Archives: January 2026 — Seven Essays on Markets, Rights, and Reform

This archive gathers seven opinion essays published in January 2026 that examine the changing landscape of markets, civil liberties, criminal justice, agriculture, political pluralism, internet freedom, and the legacy of Thatcher-era privatization. Each piece offers a concise argument and policy insight, gathered here for quick reading and reference.

Sometimes Bigger Is Better

Ryan Young

As app-based delivery markets mature and consolidation occurs, some regulators may be tempted to bring antitrust actions. They should hesitate. Restaurants face a clear choice: hire in-house delivery staff or contract with third-party apps. Operators will choose the option that best suits their margins and logistics. Because joining—or leaving—an app is relatively easy for both restaurants and drivers, competing platforms and the possibility of in-house alternatives create persistent price pressure. That ongoing competition makes it difficult to sustain claims that any single sharing-economy platform holds a durable monopoly.

The War on Cameras

Radley Balko

Across the United States, police departments sometimes rely on decades-old wiretapping statutes and broadly worded obstruction laws—enacted long before smartphones—to arrest people who record officers. Despite high-profile incidents of misconduct, many state legislatures have not updated these laws, producing a patchwork of statutes and court rulings. Meanwhile, ubiquitous, inexpensive recording technology empowers citizens to document public encounters. The result is legal uncertainty: officers, civilians, and courts are often unclear about when recording is lawful and when it might trigger criminal charges.

Expensive Inmates

Armin Rosen

The Sentencing Project reports that incarcerating a geriatric prisoner costs roughly three times more than incarcerating a younger, able-bodied adult. Mandatory-minimum sentences and 'three strikes' laws—policies that can effectively impose life terms after multiple felony convictions—mean prison populations will include growing numbers of older, medically frail inmates. These demographic and policy trends carry substantial fiscal and humanitarian implications for corrections systems and public budgets.

I, T‑Shirt

Kerry Howley

Agricultural protectionism is familiar, but U.S. cotton subsidies stand out even by American standards. On a per-acre basis, cotton growers receive about five to ten times the support given to corn, soybeans, or wheat. Federal programs—from crop-disaster reimbursements to farm loan initiatives and trade-support measures—insulate growers and exporters from many risks. As a result, U.S. cotton prices can remain above world levels, effectively using taxpayer dollars to encourage domestic textile mills to source American cotton.

Party On, America

Brian Doherty

Stronger third, fourth, and even fifth parties can benefit democratic discourse beyond satisfying niche voters. Well-defined alternatives force clearer policy contrasts into public debate, attract media attention, and raise civic understanding of the trade-offs at stake. New parties can sharpen discussion on taxes, Social Security, Medicaid, education, and urban decline—helping voters and policymakers explore a broader menu of potential reforms.

Closing the Net

Greg Costikyan

Looking forward, the Net—the global web of computer networks—will likely become the primary channel for distributing information, with print media in a supporting role. If the Net is to function as an effective public forum, its users should enjoy protections comparable to those afforded the press. Without safeguards against pervasive surveillance, censorship, or criminalization of certain discussions, the civil liberties foundational to liberal democracy could be eroded not by overt tyranny but by gradual technological and legal change.

Buying Out of Socialism

Madsen Pirie

When Margaret Thatcher became prime minister in 1979, nationalized industries accounted for roughly 10 percent of U.K. GDP, and more than 1.5 million Britons worked in state-owned firms across transportation, energy, communications, steel, shipbuilding, and health care. The economy was stagnant, and Thatcher chose radical privatization over incremental reform. That decisive turn reshaped Britain’s economic trajectory and remains a central reference point in debates over the role of the state in markets.

This post originally appeared on Reason.com.