Archie Richards has spent over five decades translating complex economics into plain language — first as a Boston stockbroker, then as a syndicated columnist and author. We spoke about his latest book, America’s Governments: Enemies of the Poor, and his lifelong case for economic freedom.
The Interview · Archie Richards
On Smaller Government and the Case for the Poor
The veteran financial writer on five decades of explaining economics plainly, and the argument at the heart of America’s Governments: Enemies of the Poor.
By DORX Chronicle Editorial Desk
August 22, 2026 · 10 min read
DORX Chronicle: The title is provocative. How are America’s governments enemies of the poor?
Archie Richards: Not by intention — by weight. When government grows faster than the economy that sustains it, the people with the least are the first to feel the squeeze: higher prices, fewer opportunities, services that promise much and deliver little.
DORX Chronicle: You’ve spent fifty years explaining economics in plain terms. Why does that matter so much to you?
Archie Richards: Because jargon is how bad ideas hide. If you cannot explain a policy to a person at a kitchen table, you probably do not understand it — or you are hoping they won’t.
DORX Chronicle: The book is critical, but you insist it is hopeful. Why?
Archie Richards: Because it is full of solutions. Trim waste, restore accountability, return decisions to the communities closest to the problem. A leaner government is not abandoning the poor — it is the surest way to lift them.
DORX Chronicle: After five decades, what still drives the work?
Archie Richards: Economic freedom, and a more prosperous future for everyone. I want people’s money — and their government — to work harder for them.
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