The economics of labor markets, discrimination in labor markets, international labor movement, and immigration

Roberts on the Least Pleasant Jobs

April 21, 2008, Featuring Russ Roberts

EconTalk host Russ Roberts talks about the claim that for capitalism to succeed there have to be people at the bottom to do the unpleasant tasks and that the rich thrive because of the suffering of those at the bottom. He critiques the idea that capitalism is a zero sum game where to get ahead, someone has to fall back. He also looks at the evolution of the least pleasant jobs over time and how technology interacts with rising productivity to make the least pleasant jobs more pleasant.

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Munger on Fair Trade and Free Trade

December 03, 2007, Featuring Mike Munger

Munger.jpgMike Munger, frequent guest and longtime Econlib contributor, speaks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about fair trade coffee and free trade agreements. Does the premium for fair trade coffee end up in the hands of the grower? What economic forces might stop that from happening? They discuss the business strategy of using higher wages as a marketing strategy to attract concerned consumers. They turn to the issue of free trade agreements. If the ideal situation is open borders to foreign products, is it still worthwhile to negotiate bilateral and multilateral agreements that requires delays, exemptions and a bureaucracy to enforce? What is the cost of including environmental and various labor market regulations in these agreements?

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Time: 58:58
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Leamer on Outsourcing and Globalization

July 09, 2007, Featuring Ed Leamer

Is outsourcing good for America? How does foreign competition affect wages in the United States? Ed Leamer, professor of economics at UCLA, talks about the effects of outsourcing on wages, jobs, and the U.S. standard of living. Drawing on a review of Thomas Friedman's The World is Flat, Leamer talks with host Russ Roberts about technology, trade, productivity and inequality.

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Time: 1:05:09
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Mike Munger on the Division of Labor

April 02, 2007, Featuring Mike Munger

Michael MungerMike Munger of Duke University and EconTalk host Russ Roberts talk about specialization, the role of technology in aiding specialization and how the division of labor creates wealth.

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Time: 1:01:37
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Caplan on Discrimination and Labor Markets

December 04, 2006, Featuring Bryan Caplan

Caplan.jpgBryan Caplan and Russ Roberts discuss the economics of discrimination and government's regulation of labor markets. They talk about the role of the profit motive in reducing or eliminating discrimination and the role of government, particularly in European labor markets. When does government regulation reduce or enforce discrimination? How do other labor market regulations affect employment and unemployment? What is the impact on the European and American standard of living? Does money buy happiness? Does it depend on whether it is earned or received as welfare? These are some of the topics that come up in this wide-ranging conversation.

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Time: 57:45
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