How did religious freedom emerge — and why did it arrive so late? In their forthcoming book, fellow Mason economists Noel Johnson and Mark Koyama argue that while most focus on the role of liberal ideas in establishing religious freedom, it was instead institutional changes — and the growth of state capacity in particular — that played the decisive role.
In their conversation with Tyler, Johnson and Koyama discuss the ‘long road to religious freedom’ and more, including the link between bad weather and Jewish persecution, why China evolved into such a large political unit, whether the Black Death proves Paul Romer wrong, scapegoating, usury prohibitions in history, and the economic impact of volcanic eruptions.
Follow Noel on Twitter
Follow Mark on Twitter
Follow Tyler on Twitter
More CWT goodness:
Noubar Afeyan on the Permission to Leap
Conversations with Tyler 2020 Retrospective
John O. Brennan on Life in the CIA
Zach Carter on the Life and Legacy of John Maynard Keynes
Jimmy Wales on Systems and Incentives
Edwidge Danticat on Haitian Art and Literature
Michael Kremer on Economists as Founders
Audrey Tang on the Technology of Democracy
Alex Ross on Music, Culture, and Criticism
Matt Yglesias on Why the Population is Too Damn Low
Jason Furman on Productivity, Competition, and Growth
Nicholas Bloom on Management, Productivity, and Scientific Progress
Nathan Nunn on the Paths to Development
Melissa Dell on the Significance of Persistence
Annie Duke on Poker, Probabilities, and How We Make Decisions
Rachel Harmon on Policing
Ashley Mears on Status and Beauty
Paul Romer on a Culture of Science and Working Hard
Adam Tooze on our Financial Past and Future
Glen Weyl on Fighting COVID-19 and the Role of the Academic Expert
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
Navigating Life After 40
Teaching Learning Leading K-12
Regenerative Skills
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
The Mel Robbins Podcast