I’ll be participating in this fun-looking weekend conferenceat the University of Illinois, Springfield.
My topic is: Does Free-market Liberalism Make You a Better Person?
My abstract is: Advocates of free-market liberalism (FML) often emphasize how it increases people’s wealth and the many material benefits that wealth can bring—better nutrition, education, healthcare, artistic and cultural experiences, and more. But also important is FML’s track record of combating traditional religious and ethnic intolerance, sexism, and racism and in improving our civility. In this talk, Stephen Hicks will ask: Is it true—as matters of moral principle and economic incentives—that free-market liberalism makes us better people?
Other speakers at the conference include philosopher William Kline, economist Matthew Brown, political theorist Gianna Englert, philosopher Peter Boltuc, and political economist James Harrigan.