Prosperity

Is the Pope Calling for a Universal Basic Income?

Pope Francis never called for a “universal basic income” as a new socio-political model. He asked for financial assistance for those on the margins who have been harmed by the quarantine. Even so, the idea of a “basic income” is only feasible, if at all, in a country with strong protection of property rights and a market economy.

What Comes after the Coronavirus Crisis – More Socialism or More Capitalism?

Statism is on the rise, despite the fact that western nations were ill-prepared for the Coronavirus pandemic. Old leftist demands are now given even more credence than usual. How can classical liberals and capitalists counter this statist impulse?

The Alternate Universe of Anti-Capitalist Coronavirus Experts

The COVID-19 epidemic becomes a pretext for critics of capitalism to once again castigate “neoliberalism.” The survival of the free market economy and the renewal of small government is essential, especially now.

Defend Globalization!

For critics of globalization, the matter is clear: it is the main culprit of the Coronavirus epidemic. On the contrary, globalization is particularly helpful in this context, among other things because it reduces regional dependencies.

Freedom or Equality? “Social Justice” Is Not a Demand of Classical Liberalism

Historically as inequality dissipates the inequalities that remain become intolerable for many. Freedom then becomes seen as an enemy to greater equality. The modern welfare state seeks to establish equality through redistribution, but leaves people dependent and demoralized by their caregivers.

The Rich – A Personally Unknown and Hated Minority

The Germans and the French are more likely than the English or Americans to envy rich people for their wealth. Moreover, social envy nurtures a scapegoat mentality and anti-capitalist thinking. This is confirmed by a recent study.

Capitalism is Good for the Poor – and for the Environment

The wealth-creating dynamic of capitalism remains widely misunderstood. Few know that it is also the solution to our environmental problems. The imbalance of capitalism today, on the other hand, is caused by politics.

The Entrepreneur’s Responsibility Is to Succeed as an Entrepreneur

From a “man of the church” one usually expects (besides friendly praise for the work of the entrepreneur) the admonition that entrepreneurs should not merely strive for profit, but always

Inequality is Shrinking: Branko Milanović Disagrees with Oxfam

Every year the Oxfam report makes sensational headlines. The tenor: global inequality is increasing. 26 billionaires would own as much as the 3.8 billion poorest people in the world. Leading inequality specialist Branko Milanović unmasks Oxfam’s alarmism as misleading.

Why the Market Economy, Political Freedom and Democracy Belong Together—Even if Not without Tension

A liberal economic order is based on free markets, entrepreneurial initiative and personal responsibility. The prerequisites for this, in turn, are legal certainty and, above all, economic freedom.

In Our Heads We Are All Marxists—How Marx’s Myths Shape Our Affluent Society

Even though few self-identify as Marxists, many of the Marx’s ideas remain in fashion. In particular, his denigration of capitalists and entrepreneurs as stealing from workers, and his failure to identify their effective beneficence, remain quite popular.

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