It is time to impose law and order on the frontier. The illustration credits Brett Ryder as the author of the striking image titled BARBED WIRE. The piece captures a strange fascination of the late Alan Greenspan, the former Federal Reserve chairman, with the frontier’s iron barriers.

Greenspan, a lifelong urbanite, admired the railways, gold diggers, and “lonesome cowboys” who opened the frontiers at the dawn of American capitalism. Yet he also had a soft spot in his economist’s heart for barbed wire, arguing it boosted productivity by allowing settlers to safeguard their properties. Barbed wire, often overlooked as a simple tool, played a crucial role in delineating property lines, preventing disputes, and encouraging investment in remote areas. Its adoption accelerated settlement patterns and cemented the notion that law and order could be enforced through physical means.

The article appeared in the Business section of the print edition under the headline “The lawless frontier.” It was featured in the August 15th 2026 edition of the paper. Readers can explore additional stories from this section in the contents list, which links to the full edition. The piece invites reflection on how physical boundaries shaped economic expansion and the regulatory frameworks that followed.