Afleveringen
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What exactly is ESG? Where did it come from, and how did it start to take hold and reshape our world? How is it related to the infamous UN SDGs?
In this episode of Liberty Curious, Paul Mueller joins Kate Wand to discuss and dissect.
Paul is an economist and Senior Research Faculty at AIER who specializes in defending freedom and combatting collectivism. He has written a definitive collection of articles on ESG.
ESG has been perniciously changing the way corporations, governments, NGOs and institutions operate. This ideological framework synonymous with stakeholder capitalism has become the subject of scrutiny and public backlash, but nonetheless continues to dominate.
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The conversation explores the history, definition, and implications of ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) investing. It delves into the origins of ESG in the post-World War II era and the rise of international organizations. The discussion highlights the utopian ideals and ideological shifts that have shaped the ESG movement. It also examines the technocratic element of ESG and the challenges of calculation and efficiency. The conversation raises concerns about the potential for eco-dictatorship and the threat ESG poses to freedom and individualism. In this conversation, Paul Mueller and Kate Wand discuss the totalitarianism of climate alarmists and the loss of individualism in the ESG movement. They explore the advocates for ESG, such as the World Economic Forum, and the pushback against ESG, including Larry Fink's change in stance. They also delve into the philosophical elements underlying the green movement and the potential future of ESG. The conversation highlights the importance of transparency, the value of nuclear energy, and the need to focus on adaptation rather than prevention. They conclude by discussing the role of intellectuals in shaping ESG policies.
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Paul Mueller's Related Articles:
https://www.aier.org/people/paul-mueller/
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/restoring-america/faith-freedom-self-reliance/the-totalitarianism-of-climate-alarmists
https://dailycaller.com/2023/12/09/opinion-gavin-newsoms-california-is-showing-us-what-the-green-energy-transition-looks-like-it-isnt-pretty-paul-mueller/
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TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 - Intro
1:31 - History of ESG
3:21 - ESG as a Quest for Global Solidarity
10:19 - Post-World War II Era and the Rise of International Organizations
12:22 - Utopian Ideals and Ideological Shifts
13:40 - Stakeholder Capitalism and the Technocratic Element of ESG
16:15 - The Problem of Calculation and Efficiency in ESG
18:45 - Consumer Value and the Top-Down Approach of ESG
31:40 - The Potential for Eco-Dictatorship in ESG
36:12 - ESG as a Threat to Freedom and Individualism
38:38 - Totalitarianism and the Loss of Individualism
41:05 - Advocates for ESG and the Totalitarianism of Climate Alarmists
45:05 - Larry Fink and the Pushback Against ESG
53:09 - The Social Responsibility of Businesses and the Birth of Stakeholder Capitalism
56:18 - The Future of ESG and its Impact on Economies
59:18 - The Potential of Nuclear Energy and the Need for Transparency
1:03:08 - The Malthusian Element and the Importance of Human Existence
1:05:20 - The Value of Adaptation and the Inefficiencies of ESG Means
1:05:47 - The Role of Intellectuals in Shaping ESG Policies
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Hayek: Intellectuals and Socialism: https://cdn.mises.org/Intellectuals%20and%20Socialism_4.pdf
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You can also listen to this podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your podcasts. Make sure to subscribe to this channel and hit the bell to be notified of more episodes like this, and leave your questions and comments below!
LISTEN: https://aier.org/podcasts
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How free is your state? Why has New York gone from a beacon of liberty to a state that people now flee in droves? And why are people moving to places like Florida, New Hampshire and South Dakota?
Way back in the early 2000s, Jason Sorens paired up with AIER president William Ruger to find out.
Jason joined Kate Wand on Liberty Curious to discuss his book, Freedom In the Fifty States, and the interactive tool that measures economic and personal freedom across American states. Now in its 7th edition, Sorens and Ruger use a data set that measures over 230 policies from all 50 states to see how well each state performs.
Jason Sorens is Senior Research Faculty and founder of the New Hampshire Free State Project. They discuss the freest and least free states, voting with your feet, and surprising findings from the latest edition. Jason also emphasizes the role of individuals in changing policies and promoting freedom in their states.
*** Please note that the opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the host and her guests. They do not necessarily reflect the views of the American Institute for Economic Research. The content presented in this show is intended for educational purposes only, and should not be considered as financial advice. ***
0:00 - intro
1:28 - What is Freedom in the 50 States?
4:24 - Personal freedom & economic freedom
8:19 - Which state is the most free?
10:01 - Florida & New Hampshire
14:15 - Can a free state insulate you from Federal Government overreach?
18:10 - The states ranking lowest in freedom
19:51 - What happened to New York?
23:37 - Freedom vs High Taxes & Paternalism
26:30 - Biggest surprises
29:30 - Correlation between Red/Blue states
32:15 - Purple states
33:00 - Updates in this edition
35:00 - The interactive tool: freedominthe50states.org
38:06 - How to use this tool
40:46 - Is policy what really affects freedom?
43:25 - How can people change policy?
46:30 - Last thoughts?
freedominthe50states.org
aier.org/podcasts
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Zijn er afleveringen die ontbreken?
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READ Samuel Gregg's Articles:
https://lawliberty.org/when-a-classical-liberal-confronted-nazi-terror/
https://lawliberty.org/wilhelm-ropkes-civilization-of-liberty/
LISTEN to Liberty Curious: https://www.aier.org/podcasts/
SUBSCRIBE to Sam Gregg's Articles: https://www.aier.org/people/samuel-gregg/
What can happen when societies decouple from the Western liberal tradition and adopt collectivist frameworks that abandon reason, the pursuit of truth, and the core principles of civilization?
On this episode of Liberty Curious, Kate Wand was joined by Samuel Gregg, Distinguished Fellow in Political Economy at AIER, to discuss the life and ideas of Wilhelm Röpke. Röpke was a 20th century economics professor who was exiled from Germany in the 1930s for defending liberty and opposing the National Socialists.
In the conversation youâre about to hear, Samuel Gregg tells Röpkeâs incredible life story, and describes the humanist philosophy that Röpke lived by, which left him standing alone against the illiberal Nazi regime.
Gregg writes, âThe National Socialists had no interest in reason or the individual, let alone freedom as Röpke understood it. They personified what Röpke called the âreigning illiberalism,â which was characterized by âhot air, slogans . . . glorification of direct action, violence in dealing with all those of different opinion, rabble-rousing in every sphere, empty rhetoric, and deceitful stage effects.â
Such illiberalism would, he said, âtrample down the garden of European civilization.â That, eventually, was what National Socialism did, epitomized by the regimeâs attempt to wipe the Jewish people off the face of the earth.â
aier.org
*** Please note that the opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the host and her guests. They do not necessarily reflect the views of the American Institute for Economic Research. The content presented in this show is intended for educational purposes only, and should not be considered as financial advice. ***
0:00 - Intro
2:18 - Who was Wilhelm Röpke?
8:20 - After the First World War
11:50 - Röpke's Opposition to the Nazis
15:50 - Röpke's humanistic convictions
19:20 - His defence of Liberalism
23:43 - Cogs in the Machine
28:28 - Dividing people by identity groups
35:00 - The pursuit of Truth
39:55 - How do you know the Nazis were the 'bad guys'?
42:32 - The Nazis thought that they were right
47:52 - Why do mass mobs lose their ability to reason?
52:40 - Threats to liberty now?
58:40 - What can individuals do?
1:01:37 - Last thoughts
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READ Barry Brownstein's Article: https://www.aier.org/article/to-live-for-grievances-risks-liberty/
LISTEN to Liberty Curious: https://www.aier.org/podcasts/
SUBSCRIBE to Barry's Substack: https://mindsetshifts.substack.com/
Why are so many in our generation brainwashed to see the world in a terrible way? And what is it about their mindset that makes them so susceptible to this kind of manipulation?
In his recent article for AIER, Barry Brownstein writes, "Helen Pluckrose and James Lindsay wrote in their book Cynical Theories, the contemporary social justice movement âis a worldview that centers social and cultural grievances and aims to make everything into a zero-sum political struggle revolving around identity markers like race, sex, gender, sexuality, and many others.â
On this episode of Liberty Curious, I was joined by Barry Brownstein, professor emeritus of Economics and Leadership, to discuss how our personal grievances are a threat to liberty.
âIn his 1976 lecture, âSocialism and Science,â Hayek argued that socialism requires a âgovernment with unlimited powersâ to give groups with grievances what they think âthey are entitled to.â
Barry explains that our individual mindset has a ripple effect that shapes the society around us. When we build our identities around our personal grievances, we play into the hands of illiberal politicians and ideologies that promise to solve all of our problems for us, at the cost of our inner and outer liberty.
0:00 - intro
1:21 - holding onto grievances
6:30 - socialism mindset
9:01 - far-left & far-right grievances
12:01 - mindset in Russian Revolution vs American Revolution
14:02 - if the State doesn't fix your life
15:33 - self-concept against something
19:42 - identity politics and victim mentality
25:40 - neo-marxism & social justice
28:51 - hatred that lasts for centuries
33:50 - Hayek: the road to serfdom
36:39 - politicians exploit grievances
39:40 - a mindset shift
43:30 - ready-made ideology
45:26 - the power of choice
49:40 - is there still hope?
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Since October 7th, 2023, we have seen that ideas have consequences in the real world.
Phillip Magness is an economic historian who specializes in the economic dimensions of slavery and racial discrimination, the history of taxation, and measurements of economic inequality over time. He also maintains an active research interest in higher education policy and the history of economic thought. He joins Kate Wand on Liberty Curious to discuss his recent work on Critical Race Theory (CRT) and its proliferation in academia and the mainstream, and its connection to the far-left's response to Hamas' massacre of Israeli citizens.
Phil Magness is Senior Research Faculty and F.A. Hayek Chair in Economics and Economic History at the American Institute for Economic Research.
READ: https://philmagness.com/
AIER: https://www.aier.org/people/phillip-w-magness/
LISTEN: https://www.aier.org/podcasts/
PHIL'S ARTICLE: https://www.aier.org/article/critical-race-theory-in-data-what-the-statistics-show/
0:00 - intro
1:35 - CRT in a nutshell
3:05 - CRT academics' reactions to Oct 7
10:24 - Media spin
13:08 - Who is colonizing who?
17:07 - What is decolonization?
19:15 - The dangers of CRT in the real world
20:39 - The proliferation of CRT in academia
26:46 - Why are these ideas so seductive?
30:15 - Promises
33:07 - Silver linings?
37:20 - Last Thoughts
*** Please note that the opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the host and her guests. They do not necessarily reflect the views of the American Institute for Economic Research. The content presented in this show is intended for educational purposes only, and should not be considered as financial advice. ***
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In this episode of Liberty Curious we go deep into the historical roots of 'Making America Great Again'. Kate Wand sat down with Phillip W. Magness, Senior Research Faculty and F.A. Hayek Chair in Economics and Economic History at AIER, to discuss the true implications of tariffs and protectionism and how they have shaped America's economic landscape.
From the earliest years of the American founding, promises of putting America first echoed through political chambers. These calls, though wrapped in patriotism, often harbored hidden implications of cronyism, favoritism, and a veiled tax that burdened everyday consumers. Despite the appealing rhetoric, tariffs and protectionist measures stand as barriers to economic freedom, prosperity, and genuine international cooperation.
As history warns, "When goods cease to cross borders, armies soon follow."
By tracing the history of tariffs, we see a repeating pattern: opportunistic rent-seeking, strained international relations, and a government that often interferes with natural economic exchanges. This meddling not only fosters less peace but also empowers the federal government at the expense of states and the very people it promises to protect.
*** Please note that the opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the host and her guests. They do not necessarily reflect the views of the American Institute for Economic Research. The content presented in this show is intended for educational purposes only, and should not be considered as financial advice. ***
aier.org/podcasts
https://www.aier.org/people/phillip-w-magness/
Phil Magness on X: https://twitter.com/PhilWMagness
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On this episode of Liberty Curious, Kate Wand sat down with Michael Munger, economist and professor of political economy at Duke University, to discuss the Classical Liberal diaspora.
Diaspora refers to the scattering of liberals âof the old typeâ; the remnant, the libertarians, and the classical liberals, whose message about liberty and limited government gets lost in a sea of tribal left vs. right politics.
They discuss how progressives and conservatives are both convinced that their morality and vision for society is correct, and have no qualms about using the power of the state to impose it upon the rest of us.
They get into details about the classical liberal tradition, how we got to where we are now, and the dangers of wielding the ring of power in our favour.
*** Please note that the opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the host and her guests. They do not necessarily reflect the views of the American Institute for Economic Research. The content presented in this show is intended for educational purposes only, and should not be considered as financial advice. ***
0:00 - intro
1:30 - origins of Liberalism
4:00 - Progressivism
7:48 - Classical liberal diaspora
10:16 - Classical Liberalism in Politics
16:30 - The Reagan Administration
19:55 - Post 9-11 shifts
23:29 - Classical Liberals vs Libertarians
27:34 - Where Progressives & Conservatives Collide
30:19 - Limited Government
33:18 - American Erosion
39:02 - The Central Planning Allure
42:00 - Technocracy
45:00 - The Remnant vs. Fusionism
50:00 - The dangers of complacency
54:00 - an opportunity for classical liberalism
58:23 - Last thoughts
Text on the Remnant: https://mises.org/library/isaiahs-job
Michael Munger on Twitter: https://twitter.com/mungowitz
Michael at AIER: https://www.aier.org/people/michael-munger/
aier.org/podcasts
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On this episode of Liberty Curious, Kate Wand sat down with Paul Mueller, who recently joined AIER as Senior Research Faculty, to discuss the 2007-2008 Financial Crisis and its reverberation into our present day.
"Everything we're seeing around us is a fallout from that crisis." - Paul Mueller
Paul received his PhD in economics from George Mason University, and is the author of Ten Years Later: Why the Conventional Wisdom about the 2008 Financial Crisis is Still Wrong.
They get into the mis-regulation, cronyism and fatal conceit that precipitated the crisis, how it was mismanaged by government and central banks, and then became the catalyst for a growing anti-capitalist sentiment that blames free markets for the failures of an increasingly controlled financial system and economy.
*** Please note that the opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the host and her guests. They do not necessarily reflect the views of the American Institute for Economic Research. The content presented in this show is intended for educational purposes only, and should not be considered as financial advice. ***
aier.org/podcasts
Paul Mueller's book: https://www.amazon.com/Conventional-Wisdom-about-Financial-Crisis/dp/1527519236/ref=sr_1_1?crid=VGKBR6GSB0LB&keywords=paul+mueller+financial+crisis&qid=1694349635&s=books&sprefix=paul+mueller+financial+crisis%2Cstripbooks-intl-ship%2C130&sr=1-1
https://www.aier.org/people/paul-mueller/
0:00 - Intro
1:58 - A Generation-Defining Event
6:22 - The Fed's Historical Role
10:47 - Political Pressures
15:20 - Mis-regulation
22:27 - The Bank of International Settlements
25:30 - Fatal Conceit
30:22 - The American Dream
35:16 - Wealth & Income Inequality
40:30 - Low Interest Rates Benefits Government
44:23 - How Did the Crisis Unravel?
49:46 - What Happens Next?
54:30 - The Third Mis-regulation
57:21 - Reverberation Into Today
59:40 - Conditioning for Economic Intervention
1:05:58 - Market Solutions
1:10:28 - How to Get Out of The Cycle
1:14:33 - Free Up Markets or Great Reset?
1:18:05 - Last Thoughts
aier.org/podcasts
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Is there such a thing as objective morality?
On a recent episode of Liberty Curious, Kate Wand sat down with Bruce Pardy, professor of Law and Executive Director of Rights Probe to discuss the woke virus of the mind.
The comments section was full of passionate and interesting criticism and debate on one particular issue: can we all universally agree on what is right and wrong and then let that determine our rights?
So Kate asked Bruce to come back and go through some of your comments with me. To begin, we examined how we might differentiate moral philosophy from individual rights and the law.
In delving deep into these kinds of questions and concepts, we came across two common arguments for liberty: the moral argument, and the consequential one; ie, liberty produces better outcomes. Bruce argues that both of these arguments for liberty fall short, and shares his thesis for a third way.
We hope you enjoy this episode of liberty curious, and as always, please feel free to let us know what you think in the comments section.
*** Please note that the opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the host and her guests. They do not necessarily reflect the views of the American Institute for Economic Research. The content presented in this show is intended for educational purposes only, and should not be considered as financial advice. ***
aier.org/podcasts
0:00 - intro
2:00 - Objective Morality
5:30 - Comment #1
10:30 - Of Course, 'This is Immoral'
12:50 - Utility Argument
14:50 - Bodily Autonomy
17:28 - Misgendering
18:35 - Comment #2
21:00 - The Ten Commandments
24:07 - The Non-Aggression Principle
27:10 - One Choice
32:58 - The Use of Force
34:40 - Social Contract Theory
36:10 - Comment #3
42:22 - Arguments for Liberty
47:50 - Producing Efficient Outcomes
51:15 - Liberty By Consent (Third Way)
55:40 America's Founding Principles
1:02:43 - What Would That World Look Like?
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On this episode of Liberty Curious, David T. Beito, professor, historian and
author, joins Kate Wand to discuss his upcoming expose: The New Dealâs War on the Bill of Rights: The Untold Story of FDRâs Concentration Camps, Censorship, and Mass Surveillance.
Although FDR is still considered one of the most beloved presidents in American history, Davidâs research exposes his dark side, which differed greatly from his public persona.
They explored the dark underbelly of the New Deal, and how it relates to what America has become today.
David Beito's new book: https://www.independent.org/store/book.asp?id=142
*** Please note that the opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the host and her guests. They do not necessarily reflect the views of the American Institute for Economic Research. The content presented in this show is intended for educational purposes only, and should not be considered as financial advice. ***
aier.org/podcasts
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On this episode of Liberty Curious, Kate Wand spoke with Allen Mendenhall, author, lawyer, Associate Dean and Professor in the Sorrell College of Business at Troy University.
He teaches a free market, non-woke business course that has gained significant clout, leading anti-woke ESG advocates to seek his aid and testimony for an anti-ESG investment bill.
His advocacy for economic freedom led to the banking crony ESG profiteers to go on a coordinated witch-hunt against him to try and get him cancelled.
Allenâs story attests to the power of the Individual. They spoke about how ESG is a segue into global governance, the growing decentralized resistance against hyper-centralization, and how one person taking a principled stand is a great equalizer against the most corrupt concentrations of power.
https://allenmendenhall.com/
https://twitter.com/allenmendenhall
0:00 - intro
1:20 - anti-ESG business program
3:43 - policy debates around ESG
6:33 - the Witchhunt begins
9:55 - Blackrock, State Street, Vanguard lobbyists
12:49 - The risk of bank runs
14:50 - Global Coordination of Financial Institutions
20:10 - Sri Lanka as a Target
24:33 - Incentives for ESG
27:19 - Stakeholder Capitalism
30:22 - Unprecedented Power
32:50 - CBDCs & ESG
37:30 - Decentralization vs Centralization
42:47 - The Power of the Individual
48:56 - All Powerful Nation State Parallels
52:05 - Milton Friedman vs. Klaus Schwab
54:21 - USA vs Europe for ESG
58:11 - The Nation State & Global Concatenation
1:00:00 - The outcome of Allen's battle
1:03:12 - Lord of the Rings parallels
1:08:46 - Last thoughts
aier.org/podcasts
*** Please note that the opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the host and her guests. They do not necessarily reflect the views of the American Institute for Economic Research. The content presented in this show is intended for educational purposes only, and should not be considered as financial advice. ***
Milton Friedman's essay: https://www.nytimes.com/1970/09/13/archives/a-friedman-doctrine-the-social-responsibility-of-business-is-to.html
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When big corporations like Target or Bud Light go blatantly Woke, to the detriment of their shareholders and profits, you might ask yourself what exactly they are doing, and why.
This is where ESG comes in. ESG is Environment, Social, and Governance, three pillars of a pervasive type of corporate social credit score that businesses are pressured or incentivized to abide by.
On this episode of Liberty Curious, Kate Wand invited Samuel Gregg, Distinguished Fellow in Political Economy at AIER, to discuss the origins of ESG, how its being applied, and its ties to the UN SDGs and the World Economic Forum. They also explore its role in reflecting, promoting, and shaping Woke ideology.
0:00 - intro
1:55 - Origins of ESG
4:03 - Stakeholder Capitalism
6:45 - How did ESG ascend so quickly?
11:15 - The Great Reset
13:33 - the ESG Cartel & Central Planning
21:40 - How did the UN & WEF become so powerful?
25:25 - America's Achilles Heel
31:05 - Malthusian Flavour of ESG
35:40 - Carbon Markets & 'Green' Economy
38:00 - Why would you destroy your company?
46:46 - Confronted with Reality
51:43 - Legal Solutions in Corporate Law
56:06 - Europe's Self-Inflicted Decline
58:32 - Hope for America?
1:00:43 - Last Thoughts
aier.org/podcasts
Samuel Gregg on Twitter: twitter.com/drsamuelgregg
https://www.aier.org/people/samuel-gregg/
*** Please note that the opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the host and her guests. They do not necessarily reflect the views of the American Institute for Economic Research. The content presented in this show is intended for educational purposes only, and should not be considered as financial advice. ***
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In this episode of Liberty Curious, Kate Wand invited Phil Magness to discuss the origins of critical theory, which is a neo-Marxist school of thought born in the Frankfurt School in 1923.
Phil is the director of research and education at AIER, and a prolific researcher on these kinds of ideas. They discuss the history of critical theory, and how it has proliferated through academia and into our culture, manifesting itself as what we commonly refer to as Woke ideology.
*** Please note that the opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the host and her guests. They do not necessarily reflect the views of the American Institute for Economic Research. The content presented in this show is intended for educational purposes only, and should not be considered as financial advice. ***
aier.org/podcasts
0:00 - intro
1:50 - what is Critical Theory?
5:04 - Offshoot of Marxism
11:07 - Frankfurt School
19:20 - Marxism Splits
23:30 - from Economics to Sociology
27:45 - Incoherence
29:28 - Coming to America
35:26 - Critical Theory vs. Traditional Theory
38:09 - The Ambitions of Critical Theorists
45:30 - Last thoughts
50:30 - Bonus question: Utopia
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On this episode of Liberty Curious, Kate Wand invites Bruce Pardy to discuss the origins of the Woke virus of the mind: critical theory, social justice, postmodernism and critical race theory.
Bruce explains identity politics, power relationships, victimhood, and all the pillars of Critical Theory, a school of thought that has infiltrated our culture, institutions and society.
We explore how this has all developed, touch on topics like the 'death of God', trans-humanism, morality, intersectionality, and how woke culture is, at its core, an attack on Western civilization.
Bruce Pardy is a professor of law and executive director of Rights Probe, a law and liberty think tank. He is a classically liberal legal academic who believes in equal treatment under the law, negative rights, private property, limited government, and the separation of powers, which are foundational to the Western legal tradition. He is a critic of legal progressivism, social justice, and the discretionary managerial state, and has written extensively on a range of pressing legal subjects that are at the forefront of the culture war inside the law.
"Modern Western civilization grew out of the Enlightenment of the 17th and 18th centuries. The ascendancy of reason in human affairs produced the scientific method and later the Industrial Revolution. Add in the rule of law, individual liberty, private property, and capitalism, and you have the basic recipe that has raised much of humanity out of poverty and oppression over two centuries.
Four academic doctrinesâCritical Theory, Postmodernism, Social Justice, and Critical Race Theoryâare moving the world, or at least the West, from this triumph to decline. These doctrines reject Enlightenment values such as open inquiry, individual autonomy, free speech, scientific skepticism, and even reason itself. They claim to champion equality, peace, and social cooperation, but instead promote identity politics, elitism, and centralized control. They are the four doctrines of the apocalypse." - Bruce Pardy
https://www.theepochtimes.com/bruce-pardy-the-four-doctrines-of-the-apocalypse-critical-theory-and-our-compromised-institutions_5355971.html
aier.org/podcasts
*** Please note that the opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the host and her guests. They do not necessarily reflect the views of the American Institute for Economic Research. The content presented in this show is intended for educational purposes only, and should not be considered as financial advice. ***
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In this episode of Liberty Curious, Kate Wand invites Dr. Ryan Yonk to discuss the contentious and hotly debated recent Supreme Court rulings on affirmative action, student loan debt forgiveness, and freedom of speech.
They discuss the details and nuances of the historic and significant Harvard Affirmative Action Case, Biden vs. Nebraska, and 303 Creative.
Kate also asks Ryan a big picture question: is the law downstream from culture, or is the culture downstream from the law?
aier.org/podcasts
https://www.aier.org/people/ryan-m-yonk/
*** Please note that the opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the host and her guests. They do not necessarily reflect the views of the American Institute for Economic Research. The content presented in this show is intended for educational purposes only, and should not be considered as financial advice. ***
0:00 - intro
1:22 - Harvard Affirmative Action Case
10:58 - Biden VS Nebraska
19:17 - 303 Creative
33:15 - Is culture downstream from the law?
38:02 - Last thoughts
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On this episode of Liberty Curious, Kate Wand sat down with Thomas Hogan, to discuss what he coined the SECâs illegal war against crypto.
Tom is senior research faculty at AIER and former chair to the senate committee on banking, housing & urban affairs.
Thomas explains how "the SEC has charged crypto exchanges Binance and Coinbase with facilitating the trade of unregistered securities. Yet the opacity of the statute as it pertains to crypto and the SECâs arbitrary and contradictory application have made compliance with the law impossible."
*** Please note that the opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the host and her guests. They do not necessarily reflect the views of the American Institute for Economic Research. The content presented in this show is intended for educational purposes only, and should not be considered as financial advice. ***
WEF Whitepaper on Crypto: https://www.weforum.org/whitepapers/pathways-to-crypto-asset-regulation-a-global-approach/
0:00 - intro
0:42 - operation chokepoint 2.0
2:17 - SEC sues Binance and Coinbase
3:32 - CBDCs
4:47 - Crypto & blockchain
10:15 - Market-driven innovation
13:35 - Blackrock & Big Traditional Players
15:08 - The particulars of the case
24:37 - WEF Whitepaper on Crypto
32:20 - Prometheum
34:12 - FTX 2.0?
38:00 - Gary Gensler's weird relationships
42:20 - Last thoughts on Crypto industry
aier.org/podcasts
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Where did Bitcoin come from? Since the mysterious conception of Bitcoin following the 2008 financial crisis, people have been trying to figure out who created it, and why.
Joining Kate Wand on Liberty Curious is independent thinker & writer Emile Phaneuf, to discuss the origins of Bitcoin, and its philosophical influences including the writings of Hayek, Ayn Rand and David Friedman.
Emile writes on matters of money and cryptocurrency and has spent well over a decade working in international business development around the world.
Emile explains that Hayek imagined how private enterprise could compete with the long withstanding government monopoly on money to create better choices for the people. He draws parallels as to how Bitcoin is an example of decentralization in the Information Age, and how this kind of technology has the potential to disrupt the status quo.
To begin, we delve into the potential motives of the pseudonymous creator of Bitcoin, Satoshi Nakamoto.
Emile Phaneuf's articles discussed in this podcast:
https://www.aier.org/article/hayek-and-bitcoin/
https://www.aier.org/article/cypherpunks-galts-gulch-and-bitcoin/
https://www.aier.org/article/anarchy-and-bitcoin/
Emile Phaneuf on Twitter: https://twitter.com/EconEmile
emilephaneuf.com
*** Please note that the opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the host and her guests. They do not necessarily reflect the views of the American Institute for Economic Research. The content presented in this show is intended for educational purposes only, and should not be considered as financial advice. ***
0:00 - Introduction
0:23 - Origins of Bitcoin and philosophical influences
2:15 - Influence of Hayek, Rand, and Friedman
5:06 - Decentralization and disruptive potential of Bitcoin
6:43 - Concealment of Satoshi Nakamoto's identity
8:28 - Hayek's argument for denationalization of currency
10:02 - Government monopolization and the public's lack of choice
11:56 - Algorithmic monetary policy of Bitcoin
19:14 - The Machinery of Freedom
25:03 - Parallel Financial System
29:26 - CBDC
32:31 - The Revolt of the Public
44:20 - Absolute Control
47:05 - Final Thoughts
aier.org/podcasts
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Karl Marxâs theories sparked the Russian Revolution in 1917. His communist ideology was foundational to the USSR, and other oppressive regimes, which led to the state murder of hundreds of millions of people. Yet despite the 20th century Marxist democide, Marx remains one of the most popular so-called intellectual figures of the last century, up to this day. âAppearing in 3,856 syllabi as of 2015, Marxâs Communist Manifesto is consistently among the most frequently assigned texts in American college classrooms.â
But what if the Russian Revolution had never happened? Would anyone today even know who Karl Marx was? And is there a way to measure that empirically?
Phillip Magness, the director of research and education at AIER and his colleague Michael Makovi set out to do just that. What did they discover? In this episode of Liberty Curious, you are going to find out.
What I really wanted to ask Phil first was, âWho was Karl Marx?â
*** Please note that the opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the host and her guests. They do not necessarily reflect the views of the American Institute for Economic Research. The content presented in this show is intended for educational purposes only, and should not be considered as financial advice. ***
The Mainstreaming of Marx: Measuring the Effect of the Russian Revolution on Karl Marxâs Influence: https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/722933
Das Karl Marx Problem: https://www.aier.org/article/das-karl-marx-problem/
When Lenin Read a Book on Marx: https://www.aier.org/article/when-lenin-read-a-book-on-marx/
Phil Magness on Twitter: https://twitter.com/PhilWMagness
aier.org/podcasts
0:00 - intro
1:18 - Who was Karl Marx?
4:24 - Who influenced Marx?
7:43 - Marx's obscurity
11:47 - Surplus Value
15:08 - Russian Revolution
20:00 - Straight into Communism
22:24 - Democratic Socialism
26:33 - Cult of Marxism after 1917
33:50 - Totalitarianism
37:05 - Technocracy
39:05 - Neo-Marxism / Critical Theory
43:22 - Research: The Mainstreaming of Marx
51:20 - What ifs?
52:15 - the 1916 project
55:50 - Times of Crisis
59:16 - Russian Revolution vs. American Revolution
1:02:26 - Collectivism vs. Individualism
1:03:44 - Last thoughts
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On this episode of Liberty Curious, Robert Wright, historian, joins Kate Wand to discuss two Great Resets. In his research he has discovered striking resemblances between the New Deal under FDR in the 1930s, and the modern day Great Reset. This begs the question: is history repeating itself?
Robert Wright explores the parallels between the New Deal era and the current situation. The New Deal was a period of significant change in the relationship between the federal government and individuals in America. It marked a shift from a society focused on individual liberty to one where people looked to the government for solutions to problems. The federal government gained more power, while individual liberties were curtailed.
The parallels between then and now are examined through ten points. The first point is the state control of mass media. In the past, newspapers, movies, radio, and theater were used to vilify critics of administration policies. Today, social media platforms like Twitter are accused of censoring speech, labeling certain views as extremist or pro-enemies, similar to how critics were labeled during the New Deal era.
The second point is the augmentation of state surveillance and law enforcement. The increase in government surveillance and the expansion of agencies like the National Security Administration (NSA), CIA, and the passing of acts like the Patriot Act are reminiscent of the increase in the FBI's power during the New Deal era. The FBI, under J. Edgar Hoover, tracked and harassed individuals who were considered threats to the administration.
Other points in the video discuss the expansion of government control over the economy, such as through regulations, government intervention, and the confiscation of gold. The video also touches on the use of crisis and war to expand government power, the increase in government spending and debt, the centralization of power in the executive branch, and the erosion of constitutional limits on government power.
Overall, the video suggests that there are parallels between the New Deal era and the current situation, highlighting the expansion of government power and the potential threats to individual liberties.
0:00 - Intro
1:40 - The New Deal
8:40 - State Control of Mass Media
16:36 - Augmentation of State Surveillance
18:29 - Division of People by Class
26:20 - Disruption of Food Creation & Distribution
29:18 - New Monetary System
36:17 - Economic Coercion to Achieve State Goals
44:36 - Invisible Enemies
47:16 - Physical War & the Ratchet Effect
49:44 - Taxes
51:49 - Misuse of Congressional Hearings
53:53 - Big Picture: Two Great Resets
1:00:40 - Last Thoughts
*** Please note that the opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the host and her guests. They do not necessarily reflect the views of the American Institute for Economic Research. The content presented in this show is intended for educational purposes only, and should not be considered as financial advice. ***
aier.org/podcasts
aier.org
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What role does the state have in imposing its morality on individuals? What role should it have? How much should government control our lives?
On this episode of Liberty Curious, Kate Wand sat down with Jason Sorens, Senior Research Faculty at AIER, co-author of Freedom in the 50 States, and founder of the Free State Project, to discuss how much government interferes with our daily lives. Sorens claims that adults should be treated like adults, and not children, but the government often does the very opposite. They also talk about how to approach issues from a libertarian perspective, such as life-altering medical procedures for kids, hard drugs, tobacco, and where to draw the line on externalities. Jason also talks about the New Hampshire Free State Project, and how liberty-oriented people can foster freedom at the local level.
https://www.aier.org/article/treating-adults-like-children/
*** Please note that the opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the host and her guests. They do not necessarily reflect the views of the American Institute for Economic Research. The content presented in this show is intended for educational purposes only, and should not be considered as financial advice. ***
aier.org/podcasts
0:00 - intro
1:04 - founding debates
5:52 - relationship between government & citizens
7:49 - free state project
12:44 - red states vs new hampshire
15:13 - moral arguments for liberty
20:15 - treating adults like children
23:28 - education system trickle
26:35 - prohibition of drugs
31:32 - externalities
36:16 - rights of the majority vs individual
41:18 - family relationships trickle into society
44:24 - dealing with life-altering procedures for children
48:35 - school choice
52:34 - last thoughts
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