Borderless: Recent Episodes
Atlas Network
Freedom is borderless. With host Vale Sloane, you’ll get to hear the latest from key innovators, educators, and people just like you who work every day to unleash entrepreneurship and eradicate poverty. Tune in every two weeks as Vale and diverse, global leaders discuss what it takes to unlock human ingenuity and revolutionize freedom across borders.
On this week’s episode of Borderless, Vale Sloane is joined by Kat Murti. She is the co-founder of Feminists for Liberty, the co-leader of the Washington D.C. chapter of the Ladies of Liberty Alliance, and the communications consultant for the international organization, while also working for the Students for Sensible Drug Policy. Murti is a champion for classical liberal and feminist ideals, and she outlines the powerful impact that all of these organizations have made on improving the level of freedom for men and women in America.
Kat describes herself as a Libertarian Feminist, and she provides an in depth definition of her beliefs while claiming that classical liberalism and feminism work hand in hand with each other. She explains that the Liberty Movement as a whole was started by women, and that the ideas of feminism are upheld by the structure of classical liberalism. Murti encourages supporters to get involved in these conversations and the movements as a whole because one of the primary goals of the Liberty Movement is to secure economic freedom for all. Tune into this week’s podcast to learn more from this captivating discussion and to understand more about Murti’s detailed and unique perspective.
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This week on Borderless, Vale Sloane is joined by Dr. Roberto Salinas-León, director of Atlas Network’s Center for Latin America. With the recent election of a socialist president in Chile and troubling developments in Mexico, threats to liberalism abound in Latin America. What do these sea changes really mean for human freedom? Will Chile's impressive gains against poverty and towards better lives for all be reversed? How is the Center for Latin America responding? That’s what Dr. Salinas joined Borderless to discuss, along with what attendees can look forward to at the upcoming Latin America Liberty Forum in Mexico City.
As it turns out, there is hope for economic choice and individual liberty in Latin America, but only if we step up now. Atlas Network partner organizations across the region continue to make the case for why freedom leads to better lives. Latin America Liberty Forum 2022, taking place in Mexico City, Mexico on June 9-10 offers an ideal opportunity for freedom-oriented organizations to network, learn from each other, and build momentum for a resurgence of liberalism in their region.
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This week on Borderless, Charles Mitchell, president and CEO of Atlas Network's Pennsylvania-based partner Commonwealth Foundation, joins host Vale Sloane to discuss how his organization is both expanding educational choice and ensuring the integrity of the bounds on government power. In 2021, after Governor Tom Wolf continued to extend his COVID-19 emergency declarations and powers, Commonwealth Foundation supported a successful ballot initiative to limit the emergency powers of the Pennsylvania governor's office. Regardless of who holds the governor's office or what party they hail from, the state constitution now puts clear limits on their powers to declare and emergency situation.
Commonwealth Foundation is also looking forward to expanding educational choice during the year ahead. They're working in conjunction with state lawmakers to advance a package of proposals to increase students' access to opportunity. Mitchell points out that with the skyrocketing application rate for already-implemented educational choice programs due to COVID-19, there is a clear and present demand for more options for students and parents, not to mention the local businesses who are excited to donate millions of dollars to those scholarship programs. Listen today to get the full story.
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In this special live-premier episode of Borderless, Nataliya Melnyk, communications director at Bendukidze Free Market Center, a Kyiv, Ukraine-based Atlas Network partner, joins host Vale Sloane to discuss the ongoing invasion of her country by Vladimir Putin. Melnyk has chosen to remain inside Ukraine despite the Kremlin’s advance, offering her an up-close-and-personal view of the progression of the war and its effects on Ukraine and its people. She shares with Borderless viewers why it is still important to pay attention to this war and why it is still critical for countries that value human freedom to continue to send aid to Ukraine to support its self-defense.
Melnyk’s organization, Bendukidze Free Market Center, has continued to advance liberty despite the invasion. Instead of folding under the weight of the crisis, they are rising to meet the challenge and seizing the opportunity to point out the flaws in past policy that can be corrected to enable a better future. Tune in to learn where they are focusing their efforts and how she and the center are using support from Atlas Network’s Ukraine Freedom Fund to build a better Ukraine for all.
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This week on Borderless, Vale Sloane is joined by Kateryna Shapovalenko, project manager at EasyBusiness, an Atlas Network partner based in Kyiv, Ukraine. While Shapovalenko has relocated to the United States since the Kremlin’s invasion of her country, she and her organization continue to work for better government policies that will result in more economic choices and better lives for their fellow Ukrainians. It was in part because of EasyBusiness’s efforts that the Ukrainian government finally passed land reform legislation in 2021 that finally rid the country’s landowners of Soviet-era rules that prevented them from using their property as they saw fit.
On episode 19 Kate Shapovalenko discusses how EasyBusiness has been continuing to work since the start of the invasion, the significance of the aid sent to Ukraine by other countries such as the United States, and what aid Ukraine still needs. Her unique position as a U.S.-based Ukrainian allows listeners a more informed perspective on the war, as well as a better idea of how they can get involved in defending human liberty and flourishing.
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Why did gross domestic product suddenly start to skyrocket just a few hundred years ago after centuries of only gradual, marginal improvements? Dr. Deirdre McCloskey, Distinguished Professor Emerita of Economics, History, English, and Communication at
University of Illinois at Chicago, has written extensively on why it was not the accumulation of capital that caused what she has dubbed "The Great Enrichment"—and eventually enabled the Industrial Revolution—but rather the spread of the great ideas of liberty. On today's episode of Borderless, she joins Vale Sloane to discuss how ideas changed the world and allowed the standard of living to advance so dramatically for millions and billions of people.
Dr. McCloskey prefers the term "innovism" to describe the source of this enrichment, rather than the more familiar "capitalism." Innovation, enabled by institutions such as the free market and free speech, was far more important to the economic transformation of the last few centuries than capital alone. Take a deep dive into what this means for our understanding of liberalism, history, and even the future on this episode of Borderless.
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In this special episode of Borderless, Executive Vice President Dr. Tom G. Palmer joins host Vale Sloane to talk about how the Atlas Network Ukraine Freedom Fund is making a difference on the ground. It's more than just money, however—Atlas Network's long history of building relationships in Ukraine and across Europe have enabled Dr. Palmer and the UFF to have an outsized impact. By working closely with and listening to nine partner organizations in the country, Atlas Network has been able to identify and address specific needs as they arise.
While other, humanitarian-focused, organizations have provided for the needs of refugees fleeing into Poland and other countries, Dr. Palmer and Atlas Network partners are stepping up in areas where their expertise shines through. From sourcing body armor and putting it in the hands of front-line aid workers, medics, and neighborhood patrols who are being targeted by invading snipers, to ensuring that partner staff can get to safety and continue their critical work, the Ukraine Freedom Fund is being used carefully and strategically to ensure a future for the country.
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In this episode of Borderless, Vale sits down with Colin Craig, president of SecondStreet.org. SecondStreet.org is an Atlas Network partner dedicated to exploring how government policies impact the lives of everyday Canadians. Recently, they have focused on the negative side effects of Canada's single-payer healthcare system. Craig mentions that this structure leads to significant government control over patients lives in Canada and a government monopoly over healthcare services. Inefficiency is rampant, leading to poor business practices and bad outcomes for many patients.
That government monopoly often leads to shortages in medical care and long waiting lists even for desperately needed procedures. Many patients suffer and some even die while waiting for life-saving care. Canadians who have the financial means often resort to seeking care in the United States or even further afield to escape the waiting lists. Craig is concerned by this reality, and he says it will continue to be a problem in the future. The sooner everyday Canadians are aware of these issues, the sooner they can find a solution.
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In this episode of Borderless, host Vale Sloane sits down with Matt Warner, president of Atlas Network, and Dr. Tom Palmer, vice president of international programs, to discuss their new book Development with Dignity. Available now from Routledge publishers, this book examines how the principles of human dignity and individual agency are central to international development and the effort to end poverty. The authors discuss how starting with dignity helps people improve both their own lives as well as their communities. They also discuss how institutions can take a local problem-solving approach that encourages development and protects human rights.
“The focus on Development with Dignity is about what moves people and how we can solve their problems… It is the key to moral agency and to get ourselves to where we want to go.” - Dr. Tom G. Palmer
How can we do good without causing harm through unintended consequences? This is the Outsider's Dilemma. Warner and Palmer discuss what this problem means for international development and how we can overcome it. They demonstrate how Atlas Network solves this dilemma by working with local partner organizations and how other institutions can implement this model.
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What happens when the government that's supposed to defend your rights is the one violating them? That's where Institute for Justice comes in. Robert McNamara, a senior attorney at Institute for Justice, joins this episode of Borderless to talk with host Vale Sloane about his and his organization's work to defend the rights of Americans in court.
One area of particular concern for Institute for Justice is eminent domain abuse. This legal doctrine allows the government to require private property owners to sell their land to the government at a fair market rate for public use. Unfortunately, "public use" can be hard to strictly define, leaving open the opportunity for eminent domain to be used to benefit private companies at the expense of private citizens. These are the situations that Institute for Justice looks out for, stepping in to defend private citizens and their rights. In this episode, Robert McNamara talks about how he's been involved in these cases, what's changed since he started, and why it's important to keep working to advance liberty, even when the odds seem stacked against you.
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"Emergent order" sounds like a complicated concept, but it's essential to understanding why freedom leads to more prosperity than authoritarianism. Luckily, this week's episode of Borderless breaks down and explains this key idea. Stand Together's Neil Chilson joined Vale Sloane in-studio to talk about emergent order, what it is, why it matters, and why Neil wrote a book about it.
Getting Out of Control celebrates the power of individuals to improve society, and encourages an approach that rejects the centralization of power. Relying on emergent, or spontaneous, order produces peaceful organization in society, he argues, and it avoids the rigidity and lack of knowledge that plagues top-down solutions from government. The more complex the world gets, the more we must embrace emergent order.
Read more about Neil Chilson and his book Getting Out of Control: https://www.neilchilson.com/
Atlas Network's partner Lithuanian Free Market Institute is using emergent order to help solve healthcare problems in their country! Don't miss our discussion on how they are improving access and lowering healthcare costs for everyday Lithuanians.
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What's next for Chile after the recent presidential runoff election? What will the president-elect's top priorities be? The election of far-left candidate Gabriel Boric does not bode well for the economic well-being of Chile's people, says Axel Kaiser, a Chilean writer, lawyer, political scientist, and member of the Mont Pelerin Society. He joins Borderless host Vale Sloane this week to talk about why he has written that Boric's policies will likely reverse the impressive gains in prosperity the country has made in recent years. Dramatic proposals like inflating the minimum wage, dismantling the successful pension system, and other leftists policies helped win voters but will likely result in a devastating increase in poverty. These ideas run directly counter to the liberal, free-market policies that set Chile on a years-long upward trajectory.
President-elect Boric's influence runs beyond his potential effects on Chile's material well-being, as he has the opportunity to influence the country's constitutional convention. How will Chile weather this storm? Join us on this week's episode of Borderless to get an informed perspective.
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Free-market process are better at protecting the environment than top-down solutions! Find out how in this episode of Borderless as Vale Sloane talks market environmentalism with Chris Barnard of the American Conservation Coalition. Leveraging property rights, market incentives, and supply and demand have shown to be effective in saving endangered species and key habitats, but few people think of capitalism when they hear "environmentalism."
Barnard and his organization are working to change that through education and advocacy, showing that individuals who favor capitalism over big government do care about the environment and actually have the best, most effective tools to do so. Their efforts are reaching new heights with their "Market Environmentalism Academy" initiative. This free online resource provides in-depth analysis from experts on environmental issues and how the free market provides solutions.
You can find out more about the American Conservation Coalition and Market Environmentalism Academy here: https://www.acc.eco/
And don't miss our discussion on how the British Conservation Alliance is reaching university students in the United Kingdom with the message of market environmentalism.
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This week on Borderless, join our host Vale Sloane as he sits down with Justine Lee of Living Room Conversations and Making America Dinner Again. Through these organizations, her mission is to bring together Americans of every background and political persuasion in low-stakes environments like a meal or a home. She's found that face-to-face conversations, in contrast to faceless internet interactions, have the power to build understanding and common ground between Americans, even when points of disagreement remain. By helping "lower the temperature" of the political environment in the U.S., these conversations are laying the foundations for a better country for all Americans.
You can read more about Living Room Conversations here: https://livingroomconversations.org/
Also, don't miss our conversation about the Reason Foundation and their work to bring the message of the free market to Hispanic Americans! This population has a lower likelihood than other Americans of being familiar with the ideas of free market economics, but it's just those ideas that have the power to help them achieve more prosperous lives.
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In this episode of Borderless, Libertas Institute's Michael Melendez joins Vale Sloane to discuss his organization's 2021 Templeton Freedom Award finalist project to encourage the implementation of the U.S.'s broadest regulatory sandbox. This system allows entrepreneurs, small businesses, and even large corporations to apply for a temporary exemption from many overly burdensome regulations, which encourages lawmakers to revisit and potentially repeal bad or outdated rules.
Regulation often struggles to keep up with innovation, and lawmakers often do not have the time or expertise to keep rules up-to-date. Utah's new regulatory sandbox allows the market to test regulatory reform without having to go through a lengthy legislative process. Businesses now have the opportunity for innovators to receive limited-time exemptions from regulations not related to health and safety. This process ensures the protection of customers and the environment without limiting access to new human prosperity. Atlas Network partner Libertas Institute had an instrumental hand in making the case for this revolutionary system.
You can read more about their project and the prestigious Templeton Freedom Award here: https://www.atlasnetwork.org/articles/libertas-institutes-regulatory-sandbox-project-named-a-finalis...
Also don't miss our discussion on Centre for Civil Society's exciting work to improve the lawmaking process in India, ensure regulation meets quality standards, and much more!
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In this episode of Borderless, Vale Sloane is joined by Bruce Vaillant of Centre for Development and Enterprises Great Lakes to discuss their 2021 Templeton Freedom Award finalist project to break down the barriers to international trade that were helping keep Burundi in poverty. Now it's cheaper, easier, and safer for entrepreneurs, including women, to take their goods to market.
In order to trade across borders, Burundians had to either pay exorbitant fees and deal with overbearing bureaucracy or try to operate in the informal sector. The former method was expensive and time consuming, and the latter excluded traders from finance systems and risked a run-in with the law. Now that has all changed. Registration documents are far more affordable, the number of regulatory agencies has been slashed, and new entrepreneurs can enter the market much more easily thanks to the work of Atlas Network partner Centre for Development and Enterprises Great Lakes.
You can read more about their project and the prestigious Templeton Freedom Award here: https://www.atlasnetwork.org/articles/centre-for-development-and-enterprises-great-lakes-fungua-njia...
You also won't want to miss our discussion on Centre for Development and Enterprises Great Lakes' inspiring work to improve the Burundi's response to COVID-19 by reducing patient costs and allowing the involvement of private healthcare providers!
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In this episode of Borderless, Vale Sloane is joined by Jessi Troyan of Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy to talk about her organization's Templeton Freedom Award finalist project, which brought educational choice and hope for a more prosperous future to West Virginia through educational savings accounts.
In this episode of Borderless, Vale Sloane sits down with renowned economist Dr. Levy-Carciente and Dr. Salinas-León of Atlas Network's Center for Latin America to discuss the forthcoming Latin America Bureaucracy Index and what it means for businesses, entrepreneurs, and everyday people. Dr. Levy led the project in conjunction with Center for Latin America, Cedice Libertad, and several other Atlas Network partners. The index will be published at the launch event on November 9, 2021.
In this episode of Borderless, Vale Sloane is joined by Mark Littlewood of Institute of Economic Affairs to talk about his organization's Templeton Freedom Award finalist project, which ensured the United Kingdom took a decidedly free-trade approach to Brexit negotiations in line with IEA's "Plan A+."
In this special World Poverty Day episode of Borderless, our host Vale Sloane is joined by Atlas Network President Matt Warner to discuss how their partners are working to eliminate global poverty and how Atlas Network is helping them do it.
Join us for the second episode of Borderless! Vale Sloane is joined by Lakshmi Goyal of Centre for Civil Society to talk about her organization's Templeton Freedom Award nominated-project to protect the right to earn a livelihood and escape poverty for millions of India's street vendors.
The first episode of Borderless is live! Vale Solane talks with Clark Neily from the Cato Institute about protecting rights and ensuring accountability within the U.S. criminal justice system, especially by removing the doctrine of qualified immunity.
AtlasNexus host Vale Sloane sits down with Peter McCaffrey, founder and president of Alberta Institute, to talk about what he and his organization are doing to protect civil rights and keep Alberta free. From launching a successful petition overnight to prevent drone spying to showing how hosting the Olympics in Calgary was a bad idea, Alberta Institute has been busy. Tune in to hear more about this remarkable young organization and its fascinating founder.
AtlasNexus host Vale Sloane is joined by Jack Confrey of London-based Institute of Economic Affairs to talk about how the organization engaged new audiences despite the pandemic. They discuss how IEA reaches students with the ideas of the free market, how they kept up the pace throughout the disruptive past 18 months, and how they stay on top of digital trends. Be sure to tune for an inside look at how Institute of Economic Affairs is making a difference!
AtlasNexus host Vale Sloane is joined by Matt and Janet Bufton of Institute for Liberal Studies in Ontario, Canada to discuss their efforts to open the intellectual environment in their country. Through their Freedom Week, Summer Seminar, and Socratic Seminars, Institute for Liberal Studies establishes non-partisan outlets to explore philosophy, economics, history, and public policy while advancing the ideas of liberty. Their events consistently receive rave reviews on both their quality and their capacity to make learning fun.
AtlasNexus host Vale Sloane sits down with Frank Zimmerman of Federalismo y Libertad’s Latin American Center to discuss why Cubans are protesting now and why life has been difficult there for so long. Frank dispels the myth that Cubans suffer because of a U.S. “blockade,” explains the nationalization of shoeshine stands, and points out the government’s discrimination against Black people on the island. Tune in to learn more about the Cuban march for freedom.
Atlas Network CEO Brad Lips guest hosts this special episode of AtlasNexus with three storied guests to commemorate the organization's fortieth anniversary. Linda Whetstone is the daughter of Atlas Network Founder Sir Antony Fisher, a member of the Atlas Network board of directors (formerly board chair), and president of the Mont Pelerin Society. Robert Boyd spent seven years on the Atlas Network (then the Atlas Economic Research Foundation) board early in its history and eventually returned to serve on the board of directors once more. Bill Sumner is the chairman emeritus of Atlas Network’s board of directors, serving as chairman of the board for decades. The three guests combine for over one hundred years of relationship with Atlas Network, and they join the show to talk about the organization’s founder, history, and global impact in the past four decades. Whetstone, Boyd, and Sumner discuss Atlas Network’s lean early days, Sir Fisher’s determination and drive, and the triumph over early challenges that Atlas Network and Institute for Economic Affairs both experienced. History lovers will delight in this special episode of AtlasNexus!
AtlasNexus Host Vale Sloane takes a deep dive in to how Hannah Cox has grown into the influencer she has become, the nuance of the discussions she has on her podcast Based, the importance of being able to hold multiple perspectives in view, and the challenges that accompany being in the public eye.
Maryan Zablotskyy is a member of the Ukrainian parliament. He previously worked as the director of an Atlas Network partner, the Ukrainian Economic Freedoms Foundation.
Bryan Cheang is the founder and director of the Adam Smith Center in Singapore, which aims to promote economic and political literacy. He is the author of "Liberalism Unveiled: Forging A New Third Way In Singapore," a recent bestseller in Singapore.
In this episode of AtlasNexus, host Vale Sloane is joined by his good friend, Daniel Wild. As the Director of Research at Australia's Institute of Public Affairs, Wild frequently appears in the Australian media, and he specializes in red tape, regulation, economic policy, the philosophy of free enterprise, and criminal justice. In the episode, they discuss Australia's heavy-handed lockdowns and travel bans, the condition of free speech in the country, and much more.
Garrett Ballengee was the first employee of the Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy, a state-based think tank working to reverse decades of poor outcomes with the state's education system, liberalize labor markets to allow workers to thrive, and much more. Hear how a small but tough team has punched above their weight to deliver hope for West Virginia's families.
The TaxPayers' Alliance developed a new tool to engage in the political process. Harry Fone, Grassroots Campaign Manager at the Taxpayers' Alliance, who helped create the tool, joins host Vale Sloane on this episode of AtlasNexus.
Dmytro Lyvch is project manager & head of analytics at EasyBusiness, a leading public policy advisory organization that works to build a better business-enabling climate in Ukraine. The free-market think tank grew out of work being done by advisors to the Economy Minister to use deregulation as a tool to stamp out corruption in the country in 2014, and its impact has gradually grown as it works to liberalize the economy since Ukraine's Revolution of Dignity.
The Frontier Institute was founded in 2020 and is already reshaping theeconomic landscape in Montana. Through their Montana Recovery Agenda, FI is working with the newly elected governor to ensure overregulation doesn’t stifle a strong economic recovery.
In his book, Foundations of a Free Society, Dr. Eamonn Butler, director of the Adam Smith Institute in London, lays out the economic and moral case for small government, rule of law, strong private property rights, and free trade. How might these bedrock principles be realized as the world emerges from an international pandemic?
Nils Karlson, founding president and CEO of the Ratio Institute in Sweden discusses the need for classical liberal reform in most developed democracies and welfare states while tying in his new book Statecraft and Liberal Reform in Advanced Democracies.
Atlas Network's president Matt Warner sits down with Stand Together’s executive director, Evan Feinberg, to discuss the failures of the status quo, top-down remedies to poverty in the United States, and highlights the disconnect between philanthropy and poverty.
From increased life expectancy to better food trends, data proves that human flourishing is increasing worldwide. Listen to Dr. Marian Tupy, editor of HumanProgress.org, a senior fellow at the Cato Institute's Center for Global Liberty and Prosperity, co‐author of The Simon Project, and co-author of Ten Global Trends Every Smart Person Should Know: And Many Others You Will Find Interestingshare how his work helps readers tune out cynicism and view world events with a more optimistic outlook.
In light of Inauguration Day in the United States, Atlas Network's Tom Palmer discusses core values of classical liberalism.
National lockdowns and protectionist policies in Greece have stripped millions of their civil liberties and forced many back into poverty. Alex Skouras, President of KEFiM in Greece, tells of KEFiM's "Greece 2021—Agenda for Freedom and Prosperity", the most ambitious initiative of KEFiM to date which is focused around helping the Greeks prosper once again.
Casey Pifer, Director of Institute Relations at Atlas Network, hosts part two of Atlas Network's two-part series on the role and future of women in the liberty movement. Casey is joined by three very inspirational women in the worldwide liberty movement including: Aneetha Warusavitarana: Research Manager for the Advocata Institute in Sri Lanka, Felippa Amanta: Head of Research at the Center for Indonesian Policy Studies in Indonesia, and Linda Kavuka Kiguhi: African Program Manager at students for liberty in Kenya.
Part one of Atlas Network's two-part series on the Role and Future of Women in the Liberty movement—Ms. Amity Shlaes, Chair of the Board at the Calvin Coolidge Presidential Foundation and author of four New York Times Best Sellers, tells how the principles of individual liberty and free-market economics empowered her to succeed.
Mark Littlewood, Director General of the Institute for Economic Affairs discusses the role of national governments during COVID-19. Are we living in the "dark days of freedom", as Littlewood commented during his breakout session in #LFFD20? Tune in to hear how protectionist policies as a response to COVID-19 are stripping away individual freedoms worldwide.
Swedish scholar Johan Norberg joins the host of Atlas Network’s Hablemos Libertad, Antonella Marty, on this episode of AtlasNexus for an inspiring conversation about his new book, Open: The Story of Human Progress. Please enjoy this very special conversation that highlights the great progress that economic freedom and capitalism have brought worldwide.
Guillermo Peña Panting, executive director of Fundación Eléutera in Honduras, discusses Fundación Eléutera's groundbreaking work in the Honduran energy market. Tune in to hear more about Fundación Eléutera, and their journey to make Honduras a more free state.
Rowland Brown, chairperson of the Economic Association of Namibia, discusses the dramatic economic slowdown and polarization in Namibia post 2015. Tune in to hear what the Economic Association of Namibia is doing on the ground to combat dangerous populist policies and inequality in Namibia.
Subsequent to the release of the podcast, the guest has notified us as to a small inaccuracy in the early section and notes that Namibia was a Class C Mandate of the League of Nations under South Africa, not a UN protectorate under South Africa as stated in the podcast
Daniel Erspamer, chief executive officer at the Pelican Institute for Public Policy, sheds light on his organization's ongoing storytelling efforts through their "Faces of the Shutdown" project.
For years, elected state officals hid their states' pension and retiree healthcare debt from taxpayers for political gain. Sheila Weinberg, founder and CEO of Truth in Accounting, exposes bad accounting practices used by state politicians to hide massive amounts of debt in an effort to get re-elected. Truth in Accounting works to compel politicians to report hidden liabilities and hold state governments accountable.
"If not me then who?" John Mozena, president of the Center for Economic Accountability (CEA), shares his entrepreneurial journey of starting his own think tank. Mozena discusses the honest truths behind building a think tank from the ground up. By utilizing Atlas Network's Leadership Academy and surrounding himself with a community of liberty-minded individuals, Mozena has become a successful think tank entrepreneur.
Ron Manners has lived quite a life. He’s gone from running one of the most successful businesses in Australia to becoming an accomplished author and leader of the Mannkal Foundation, which provides young Australians with the opportunity to learn about classical liberal principles from leading experts across the world, to being named an official member of the Order of Australia. In today’s special episode, Ron shares a little bit of his life story (including his time as an unintentional expat and a crazy conversation with Fredrick Hayek), his perspective on the next generation, and his predictions about the future for freedom in Australia.
Niels Veldhuis, president of the Fraser Institute discusses the Alberta Prosperity Initiative; a Fraser Institute project that is nominated for the 2020 Templeton Freedom Award. Veldhuis discusses the Fraser Institute’s strategic approach when addressing policy change. By shifting the research focus from the politician to the average Albertan, the Fraser Institute was able to produce policy prescriptions that successfully helped revitalize liberties that have been lost over time in the Canadian province. Listen to hear about how the Fraser institute combatted special interests that hinder success in the political marketplace and fought for the best interests of the citizens of Alberta through consistently sharing research and data that supports free market ideals.
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Dr. D. Dhanuraj, the chairman of the Center for Public Policy Research in India (CPPR) discusses the institutionalized discrimination against women that is a direct product of the Kerala Shops & Establishments Act in Kerala, India. CPPR worked tirelessly with the communist-led government of Kerala to implement significant policy reforms that allow women more freedom in the market. CPPR’s policy prescriptions dismantled discriminatory measures in the Kerala Shops & Establishment Act by providing an amendment that allows shops to remain open all hours of the week, introduces shifts for employees, allows women to work beyond the previously described hours of 6am-7pm, and establishes an online business registration platform that will allow businesses to act more freely in the market.
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More than one million Costa Ricans live in poverty, so how do its leaders justify the “luxury pensions” of a few thousand people who receive, on average, nearly forty-five hundred U.S. dollars a month? Luis Loria, president of Ideas Labs in Costa Rica tells of their success in educating the general public on how luxury pensions infringe upon the freedoms of every tax-paying Costa Rican. Two out of 10 of Ideas Labs reforms have been passed into law through Costa Rica’s congress. Ideas Labs is nominated for the 2020 Templeton Freedom Award for their commitment to educating Costa Rican citizens about the injustice embedded within the highest ranking members of society.
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PERC, “The home of free market environmentalism”, is nominated for the 2020 Templeton Freedom Award. PERC, a trailblazer of innovative policy solutions to the Endangered Species Act, focused on advocating for positive, market based, incentives that reward U.S. Citizens for participating in private conservation. Brian Yablonski tells of PERC’s groundbreaking findings that drastically changes the way citizens and politicians view environmentalism.
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Severe import restrictions have drastically increased the price of staple food in Indonesia. As a result, a quarter of all children under five are malnourished. Rainer Heufers, the co-founder and executive director for the Center for Indonesian Policy Studies (CIPS), discusses the negative, unintended consequences that abed protectionist policies such as the quantitative import restrictions in Indonesia and how CIPS is working to change public opinion and make the Indonesian government more accountable for the food crisis. CIPS Affordable Food for the Poor program is being recognized for the 2020 Templeton Freedom Award.
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State governments are aggressively reducing the ability of healthcare providers to freely provide their services in the marketplace in 36 states in the United States of America. Thomas Stratmann from the Mercatus Center at George Mason University spearheaded the Equity Initiative for American Healthcare, which exposed government imposed certificate of need laws as harmful to both healthcare providers and patients. Since 2014, the Mercatus Center has developed nine academic papers and dozens of short papers explaining how certificate of need (CON) laws, in the name of increasing access, improving quality, and reducing healthcare costs, consequently create situations where patients do not have access to services. The Mercatus Center is recognized as the 2020 Atlas Network Liberty Award winner and is nominated for the 2020 Templeton Freedom Award.
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What is the freedom movement? Brad Lips, Atlas Network's CEO discusses his new book, modern day heroes of liberty, and his personal journey from Wall Street to the non-profit world. Brad also explains how Atlas Network's Templeton Freedom Award continues a legacy of advancing freedom and highlights this year's six finalists. Our special TFA finalist interview series kicks off tomorrow so, stay tuned!
Bob Chitester is the founder of Free to Choose and the man who brought Milton Friedman and free-market economics into living rooms across the globe. After 30 years of television experience, Bob examines the relationship between the philosophy of liberty and the capacity for creativity, reflects on his career and friendship with Milton and Rose Friedman, and explains how good storytelling can impact society's future.
The mission of Libertad y Progreso (LyP) is to contribute to a deep change in Argentina, and according to Candelaria de Elizalde, LyP general coordinator, that deep change is needed now more than ever. Candelaria explains what things are like on the ground in light of the pandemic, bad government policies, and a rise in populism; and the success LyP is having in sowing the seeds for liberty in the minds of Argentina's next generation through education. She also describes the ways Atlas Network has helped LyP through training and mentorship, and shares the unconventional origins of Libertad y Progreso.
It’s been ten years since the Arab Spring and Nouh El Harmouzi, director of the Arab Center in Morocco, and Dr. Tom Palmer played a major role promoting liberty in Egypt at the beginning of the movement. Hear Nouh tell his story and describe the current state of the Middle East in light of the continuing refugee crisis. Plus, a discussion on the roots of individualism and freedom within the Islamic tradition.
What does crony capitalism look like? In Michigan, it looks like seventy years of the state government taking money from small businesses to give big corporations special incentives to create jobs. Joe Lehman, president of Mackinac; and Mike Lafaive, senior director of the Morey Fiscal Policy Initiative, explain the ways they show government officials and everyday citizens how these programs are not only ineffective but immoral. They also give practical advice for how other free market think tanks can combat similar programs, as well as the narrative that cronyism and government corruption are the same as free market economics.
Patrick Mardini, president and founder of the Lebanese Institute for Market Studies (LIMS), provides a free market perspective on the fallout of the recent explosions in Beirut. Patrick also describes the precipice that Lebanon currently finds itself; with the choice to either embrace an open economy for trade and utilities, or to hold onto a legacy of mass government control. You’ll also hear about the amazing work Patrick is doing to improve lives by promoting policies that quite literally keep the lights on.
Believe it or not, the Communist Party of Vietnam just cosponsored an economic freedom audit in their country. Fred McMahon, Michael Walker Chair of Economic Freedom Research at the Fraser Institute, explains what economic freedom is, why it matters, and what it looks like on every continent (except Antarctica).
As Sri Lanka nears a complete re-opening post-pandemic and orients itself to a newly elected government, the Advocata Institute continues to advocate the power of a free and open society in the Asian country. Dhananath Fernando, COO and founding member of Advocata, gives us an update on recent events and explains how the think tank communicates a the narrative of less government and more liberty to Sri Lankan youth, government, and the entire nation. Dhananath also describes the connection between libertarian ideals and a desire to help others and gives advice to anyone wondering if/ how they should start a think tank.
Lack of educational opportunities, a bloated government pension structure, and a school-to-prison pipeline: these are massive issues with no easy solutions. But somehow, the Commonwealth Foundation continues to make progress as they promote successful reform. Charles Mitchell, President and CEO of Commonwealth, shares the ways these systemic problems are connected and explains how one think tank can make all the difference.
When most of the media is owned by the state, how do you get the truth out? How do you promote freedom in a country where many parts of the government are actively suppressing free expression? Petar Čekerevac, executive manager of Libertarian Club Libek in Serbia, gives special insight into the recent protests in his country and the active cover-ups attempted by the government. Petar also tells the story of the creation of Talas, an online media source providing news and opinions without government strings attached.
In a long-form episode, Charlie Fritschner, executive producer at Thatch Films, and Atlas Network's AJ Skiera look back on the Poverty & Freedom film project and how, by telling individual stories, it has so effectively communicated the human impact that free-market reforms provide. Charlie and AJ have created more than a dozen short films over the past two years across multiple continents and have proven that the best way to tell a story is to get yourself out of the way.
For years the discussion about free speech, safe spaces, and open debate centered around universities and college campuses. But now the fight for open exchange has left the classroom and entered the workplace. Greg Lukianoff, president of the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE), explains how "cancel culture" is a natural consequence of student-led initiatives to restrict free speech, describes the state of free speech on college campuses, and discusses his prophetic book "The Coddling of the American Mind," coauthored by Jonathan Haidt.
What are the barriers that prevent many African countries from economic growth? Ibrahim Anoba, managing editor of AfricanLiberty.org explains how the online publication is providing resources for Africans to promote liberty in their countries, tells his story of encountering the values of classical liberalism, and explores the similar struggles experienced by all peoples of Africa.
How do you promote ideas like the free market, the importance of property rights, and the power of individual liberty to Generation Z? Richard Lorenc, executive vice president for the Foundation for Economic Education (FEE), explains how FEE successfully presents the case for freedom to young people of all political orientations (conservative, liberal, and libertarian) through targeted storytelling and appeals to overlapping values. Hear Richard explain how FEE started this journey and the advice he has on getting the right message to the right audience.
Dr. Tom Palmer, George M. Yeager Chair for Advancing Liberty; Executive Vice President for International Programs at Atlas Network, offers a glimpse into his incredible life story—how he discovered classical liberal principles, how he has spent his career advocating economic liberty around the world, and why he believes these ideas are so vital in our world today.
Connor Boyack, president of Libertas Institute in Utah, tells the origin story of his liberty-minded childrens' book series: the Tuttle Twins. Connor and Melissa also discuss the importance of parental rights in education and the resources Libertas Institute has created to help teach free-market economics.
Greg Brooks, founder and president of the Better Cities Project, explains how his organization is helping cities enact pro-liberty policies that facilitate new opportunities for Americans in the urban jungle to thrive.
Bhakti Patil, associate director of development for Centre for a Civil Society (CCS) in India describes the ways over-regulation can lead to corruption and how this impacts one of the largest economic forces in New Delhi, street vendors. Melissa and Bhakti also discuss the stories in Atlas Network's Poverty & Freedom series that focus on everyday people who, thanks to the removal of barriers through CCS's work, are thriving and making a positive impact in their communities.
Clark Neily, vice president for criminal justice at the Cato Institute, explains how Qualified Immunity reduces accountability for law enforcement and discusses potential reforms that would lead to true equality under the law.
It's an Australian take-over as Atlas Network's Vale Sloane guest hosts this weeks episode. Justin Owen (President & CEO) and Taylor Dawson (Director of Outreach and Digital Media) explain the Beacon Center's work to reform the criminal justice system in Tennessee. The second episode of Upward Globility (hosted by Vale and available on the Atlas Network YouTube channel) depicts the life-changing reforms that Beacon has championed as Vale learns the stories of a group of previously-incarcerated women who have been given a second chance.
Justin and Taylor explain the ways local institutions create solutions for local problems, and discuss the important steps the United States needs to take to prevent future miscarriages of justice.
Rejoice Ngwenya, founder of the Coalition for Market and Liberal Solutions (COMALISO), explains the role property rights plays in economic development and increasing liberty in Zimbabwe.
Daniel Richards, Vice President & Director of Digital at the Federalist Society, discusses the mission of the Federalist Society to sponsor fair, serious, and open debate about the need to enhance individual freedom in law schools throughout the United States, the potential legal consequences of government responses to COVID-19, developing a great story telling process, and the Federalist Society's new documentary on the legacy of legislation that created Japanese Internment Camps in World War II.
Roxana Nicula, one of the founders of Fundación para el Avance de la Libertad (Fundalib), discusses the state of the state of political freedom in Spain, Funalib's index of economic freedom in Spain's cities, and the need for more women in the liberty movement.
Robert Alt, President of the Buckeye Institute in Ohio, tells the stories of everyday people who have been impacted by the think tank's work to reform occupational licensing and criminal justice system in the state.
Melissa and Roberto, Director of Atlas Network's Center for Latin America, discuss threats to liberty in Mexico, Argentina, Venezuela, and the entire region as government overreach in response to the current pandemic leads to more protectionist, intrusive, and oppressive policies.
Melissa Mann and Linda Kavuka of Africa Students for Liberty (SFL) discuss the impact Covid-19 is having on the region and the work SFL is doing to promote freedom and prosperity to young people all over Africa!
Atlas Network President, Matt Warner, explains why traditional aid is failing the developing world and that the true solution to poverty alleviation is local knowledge and greater opportunity.
Melissa Mann and Elena Leontjeva, president of the Lithuanian Free Market Institute (LFMI), talk about the work LFMI is doing to roll back unnecessary government spending during the COVID-19 pandemic.