James Broughel

James Broughel is a Research Fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University.

The Irrationality of Market Failure Theory

The Irrationality of Market Failure Theory

The economic principles underlying cost-benefit analysis exclude future impacts.

The Value of a Statistical Life is Not Efficient

The Value of a Statistical Life is Not Efficient

Over-reliance on the VSL measure often leads to excessive consideration and regulation of risk.

Putting the Horse Before the Cart in Cost-Benefit Analysis

Putting the Horse Before the Cart in Cost-Benefit Analysis

Regulators must measure welfare using transparent methods before determining the policies themselves.

The Myopic Short-Termism of the Value of a Statistical Life

The Myopic Short-Termism of the Value of a Statistical Life

The primary drawback of the VSL is that it fails to account for future generations’ valuation of benefits and costs.

Rethinking the Value of a Statistical Life

Rethinking the Value of a Statistical Life

It is time to reconsider the value of the VSL in policy analysis.

Make Benefit-Cost Analysis Meaningful

Make Benefit-Cost Analysis Meaningful

Regulatory benefit-cost analysis should account for people’s welfare, not just empirical data.

How Much of an Income Drop Will Take a Life?

How Much of an Income Drop Will Take a Life?

Policymakers should consider the impact of their decisions on not just wealth, but also human life.