At this Policy Forum, Independent Institute Senior Fellow Alvaro Vargas Llosa, former Bolivian President Jorge Quiroga, economist William Easterly, and a group of policy experts discuss the findings of the book, Lessons from the Poor. The speakers examine real-world examples of entrepreneurship and why instead of redistributing existing wealth, governments should free people so that they can create it.
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On September 16, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, actor and director Andy Garcia, and entrepreneur William K. Bowes, Jr. were honored at the Independent Institute’s A Gala for Liberty. Each honoree received the Alexis de Tocqueville Award in recognition of their contributions to advancing the ideas and ideals of liberty, entrepreneurship, innovation, and peace.
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The Second Amendment’s right “to keep and bear arms” has been among the most controversial—and least understood—rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution. Did the Founders intend to safeguard an individual right or a collective right?
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Is it possible that the U.S. government’s response to the 9/11 attacks has served al-Qaeda interests? Despite the hype, U.S. law-enforcement officials have found little evidence of serious terrorist activities inside the country, compelling them to escalate their use of prosecution and entrapment to justify their enormous budgets.
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The 1967 Outer Space Treaty designated space for peaceful purposes as “the province of all mankind.” Virtually all spacefaring nations now favor a new treaty to accommodate major changes in geopolitics and military technology. The United States, however, has blocked negotiations, citing potential threats to U.S. “rights, capabilities, and freedom of action.”
