Repugnant Economics
The article discusses the concept of 'repugnant markets' as explored in Al Roth's new book, 'Moral Economics'. It highlights how societal perceptions of certain professions, like acting and escorting, have evolved over time. The piece also touches on the potential benefits of human challenge trials in vaccine development during the COVID pandemic.
- ▪Al Roth's book addresses the concept of repugnant markets, including topics like prostitution and kidney exchange.
- ▪Historically, acting was viewed as repugnant, with actors facing social and legal restrictions in ancient Rome.
- ▪The article argues that reframing activities can shift societal perceptions and improve social welfare.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
Repugnant Economics by Alex Tabarrok May 19, 2026 at 7:18 am in Books Current Affairs Economics Education Philosophy The Arts I spoke on a panel at AEI with Nobelist Al Roth about his new book, Moral Economics, which covers “repugnant markets,” from prostitution to surrogacy to kidney exchange. A fun book! My case study was acting. Acting was considered repugnant for over 2,000 years. In Rome, actors could not vote, hold office, or be trusted to give an oath in legal proceedings. So why don’t we find acting repugnant today? One lesson: weighing costs and benefits is not enough. Roth discusses empirical research showing that legalizing prostitution cut STDs and sexual assaults—against prostitutes and others. But evidence alone won’t shift a repugnance norm.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Marginal REVOLUTION.
