In defense of so-called ‘price gouging’ | Mercatus Center

Sparking New Thinking
- Read Discourse magazine
  Online journal dedicated to promoting and defending
  classical liberal values with new and innovative thinking
- Program on Pluralism and Civil Exchange
  Building pathways toward a free and pluralistic society
Exchanging Insight
- Conversations
  with Tyler
  Interviews with today’s
  underrated thinkers
- Macro Musings
  Deep dives into critical
  macroeconomic issues
- Ideas of India
  Explorations of vital questions
  in Indian political economy
- Hayek Program
  Podcast
  Lectures and discussions on
  political economy
Funding Innovation
- Emergent Ventures
  Grants and fellowships for talented individuals with unique
  ideas for changing the world

Advancing Ideas
- Sparking New Thinking
  - Read Discourse magazine
    Online journal dedicated to promoting and defending
    classical liberal values with new and innovative thinking
  - Program on Pluralism and Civil Exchange
    Building pathways toward a free and pluralistic society
- Exchanging Insight
  - Conversations
    with Tyler
    Interviews with today’s
    underrated thinkers
  - Macro Musings
    Deep dives into critical
    macroeconomic issues
  - Ideas of India
    Explorations of vital questions
    in Indian political economy
  - Hayek Program
    Podcast
    Lectures and discussions on
    political economy
- Funding Innovation
  - Emergent Ventures
    Grants and fellowships for talented individuals with unique
    ideas for changing the world
Research
- Scholars
  - Learn more about our scholars and find their
    latest work
- Topics
- Tools
  - QuantGov
    Open-source policy analytics
    platform
  - Research Library
    Archive of our research
    with advanced search tools
- Policy Commentary
  - Mercatus Policy Digest
    Latest policy ideas and analysis from our scholars
Students
- Fellowships
  - Academic & Student Programs
    Political economy training and support for students at Mason and universities around the world
- Online Economics Education
  - Visit Marginal Revolution University
    Online platform providing a world-class economics education to everyone, everywhere for free

Disaster Recovery

Expert Commentary

September 19, 2019

In defense of so-called ‘price gouging’

Donald J. Boudreaux

Senior Fellow, F. A. Hayek Program for Advanced Study in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics

Donald Boudreaux explains how price gouging can help bring much-needed goods to disaster areas.

Read it at TribLive.