My father introduced me to the Libertarian Party in 1992. This was the year Bill Clinton defeated George Bush. Ross Perot had disrupted the two-party system with his independent campaign. But I was groomed to support a relative unknown. The Libertarian Party had nominated Andre Marrou. He was elected to the Alaskan state legislature in... Continue Reading →
Juan Linz – Crisis, Breakdown & Reequilibration
I find it difficult to read the classics of political science. It is easier to read contemporary scholars. I am certain some will believe this means the classics are dense or contemporary scholarship has regressed in its complexity. But that is not it at all. It all comes down to the context of the scholarship.... Continue Reading →
Populism and Liberal Democracy Podcast #5
Takis Pappas explains his theories of populism and liberal democracy. He uses comparative analysis to establish a theoretical context. Before this conversation was recorded, Justin Kempf wrote a reflection on his recent book Populism and Liberal Democracy. Populism as Illiberal Democracy A lot has been made about Viktor Orbán. Indeed, some have argued too... Continue Reading →
John Rawls – A Theory of Justice
As the Economists’ Hour has come to an end, the philosophy of Rawls offers a tempting philosophy to guide public policy. Rawls wrote A Theory of Justice before the emergence of neoliberalism, but his ideas anticipate its arrival. The aim of his theory is to offer an alternative to utilitarian or consequentialist philosophy. Utilitarianism is... Continue Reading →
Ivan Cerovac – Epistemic Democracy and Political Legitimacy
I write this review during the Covid-19 Pandemic of 2020. States have begun to reopen their economies, although there is no consistency from state to state nor sometimes from county to county or city to city. The world has relied on the recommendations of public health officials but have begun to rebel against their advice... Continue Reading →