Economics Archives - Herbert R. Sim

Platform Sovereignty: When Private Platforms Become Economic Institutions

April 30, 2023

My illustration entitled: "The Locked Audience" — Creators stand behind glass, separated from the communities they built on a platform they do not own. A platform is not merely a private service when l...

Self-Custody as Economic Infrastructure: From Access to Direct Control

April 30, 2021

Opinion, Visual Arts

My illustration entitled: "The Personal Vault" — An individual securely manages a glowing digital vault without intermediaries. Economic freedom is not secured when a person is merely allowed to use a ...

The Upgrade Trap: When Enhancement Becomes Economic Coercion

July 17, 2014

Opinion, Visual Arts

My illustration entitled: "The Race That Cannot Be Refused" - Office workers sprint on a futuristic treadmill toward a finish line labelled “Employability,” while upgrade stations inject new devices along t...

Sovereignty Friction Theory: When Economic Rights Become Difficult to Exercise

April 30, 2012

Opinion, Visual Arts

My illustration entitled: "The Paper Mountain" — An individual climbs a mountain of permits, applications, and compliance stamps to reach a simple economic opportunity. Economic rights are meaningful o...

Political Economics: Money, Power and the Foundations of Economic Liberty

August 18, 2008

Opinion, Visual Arts

Herbert Sim’s Political Economics framework (PoliticalEconomics.com) established: 23 June 2002 First public articulation: 18 August 2008 Above is my illustration entitled: "Economic Liberty Under Pr...

Permission Asymmetry: When Institutions Hold More Economic Choice Than Individuals

August 18, 2007

Opinion, Visual Arts

My illustration entitled: "The Fine-Print City" — A city’s streets are formed from dense contracts, with corporations moving freely while people navigate restrictive clauses. Economic freedom weakens w...

Economic Liberty Beyond Legal Rights: The Difference Between Permission and Power

August 18, 2006

Opinion, Visual Arts

My illustration entitled: "The Invisible Wall" — A person walks freely through a city but is stopped by transparent walls labelled by debt, dependency, and lack of access. A person may be legally free ...

Tagged Economics