Econ's Brush with the Law
What happens when you take some of the most powerful people in America — federal judges — and you teach them economics?
In the 1970s, an academic named Henry Manne had a radical idea. He wanted to show judges the power, the clarity, the logic of economics. So he invited the judges on trips to fancy resorts — all expenses paid — where they would mingle and take lessons from famous economists like Milton Friedman and Paul Samuelson.
These two-week retreats became wildly popular. By 1990, some 40 percent of federal judges had gone— including two who ended up on the Supreme Court: Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Clarence Thomas. (Both of them, apparently, had a great time.)
Now, the evidence has come in. It seems that these economics retreats made a surprisingly strong impression on these judges. And American law may never be the same.
Music: "Nude Beach," "Arizona Moon," and "Arrivederci Mi Amore."
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