In the 20th century, Japan was one of the world’s biggest success stories. During the previous century, Japan’s success was slowly being built. In the first half of the 19th century, Japan maintained its isolationist foreign policy of sakoku. That all changed with American Commodore Matthew Perry’s fateful naval expedition…

For Susette Kelo, owning a waterfront home was her dream. She realized her dream by purchasing a pink house in the Fort Trumbull area of New London, Connecticut in 1997. The house had a fantastic waterfront view, something most Americans would break their backs just to have. What Kelo enjoyed…

The United States has generally been viewed as a model country due to its respect of property rights and free enterprise. However, at certain points throughout its history, that image has been tested. One of the more notable examples took place during the administration of Harry S. Truman. Truman was…

Labor Day has been a time-honored tradition in America that is celebrated every first Monday in September. It commemorates the struggles workers faced during the industrial revolution, when the US transitioned from an agricultural to an industrial economy. The changes were rather profound. As factories dotted urban centers, mass production…

Once the dust settled from World War II, Italy was in tatters after coming out on the losing end of this devastating conflict. As the nation was left in total ruins, it also had to put up with high unemployment and inflation. Not exactly a recipe for robust economic…

Taxes are the single largest expense in most people’s lives. Yet, people spend so little time understanding the tax code and learning how they can benefit from it. The tax code is not a secret. It is public information that anyone can access. But our government has made it incredibly…

Inflation is in the economic air, and it’s not going away any time soon as some in the media would like you to believe. Contrary to popular belief, inflation is not a random economic occurrence. It’s the product of public policy. Namely, loose monetary policies that consist of maintaining artificially…

The 1970s were a decade of economic malaise for the United States. From the rising inflation to long lines at the gas station, Americans witnessed an unprecedented level of economic upheaval throughout this decade. All presidents — Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, and Jimmy Carter — during the 1970s had to…

Are we in for another housing collapse? That’s the million dollar question people are asking now in our time of economic uncertainty. Housing bubbles usually consist of a surge in housing prices that’s largely driven by heightened demand, speculation, and exorbitant spending. Bubbles of this nature usually begin with a…