Economy
Discover facts about economy. Small discoveries that change the way you see familiar things.
Economy
How the Pac-Man defense fights a takeover
A company under a hostile takeover can try to buy the very firm pursuing it. That “Pac-Man” move forces the would-be buyer to defend itself, turning a one-way…
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Every phone pays hidden patent royalties
A phone maker can build the handset, but it still has to pay the owners of patents covering standard technologies inside it. Those patents cover technology…
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Short squeezes force massive institutional panic buying
The price rises, short sellers rush to buy shares to cover their bets, and that buying can drive the price up further. The move they were betting against can…
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Corporate stock buybacks artificially boost shares
A company can make its per-share numbers rise without improving the business: buy back shares, and the same results are divided among fewer shares. That can…
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Russian emperors taxed individuals instead of land
Peter the Great’s tax collector did not need to measure a peasant’s land to set the bill. Every male peasant owed the same flat amount, regardless of ability…
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Medieval peasants had to pay to use an oven
Under banalités, baking at home wasn’t necessarily an option: the local lord could require peasants to use his oven and charge them for it. Even dinner came…
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One country accounted for a third of world military spending in 2025
SIPRI estimated U.S. military expenditure at $954 billion, or 33 percent of the global total. The scale is easier to grasp as a share of the whole than as a…
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Venice made arriving by boat a source of revenue
The maritime republic collected duties connected with landing, anchoring, storing goods, and trade. A busy port brought more than customers: it created…
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United States completely lacks mandated family leave
A parent may need time off just as household expenses rise. Federal law does not require employers to make that leave paid.
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A moat appeared in Britain's MPs' expenses scandal
Douglas Hogg's submitted household-expense paperwork included the cost of clearing a moat. He disputed having specifically claimed that amount but agreed to…
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Maintaining giant stone heads requires constant funding
Finishing the carvings didn’t finish the bill. They still need monitoring and structural repairs, so federal park budgets have to keep funding the work.
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Former leaders receive massive pensions and secret service
Leaving office doesn’t end the bill for former leaders. Taxpayers may keep paying for their travel, staff and personal security for life.
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How two team owners earned millions by stepping aside
Two owners stepped aside during a league merger and kept a small piece of future TV revenue. The deal turned out to be worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
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The Panama Canal charges swimmers by displacement
For an eccentric swimmer, the Panama Canal toll comes in below a dollar. A large cargo ship can face a bill in the hundreds of thousands, so the canal’s…
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French radio quotas protect a language, not just a passport
The rules reserve a share of songs for French-language music, with requirements that vary by station format. A singer doesn't have to be a French citizen for…
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London charges drivers heavily to enter the city center
A daily charge makes driving into central London costlier, so some drivers may leave the car behind rather than pay to enter. The city uses the fee to…
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A road game can create an athlete's next tax bill
States with income taxes can claim a share of a visiting athlete's earnings for work performed there. Teams track working days across jurisdictions, turning a…
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France made after-hours work messages a labor issue
The right to disconnect brought digital availability into workplace negotiations. Employers and employee representatives covered by the rules must address how…
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In France, private firms run the highways
Drivers pay at toll gates to use France’s autoroutes, which private consortia operate. A highway trip comes with a direct charge at the gate.
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Arkansas taxes the tattooing service, not just the ink bottle
Its gross-receipts rules explicitly include tattooing, body piercing, and electrolysis as taxable services. The legal definition of tattooing also covers…
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Where Santa's mail becomes a local industry
A huge pile of letters addressed to the North Pole lands in Rovaniemi every year. Handling hundreds of thousands of them has turned Santa’s mail into local…
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American domestic shipping must use locally built vessels
The law does not let just any ship carry goods from one U.S. port to another: the vessel must be American-built, American-owned, and American-crewed. That…
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Why some Italian awnings come with a fee
In several Italian towns, a shopkeeper can owe a fee because an awning shades the public pavement. The charge treats the patch of sidewalk under the shadow as…
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Traffic gridlock costs cities billions in productivity
Researchers add up the minutes drivers lose and the fuel burned while traffic crawls. Across a city’s daily jams, those small delays become a large bill for…
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