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Cooperation and Coercion by Antony Davies & James R. Harrigan
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Cooperation and Coercion

How Busybodies Became Busybullies and What that Means for Economics and Politics

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Narrator Pat Grimes

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Length 4 hours 39 minutes
Language English
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There are only two ways that humans work together: they cooperate with one another, or they coerce one another. And once you realize this fundamental fact, it will change how you see the world.

In this myth-busting book, Antony Davies and James R. Harrigan display their wisdom and talent for explaining complex topics, which have attracted a devoted audience to their weekly podcast, Words & Numbers, and made them popular speakers around the country.

By looking for cooperation and coercion in everyday life, they help make sense of a wide range of issues that dominate the public debate. Youโ€™ll come away from this book with a clear understanding of everything from the minimum wage to taxes, from gun control to government regulations, from the War on Terror to the War on Drugs to the War on Poverty.

It turns out that coercion is necessary...sometimes. Even in a democracy, we all abide by rules, including plenty that we donโ€™t agree with, in the name of getting along.

But in the end, Davies and Harrigan show that cooperation, without question, is the key to human happiness and progress. The more we encourage it, the better off we all are.

Antony Davies is the Milton Friedman Distinguished Fellow at the Foundation for Economic Education and the associate professor of economics at Duquesne University. The co-host of the weekly podcast Words & Numbers, he writes frequently for The Philadelphia Inquirer and the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, and he also has written for The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, and many other publications.

James R. Harrigan is the F. A. Hayek Distinguished Fellow at the Foundation for Economic Education and the director of education at the Freedom Center at the University of Arizona. He co-hosts the Words & Numbers podcast and has written for The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, The Philadelphia Inquirer, and a host of other outlets. Previously, he served as dean of the American University of Iraq, Sulaimani.

Pat Grimes is an experienced voice actor. When not recording, he can be found writing, playing guitar, singing, traveling, or doting on his small dog, Charlie. Born in Los Angeles, he now makes his home in Ypsilanti, Michigan.

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