
Peter Leeson
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Senior Fellow, F. A. Hayek Program for Advanced Study in Philosophy, Politics, and EconomicsDuncan Black Professor of Economics and Law, George Mason University
Dr. Peter T. Leeson is a Senior Fellow with the F.A. Hayek Program for the Advanced Study of Philosophy, Politics, and Economics at the Mercatus Center, the Duncan Black Professor of Economics and Law at George Mason University, and the Editor-in-Chief of Public Choice.
Formerly, Leeson was Visiting Professor of Economics at the University of Chicago, Visiting Fellow in Political Economy and Government at Harvard University, and F.A. Hayek Fellow at the London School of Economics. In 2012, Big Think listed him among "Eight of the World's Top Young Economists."
He is the author of numerous books, including The Invisible Hook: The Hidden Economics of Pirates (Princeton University Press, 2011), Anarchy Unbound: Why Self-Governance Works Better Than You Think (Cambridge University Press, 2014), and WTF?!: An Economic Tour of the Weird (Stanford Economics and Finance, 2017).
For further publications by Leeson, visit his website.
Latest Work
- | F. A. Hayek Program F. A. Hayek Program
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Why rational choice? Reconciling Kornai with rational choice theory
- | F. A. Hayek Program F. A. Hayek Program
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Externality and taboo: Resolving the Judaic pig puzzle
- | F. A. Hayek Program F. A. Hayek Program
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The economic – and anthropological? – view of supernatural institutions
- | F. A. Hayek Program F. A. Hayek Program
- | Book Chapters Book Chapters
Austrian Economics and Economic Policy

- | F. A. Hayek Program F. A. Hayek Program
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A normal market
- | F. A. Hayek Program F. A. Hayek Program
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American pandhandlers
- | F. A. Hayek Program F. A. Hayek Program
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Hobo Economicus
- | F. A. Hayek Program F. A. Hayek Program
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Trading with the Dead
- | F. A. Hayek Program F. A. Hayek Program
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A Reply to a Replication of “Weathering Corruption” ( Journal of Law and Economics, 2008)
- | F. A. Hayek Program F. A. Hayek Program
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The golden age of mercenaries
- | F. A. Hayek Program F. A. Hayek Program
- | Journal Articles Journal Articles
Why rational choice? Reconciling Kornai with rational choice theory
- | F. A. Hayek Program F. A. Hayek Program
- | Journal Articles Journal Articles
Externality and taboo: Resolving the Judaic pig puzzle
- | F. A. Hayek Program F. A. Hayek Program
- | Journal Articles Journal Articles
The economic – and anthropological? – view of supernatural institutions
- | F. A. Hayek Program F. A. Hayek Program
- | Book Chapters Book Chapters
Austrian Economics and Economic Policy

- | F. A. Hayek Program F. A. Hayek Program
- | Journal Articles Journal Articles
A normal market
- | F. A. Hayek Program F. A. Hayek Program
- | Journal Articles Journal Articles
American pandhandlers
- | F. A. Hayek Program F. A. Hayek Program
- | Journal Articles Journal Articles
Hobo Economicus
- | F. A. Hayek Program F. A. Hayek Program
- | Journal Articles Journal Articles
Trading with the Dead
- | F. A. Hayek Program F. A. Hayek Program
- | Journal Articles Journal Articles
A Reply to a Replication of “Weathering Corruption” ( Journal of Law and Economics, 2008)
- | F. A. Hayek Program F. A. Hayek Program
- | Journal Articles Journal Articles
The golden age of mercenaries
- | F. A. Hayek Program F. A. Hayek Program
- | Journal Articles Journal Articles
Why rational choice? Reconciling Kornai with rational choice theory
- | F. A. Hayek Program F. A. Hayek Program
- | Journal Articles Journal Articles
Externality and taboo: Resolving the Judaic pig puzzle
- | F. A. Hayek Program F. A. Hayek Program
- | Journal Articles Journal Articles
The economic – and anthropological? – view of supernatural institutions
- | F. A. Hayek Program F. A. Hayek Program
- | Book Chapters Book Chapters
Austrian Economics and Economic Policy

- | F. A. Hayek Program F. A. Hayek Program
- | Journal Articles Journal Articles
A normal market
- | F. A. Hayek Program F. A. Hayek Program
- | Journal Articles Journal Articles
American pandhandlers
- | F. A. Hayek Program F. A. Hayek Program
- | Journal Articles Journal Articles
Hobo Economicus
- | F. A. Hayek Program F. A. Hayek Program
- | Journal Articles Journal Articles
Trading with the Dead
- | F. A. Hayek Program F. A. Hayek Program
- | Journal Articles Journal Articles
A Reply to a Replication of “Weathering Corruption” ( Journal of Law and Economics, 2008)
- | F. A. Hayek Program F. A. Hayek Program
- | Journal Articles Journal Articles
The golden age of mercenaries
- | F. A. Hayek Program F. A. Hayek Program
- | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
The Impact of FEMA Reorganization: Implications for Policy

- | F. A. Hayek Program F. A. Hayek Program
- | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
The Impact of FEMA on U.S. Corruption: Implications for Policy

- | F. A. Hayek Program F. A. Hayek Program
- | Essays Essays
Media, Development and Institutional Change
- | F. A. Hayek Program F. A. Hayek Program
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Representation Through Taxation: Revenue, Politics, and Development in Postcommunist States
- | F. A. Hayek Program F. A. Hayek Program
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Anarchy and the Law: The Political Economy of Choice
- | F. A. Hayek Program F. A. Hayek Program
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Governance, Growth and Global Leadership: The Role of the State in Technological Progress
- | F. A. Hayek Program F. A. Hayek Program
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Democratic Constitutional Design and Public Policy: Analysis and Evidence
- | F. A. Hayek Program F. A. Hayek Program
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Better Together: Restoring the American Community
- | F. A. Hayek Program F. A. Hayek Program
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Altruistically Inclined? The Behavioral Sciences, Evolutionary Theory, and the Origins of Reciprocity
- | F. A. Hayek Program F. A. Hayek Program
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Too Big to Fail: The Hazards of Bank Bailouts
- | F. A. Hayek Program F. A. Hayek Program
- | Mercatus Original Podcasts Mercatus Original Podcasts
- | Hayek Program Podcast Hayek Program Podcast
"Anarchy Unbound" Book Panel
- | F. A. Hayek Program F. A. Hayek Program
- | Mercatus Original Podcasts Mercatus Original Podcasts
- | Hayek Program Podcast Hayek Program Podcast
"WTF?! An Economic Tour of the Weird" Book Panel
- | F. A. Hayek Program F. A. Hayek Program
- | Mercatus Original Podcasts Mercatus Original Podcasts
- | Hayek Program Podcast Hayek Program Podcast
"Stateless Commerce" Book Panel
- | F. A. Hayek Program F. A. Hayek Program
- | Mercatus Original Video Mercatus Original Video
Book Trailer: WTF?! An Economic Tour of the Weird with Peter Leeson

- | F. A. Hayek Program F. A. Hayek Program
- | TV Appearance TV Appearance
Peter Leeson is Interviewed on Free To Exchange on Ordeals

- | F. A. Hayek Program F. A. Hayek Program
- | TV Appearance TV Appearance
Peter Leeson Interviewed on Free to Exchange on Pirates

- | F. A. Hayek Program F. A. Hayek Program
- | TV Appearance TV Appearance
Peter Leeson Discusses Anarchy Unbound in Liberty.me Author's Forum

- | F. A. Hayek Program F. A. Hayek Program
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
How Market Competition Created the Modern Witch
- | F. A. Hayek Program F. A. Hayek Program
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Who's Afraid of Friday the Thirteenth? Good Luck with That
- | F. A. Hayek Program F. A. Hayek Program
- | Event Video Event Video
Peter Leeson Book Panel: Anarchy Unbound: Why Self-Governance Works Better Than You Think

- | F. A. Hayek Program F. A. Hayek Program
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary