The Curious Task

Diana Thomas — Why Is Childcare So Expensive?

Alex Aragona speaks with Diana Thomas as she explores the factors that play into increasing childcare costs, and some potential solutions to the problem.

References

1. “Regulation and the Cost of Childcare” by Diana Thomas and Devon Gorry

Link: https://www.mercatus.org/students/research/working-papers/regulation-and-cost-child-care 

2. Child Care Aware of America

Link: https://www.childcareaware.org/

Vincent Geloso — Are Anarcho-Capitalists Insane?

Alex Aragona speaks with Vincent Geloso as he explores anarcho-capitalist economic concepts and whether there are real life examples to back them up.

References

1. Vincent’s Previous Episode “Should We Care About Equality” on The Curious Task Podcast

Link: https://thecurioustask.podbean.com/e/ep-28-vincent-geloso-%e2%80%94-should-we-care-about-inequality/ 

2. “Private Creation and Enforcement of Law: A Historical Case” by David Friedman

Link: https://www.jstor.org/stable/724116?seq=1 

3. “Are Anarcho-Capitalists Insane? Living Standards under Medieval Icelandic Conflict Institutions” by Vincent Geloso

Link: https://vincentgeloso.com/2020/04/06/are-anarcho-capitalists-insane-medieval-icelandic-living-standards-in-comparative-perspective/

4. “Trade or Raid: Acadian Settlers and Native Indians Before 1755” by Vincent Geloso

Link: https://vincentgeloso.com/2017/08/28/trade-or-raid-acadian-settlers-and-native-indians-before-1755/ 

5. “Dynamics of Interventionism and Economic Development in Quebec before 1854” by Vincent Geloso

Link: https://ebhsoc.org/journal/index.php/ebhs/article/view/313 

6. “State Capacity and Economic Development: Causal Mechanism or Correlative Filter?” by Vincent Geloso and Alexander Salter

Link: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3294086

Dan Griswold — Can You Win a Trade War?

Alex Aragona speaks with Dan Griswold as he explores the benefits of open markets and free trade, and whether you can "win" a trade war.

References

1. “Mad About Trade: Why Main Street America Should Embrace Globalization” by Daniel Griswold

Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Mad-About-Trade-America-Globalization/dp/193530819X 

2. “Section 232 Investigation on the Effect of Imports of Steel on U.S. National Security” by U.S Department of Commerce

Link: https://www.commerce.gov/issues/trade-enforcement/section-232-steel 

3. “China Section 301-Tariff Actions and Exclusions Process” by Office of the United States Trade Representative

Link: https://ustr.gov/issue-areas/enforcement/section-301-investigations/tariff-actions 

4. “Only Congress can end the China trade war quagmire” by Daniel Griswold

Link: https://www.mercatus.org/economic-insights/expert-commentary/only-congress-can-end-china-trade-war-quagmire 

5. “The Coronavirus Should Not Prompt Us to Rethink Globalization” by Daniel Griswold

Link: https://www.discoursemagazine.com/p/the-coronavirus-should-not-prompt-us-to-rethink-globalization 

6. “Daniel Griswold: Curbing globalization would compound coronavirus damage” by Daniel Griswold 

Link: https://www.twincities.com/2020/03/13/daniel-griswold-curbing-globalization-would-compound-coronavirus-damage/ 

7. “Daniel Griswold on US Demographic Decline and the Case for Expanding Immigration” by Daniel Griswold

Link: https://www.mercatus.org/macro-musings/daniel-griswold-us-demographic-decline-and-case-expanding-immigration 

8. “Clashing Over Commerce: A History of US Trade Policy” by Douglas Irwin

Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Clashing-over-Commerce-History-Policy/dp/022639896X 

9. “Death by China: Confronting the Dragon - A Global Call to Action” by Peter Navarro and Greg Autry

Link: https://www.amazon.com/Death-China-Confronting-Dragon-paperback/dp/0134319036

10. “United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement” by Office of the United States Trade Representative

Link: https://ustr.gov/trade-agreements/free-trade-agreements/united-states-mexico-canada-agreement

Kerry McDonald — Do We Need Schooling Alternatives?

Author of 'Unschooled' Kerry McDonald joins Alex Aragona to talk about how choice in education can allow children to lead happier and more fulfilled lives, and the positive impacts of taking education outside the conventional classroom. 

References from Episode 53 with Kerry McDonald:

• You can buy Kerry McDonald’s book, Unschooled: Raising Curious, Well-Educated Children Outside the Conventional Classroom, on Amazon Canada at this link.
• You can buy Noam Chomsky’s book, Chomsky on Mis-Education, which Alex references in the podcast, on Amazon Canada at this link.
• You can read more about Timothy Layton’s Harvard study on the mental effects of younger children starting school on the Harvard Gazette here.
• You can read more about the Vanderbilt study on the correlation between youth suicide attempts and the academic year at this link.
• You can read more about the Yale research study on the dissatisfaction of children in high school here.
• You can read Kerry McDonald’s Fee.org article on parents favouring homeschooling in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic here.