As I record this episode in late March 2020, the world is living through the Coronavirus crisis. Recently my wife and I were discussing the toilet paper shortage. I explained that the reason there isn't any toilet paper now is because the stores did not raise the price when they saw a surge in demand. She argued that price gouging during a crisis is wrong and immoral. I tried to explain why it is actually a good thing. Full disclosure: She was not convinced. Hopefully you will be after listening.

We discuss some basic economic concepts like: What is a price and how do they fluctuate. Then we dive into the topic at hand - price gouging. This is followed by an examination of pandering politicians and price controls and the morality of price gouging. We wrap up the episode discussing the benefits of price gouging and whether or not these arguments hold up when a crisis is regional versus worldwide.

Show Notes

Bob Murphy - Hurricane Sandy and Gas Lines

John Stossel - Price Gouging

Walter E. Williams – Hillsdale College Speech

One or Two Cheers for Price Gougers; Three Cheers for Markets and No Cheers for Anti-Gouging Laws

Price Gouging Laws will do More Harm than Good During the Coronavirus Pandemic

A Primer on Price Gouging

Tom Woods Episode #987 - Price Gouging is Urgently Necessary

Words & Numbers Podcast - Price-Gouging Bans Don't Make Things Cheaper, They Make Them More Scarce.

Basic Economics, Thomas Sowell

Mises.org

• Anti-gouging Laws are the Reason There is a Toilet Paper Shortage
• 3 Good Things about “Price Gouging
• Price Gouging: A Life-Saving Market Mechanism

FEE.org

• Greedy Capitalists Take Advantage of People in Natural Disasters
• Texas Price Gougers are Hurricane Heroes

The Truth Quest Podcast Patron Page