in dire straits? As I’ve argued before, I believe a helpful first step is to get churches and other faith-based organizations involved in providing short-term loans and financial counseling. Continue Reading...

September 23, 2016

Sarah Stanley: Profile of North Korean artist Sun Mu

Today at The Federalist, Acton associate editor Sarah Stanley penned an article profiling an artist from North Korea who goes by the name of Sun Mu. This profile is inspired by a recent documentary that highlights the life of the artist. Continue Reading...

September 22, 2016

What Christians should know about fractional reserve banking

Note: This is the latest entry in the Acton blog series, “What Christians Should Know About Economics.” For other entries in the series see this post. The Term: Fractional Reserve Banking What it Means: Understanding fractional reserve banking is easier if we separate what it is (which is rather simple to explain) and the effects the system produces (which is slightly more complicated). Continue Reading...

September 22, 2016

Acton Institute’s Assisi conference explores roots of poverty, engines of wealth

On September 12-14 the Acton Institute’s Rome office hosted its third annual “Economics, Development and Human Flourishing” conference in Assisi for seminarians and formation staff of the Vatican’s Pontifical Urban College. Continue Reading...