Axel Weber

Ph.D. candidate in Economics at George Mason University

I am a doctoral candidate in economics at George Mason University (expected May 2027), where I am also a PhD Fellow in the F.A. Hayek Program for Advanced Study in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics and a Fellow in the Adam Smith Program. I have been teaching as a Graduate Lecturer since Fall 2025 for the Department of Economics.

I am on the economics job market (2026–27). My job market paper, "The Defense Production Act: An Enduring Legacy of Crises," shows how emergency powers are sticky and can come to be used for purposes they were never intended for. It is also available on SSRN.

My research focuses on understanding the incentive structures, which shape outcomes, of formal and informal institutions and whether they are conducive or detrimental to managing conflict peacefully or violently.

Contact

aweber20@gmu.edu
Department of Economics
George Mason University

Research

Job market paper

The Defense Production Act: An Enduring Legacy of Crises

Journal of Public Finance and Public Choice, vol. 41, no. 1 (2026), pp. 2–26

The Defense Production Act of 1950 (DPA) is a federal law that gives the president discretionary authority over domestic economic activity in the name of national defense. This article examines the evolution of the DPA through the lens of the ratchet effect, which explains how crises can lead to the growth of government. One prediction of the ratchet effect model is that government responses to past crises will create a precedent that sets the stage for future government growth. We trace the origins of the DPA from World War I to the War Powers Acts of 1941 and 1942 and examine how its use has evolved through time. In doing so, we offer insight into the history of the DPA, provide an illustration of the ratchet effect, and highlight how crises like war can lay the groundwork for future expansions of government in unforeseen ways.

Working papers

  • Peace as a Social Process and Choice

  • In Defense of Peace: Rethinking the Quintessential Public Good

Presentations

  • Apr 2026 Association of Private Enterprise EducationPeace as a Social Process and Choice
  • Nov 2025 Southern Economic Association Annual MeetingPeace as a Social Process and Choice
  • Oct 2025 Markets & Society ConferencePeace as a Social Process and Choice
  • Apr 2025 Association of Private Enterprise EducationPeace as a Social Process and Choice
  • Nov 2024 Southern Economic Association Annual MeetingThe Defense Production Act: An Enduring Legacy of Crises

Teaching

Courses taught

George Mason University

  • Principles of MicroeconomicsFall 2025
  • Principles of MicroeconomicsSpring 2026
  • Economic History (Writing Intensive)Online asynchronous, Spring 2026
  • Economic Problems and Public PoliciesOnline asynchronous, Summer 2026
  • Principles of MacroeconomicsFall 2026

From students

Excerpts from course evaluations and student emails

I’ve never taken Econ—in fact, I was preparing myself to be either bored or confused the whole semester—but it’s currently one of my favorite classes I’ve ever taken as a student.

Microeconomics, Fall 2025

I find myself using the concepts you taught us in daily life, applying them to my hobbies, as well as attempting to understand bigger pictures.

Microeconomics, Fall 2025

I liked the teaching style. The open dialogue and heavy example based lecture style left me with a lasting impact on the material. I would often talk to friends about the topics we spoke about in class and debated them on the topics I was learning.

Microeconomics, Fall 2025

The emphasis on thinking critically rather than memorizing concepts improved my ability to analyze problems logically.

Microeconomics, Spring 2026

I have had to retake microeconomics on multiple occasions, and your class was genuinely the only one I could understand and feel like I could apply it.

Microeconomics, Spring 2026

Professor Weber does a tremendous job teaching microeconomics and is very passionate about the subject. His great sense of humor introduces a human aspect to an otherwise boring subject to some.

Microeconomics, Spring 2026

My professor is so far the best professor I have had at GMU and it is not even close. I am genuinely excited to write my term paper for this class and my professor has reached out numerous times to offer advice and further my research in an attempt to help me try and publish my paper in a scholarly journal.

Economic History, Spring 2026

The readings were more challenging but the lectures my professor provided helped me understand the complex topics of the class. Additionally, it was a good resource to look back on when I needed to refresh my knowledge on certain sections or methods. Additionally, he has been one of the most helpful professors I have had so far. His feedback is very detailed and perfectly guides me in the right direction. I also want to highlight this is a conceptually heavy course but the professor has managed to make it a fun experience!

Economic History, Spring 2026

No changes need to be made except to give this professor a raise and/or have him help shape online asynchronous classes in Economics because he has it figured out.

Economic History, Spring 2026

As someone who has taken the majority of their coursework online, having a teacher who can truly engage students and make them want to learn without ever stepping foot in an actual classroom is not something I’ve experienced until this course!

Economic Problems, Summer 2026

I must say that I can’t tell you enough how much this course has helped me learn! Not only the reading materials, but your feedback every week was so thoughtful and insightful – I’ve really felt engaged every step of the way of this course and wanted to learn more… I haven’t felt that I actually cared about anything I was learning until now, and that is largely thanks to you!

Economic Problems, Summer 2026

Curriculum Vitae

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