Art Calden wrote a great article this morning about the great economic progress we’ve made over the past two centuries. the “Born in freedom or in sin? Exploitation and modern prosperity,” econ ribNovember 4, 2024.
One excerpt:
we are wealthy: rich, interconnection, civilizedand health. What does this mean?
First of all, I’m talking about people who are lucky enough to win the lottery geographically and historically and find themselves living in European countries, or their derivatives, the United States and Canada. If you are reading this, you are very likely part of the richest 5% of people on the planet, and the richest 1% of people who have ever lived.
I have often pointed out in my talks that the most valuable asset many Americans have is their American citizenship, even if they own few tangible assets.
Art also writes:
Today’s leading causes of death are not pathogens or war, but diseases such as cancer that are caused by the elderly and the wealthy. More people will die from cancer because more people will live long enough obtain cancer.
Then I remembered what the late Aaron Wildavsky and his son Adam Wildavsky wrote:Risk and safetyEdited by David R. Henderson, A concise encyclopedia of economics:
Meanwhile, the number of deaths from cancer continues to rise, but the increase is slowing, and the number of deaths from major cardiovascular diseases remains high.Why does this discrepancy occur?Cancer is primarily a disease of the elderly. When people died at about half their current life expectancy, they died before they had a chance to get cancer, if you might call it that.
Note: Pictured above is Aaron Wildavsky.
