What makes some states thrive while others trap people in place? And what does it really mean to be free to move, grow, and flourish?
In this episode, I talk with economist Justin Callais about the deep connections between personal fulfillment, economic mobility, and institutional quality. We begin with the personal: why real change starts internally, and how self-mastery and agency are prerequisites for meaningful, external progress. Then, we zoom out to ask: what kinds of systems make it easier for people to rise?
We explore questions like:
- What is economic mobility—and what does it look like in practice?
- Why is Utah the top-performing states on the Archbridge Institute’s Social Mobility Index, while Louisiana lags behind?
- How do factors like governance quality, opportunity, and freedom of movement shape people's life outcomes?
- What role do individuals, institutions, and state policies play in promoting (or restricting) upward mobility?
Justin Callais is the chief economist at the Archbridge Institute. He studies development economics, polycentric governance, and the institutional roots of freedom and flourishing.
If you’ve ever wondered why where you live matters—or what it takes to build a society where people can truly move up in life—this conversation is for you.
Want to explore more?
- James Heckman on Inequality and Economic Mobility, an EconTalk podcast
- Raj Chetty on Economic Mobility, an EconTalk podcast
- Arnold Kling, The Kids Are...Different, at Econlib
- Kerianne Lawson on Equal Economic Freedoms, a Great Antidote podcast
- Jeremy Horpedahl on the Real Cost of Thriving Index, a Great Antidote podcast
Never miss another AdamSmithWorks update.
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark
My Favorite Murder is a true crime comedy podcast hosted by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark. Each week, Karen and Georgia share compelling true crimes and hometown stories from friends and listeners. Since MFM launched in January of 2016, Karen and Georgia have shared their lifelong interest in true crime and have covered stories of infamous serial killers like the Night Stalker, mysterious cold cases, captivating cults, incredible survivor stories and important events from history like the Tulsa race massacre of 1921. My Favorite Murder is part of the Exactly Right podcast network that provides a platform for bold, creative voices to bring to life provocative, entertaining and relatable stories for audiences everywhere. The Exactly Right roster of podcasts covers a variety of topics including historic true crime, comedic interviews and news, science, pop culture and more. Podcasts on the network include Buried Bones with Kate Winkler Dawson and Paul Holes, That's Messed Up: An SVU Podcast, This Podcast Will Kill You, Bananas and more.