Podcast or Read? “Abraham Lincoln and the Role of Government in the Economy”

I read Michael Klein’s (executive editor of EconoFact) conversation with Roger Lowenstein on the role of government in the economy. It is not terribly long. Maybe 10-15 minutes in listening and a bit longer in reading for me. I like to read as I dwell on what I read. Then I will go back and read it again to make sure I understand what was being said. Two options here. You can listen to the Podcast or read the transcript. Either way is interesting to as you get to hear the conversation and determine the seriousness of the commenter.

Author: Roger Lowenstein In 1860, the United States had no national currency, no national bank, and no income tax. Lincoln had a vision of advancing the economic fortunes of the country and fostering greater economic equality through, for example, incentivizing railroads and creating land-grant universities. He and his Treasury Secretary Salmon Chase also faced the challenge of financing the hugely expensive Civil War. This week on EconoFact Chats, Roger Lowenstein describes how Lincoln and Chase revolutionized the role of the federal government, played a crucial part in the Union Army’s victory, and helped forge a national identity – a story that offers a mirror to the current debates over the role of government in building infrastructure and financing higher education as well as the burden of the national debt.

Podcast: “Abraham Lincoln and the Role of Government in the Economy” (Re-broadcast) | Econofact Chats

Read: “Abraham Lincoln and the Role of Government in the Economy” Econofact

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