It is no secret that conservatism has been suffering an identity crisis since at least the end of the Cold War. But inviting French National Front member Marion Maréchal-Le Pen to address CPAC has stirred debate over another political label: classical liberal. CPAC attendees gave her a positive reception on Thursday, responding with emotion when she said France is transforming “from the eldest daughter of the Catholic Church to the little niece of Islam.” “This is not the France that...

One of the more pervasive myths surrounding the Protestant reformations is that they represented a wholesale rupture with the moral traditions that preceded, particularly with respect to natural law. In an influential recent study, for instance, Brad S. Gregory claims that “those who repudiated the Roman church uncoupled the medieval discourse on natural rights from the teleological Christian ethics within which it had been embedded.” Scholarship on this point has not always been so blinkered, however. John T. McNeill wrote...

I finally got around to seeing Black Panther last night, and my early reaction echoes so much of the overwhelmingly positive response to the film. As so many superhero tales do, Black Panther weaves plex ideas within the often deceptively fantastical trappings of science fiction and fantasy. A few themes among the many immediately leap out, especially the dynamics of isolationism and internationalism that face Wakanda throughout its history. The isolationist attitude is embodied by Wakanda’s past and especially its...

“The Queen will be sending a private message of condolence to the family of Billy Graham,” Buckingham Palace announced Wednesday. The Netflix series The Crown portrays the real-life friendship between Rev. Billy Graham and Queen Elizabeth II. But Graham’s relationship with other UK leaders got off to a rocky start after he repeatedly –and publicly –criticized economic interventionists. Graham believed deeply in the goodness of free enterprise and exchange. In 1949, he said of Clement Atlee’s postwar Labour ministry: The...

In light of Reverend Billy Graham’s recent passing, we’d do well to pause and reflect on his life and legacy, which was defined by the spreading of the Gospel, and doing so in a way that inspired deep faith and authentic relationship with Jesus. Although Rev. Graham mostly steered clear of the partisan fray, he frequently offered strong challenges to the American people on social and economic issues, from opposing racial segregation to drawing a distinct contrast between Communism and...

For centuries economists and other social scientists have noticed that religiosity is associated with a set of characteristics that promote economic success. (A prime example is Max Weber’s theory about the Protestant work ethic.) Yet finding empirical evidence for the connection has been challenging because of the difficulty in determining whether religious influence affects economic behavior or if the traits for economic success lead people to be more religious. A new working paper published by the National Bureau of Economic...

On this episode of Radio Free Acton, Rev. Ben Johnson, Senior Editor at Acton, speaks with Philip Booth, Professor of Finance, Public Policy and Ethics, St. Mary’s University in the UK, about Catholic Social Teaching in China. Then, we have an Econ Quiz segment on wealth redistribution. Finally, Dan Churchwell, Associate Director of Program Outreach at Acton and Jay Richards, Executive Editor at The Stream, talk about how technology affects work. Check out these additional resources on this week’s podcast...

Parents around the world share one thing mon: We want what’s best for our children. Many e parents in America make significant sacrifices to ensure their children get a quality education. So it’s not surprising that poor parents in Kenya are willing to do the same. About fifteen years ago the government of Kenya implemented a free primary education program for all children. Why then do more than half of primary school students in Nairobi attend private schools? Why do...

In her CPAC speech, Marion Maréchal-Le Pen linked free trade with slavery in the developing world. The former member of the French National Assemblysaid: If we want to make France great again, we must defend our economic interests in the global market. The EU submits us to petition with the rest of the world. We cannot accept a model thatcreates slavesin developing nations andunemployedin Western countries. Is it true that the free market “creates slaves in developing nations”? The Global...

The Supreme Court is expected to hear oral arguments this morning in an important case involving free speech and public unions. Mark Janus is a child support specialist at the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services and the plaintiff in the case of Janus v. AFSCME. Janus doesn’t want to be a part of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees union, but he’s legally required to pay a fee to cover the cost of representing him....