Many people today are justifiably outraged about government corruption, poverty, pollution, and racial discrimination. Is capitalism to blame for such problems—or is capitalism a scapegoat?
To answer this question, we must come to understand the true nature of capitalism. Is it an exploitative system that benefits only the rich and powerful at the expense of the poor and weak? Or is it a just system that maximizes freedom and increases everyone’s opportunities to prosper?
Dr. Andrew Bernstein will lead a reading group discussion of his book The Capitalist Manifesto: The Historic, Economic, and Philosophic Case for Laissez-Faire. Come examine the in-depth case for capitalism with the author, challenge anything you don’t find crystal clear and expand your knowledge, not only of capitalism, but also of the alternative systems, from socialism to mixed economies to so-called “crony capitalism.”
Along the way, you will explore:
- Why human life, by default, is short and miserable—and how capitalism enables people to live relatively long and happy lives;
- How our reasoning minds are our basic means of surviving and thriving—and how capitalism by its very design enables people to act in accordance with their rational judgment so they can flourish;
- How capitalism enables an explosion of widely accessible art, science, and technology that our ancestors never could have dreamed of;
- Why many intellectuals disdain capitalism despite overwhelming evidence that it enables the creation of life-serving values on a previously unimaginable scale.
If you want to understand what capitalism is and how it relates to the requirements of human life, liberty, and happiness, this reading group is for you.
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