Nathanael D Snow

Just finished another book. This one was assigned reading for a course I am taking next term, Marcoeconomics. The Choice: A Fable of Free Trade nd Protectionism, by Russel Roberts, was a quick read, probably more so for mebecause of my familiarity with the concepts and terms it expounded. In the story English Economist David Ricardo returns to 1960's America a la the angel Clarence in It's A Wonderful Life. He comes down to prevent a minor political speech that may turn America into a protectionist nation. The surrounding economics, especially the Theory of Competitve Advantage, which Roberts renames the Roundabout Way to Wealth, are explored using the socratic method as Ricardo and the invented protagonist, Ed Johnson, a television manufacturer, discuss consequences of vairous government trade actions. Ricardo convinces Johnson that free trade benefits all in the long run, and puts some opaque economic theories into slightly less opaque vernacular. There are no graphs a...

I just finished reading The Road to Serfdom by F. A. Hayek. I think I will need to read it again someday. I get the general idea, and took extensive notes. It definately inspired some thought. These are some of the things I wrote in the margins: Do we want freedom from men or from responsibility? This seems to be the question of every teenager. Do I want free from Dad? Then i must face responsibility and provide for myself. Do I want to be free from responsibility? Then I must go back home and live by Dad's rules. No wonder dictators paint themselves as fathers. Trouble is, too many peoples are content to remain children rather than mature into free men. "The systematic study of the forms of legal institutions which will amke the competitive system work efficiently has been sadly neglected." This is something I want to look into more, through studying the development of common law. There are a couple of books on my shelf that I hope will increase my understa...

I'm reading a couple of books right now. I'm listening to 1776 by David McCollough on Audio book on my way to and from work every day. That's pretty cool. I had read John Adams, by the same author, and enjoyed it, but the length of his books led me to try listening instead. Of course, it is still the unabbridged version. I'm also reading The Road to Serfdom by F.A. Hayek, the Austrian economist. It's a hard read, or at least the part I'm in right now is, but I am determined to finish it before school starts back up, and to start something new: The Wealth of Nations, by Adam Smith. Iwonder how many Economics majors have never read this book? How many Economics PROFESSORS have never read this book! I'm all into original sources, though. Oh, I'm also reading The Cost of Discipleship by Bonhoeffer. It's great. When I finish that I want to read Performing the Faith, by Stanley Hauerwas, which is about Bonhoeffer. I recently listened to A Loo...

I added a post to cafehayek.com in a discussion about immigration yesterday. My first semster back at school was hard, yet quite rewarding. I have registered for 15 hours next semester, quite a load, but I think the course work will be a little bit easier, and quite within my abilities. I hope to write more regularly and to give the only other person reding this something to respond to at some point. Thanks for checking in with me.