As the latest crop of college graduates enters the workforce, many ing fully loaded with grandiose plans for “social transformation,” “giving back to munities,” and “making a difference.” Unfortunately, such phrases have e slippery slogans based on a cultural imagination that is far too narrow in its basic assumptions. Whether spurred along by the idealism of college professors, the hurrahs of mencement speeches, or the hedonistic calls of cultural tropes (“follow your passion!”), today’s youth are often clouded with a...

Earlier today President Trump imposed tariffs on imported steel (25 percent) and aluminum (10 percent) from the European Union, Canada and Mexico. Not surprisingly, the tariffs triggered immediate retaliation from U.S. allies against American businesses and farmers. “This is protectionism, pure and simple,” said Jean-Claude Junker, president of the European Commission.Junker is correct. The tariffs are are a form of protectionism that is frequently proposed by populists and Democrats. But what is wrong with protectionism? The short answer is that...

Note: This is post #80 in a weekly video series on basic economics. The Solow model was named after Robert Solow, the 1987 winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics. Among other things, the Solow model helps us understand the nuances and dynamics of growth, says Alex Tabarrok of Marginal Revolution University. The model also lets us distinguish between two types of growth: catching up growth and cutting edge growth. As you’ll soon see in this video, a country can...

The Acton Institute Mini-Grants on Free Market Economics program accepts proposals from faculty members at colleges, seminaries, and universities in the United States and Canada in order to promote the scholarship and teaching of market economics. This program allows for collaboration between faculty from different universities, as well as help future leaders to emerge, strengthen, and expand the existing network of scholars within economics. Entrants may submit proposals in two broad categories: course development and faculty scholarship. Here is plete...

One of Europe’s most robust welfare states may be proving that government intervention and true social solidarity are inimical forces. Many economic interventionists on both sides of the Atlantic cite the Catholic social teaching of “solidarity” – or, at least, their own conception of it – to justify far-reaching government policies of wealth confiscation and redistribution. The British philosopher Julian Baggini wrote in The Guardian that “Tax Freedom Day” should be celebrated as “Social Solidarity Day.” But heavy-handed government policy...

In The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, C.S. Lewis described the dreary state of Narnia under the curse of the White Witch as “always winter but never Christmas.” His assessment may soon apply to the National Health Service (NHS), whose annually intensifying “winter crisis” threatens to e permanent, according to the UK’s leading doctors’ association. “The winter crisis has truly been replaced by a year-round crisis,” said Dr. Chaand Nagpaul, chairman of the British Medical Association (BMA). Each winter,...

On this episode of Radio Free Acton, Andrew Vanderput, PovertyCure strategy and engagement manager at Acton, holds a discussion with Peter Greer, president and CEO of Hope International, on how human flourishing can be brought about in the context of poverty. Then, on the Upstream segment, Bruce Edward Walker talks to author Jeremy Begbie about his new book, Redeeming Transcendence in the Arts. Check out these additional resources on this week’s podcast topics: Learn more about PovertyCure Learn more about...

Culture wars are plex with overlapping conflicts that are often confused and conflated, says John D. Wilsey in this week’s Acton Commentary. For the past five decades, Americans have waged what has monly referred to as a “culture war.” A number of authors have examined the culture wars from philosophical, historical, and sociological standpoints, especially since the early 1990s—Charles Murray, Robert Putnam, James Davison Hunter, Philip Gorski, and Andrew Hartman to name a few. It is tempting to see the...

Yesterday was the 144th birthday of G.K. Chesterton. In his honor, here are six quotes by the great British writer on freedom and virtue. On defending virtue: “The act of defending any of the cardinal virtues has today all the exhilaration of a vice.” On modern freedom: “Most modern freedom is at root fear. It is not so much that we are too bold to endure rules; it is rather that we are too timid to endure responsibilities.” On courage:...

Series Note: Jobs are one of the most important aspects of a morally functioning economy. They help us serve the needs of our neighbors and lead to human flourishing both for the individual and munities. Conversely, not having a job can adversely affect spiritual and psychological well-being of individuals and families. Because unemployment is a spiritual problem, Christians in America need to understand and be aware of the monthly data on employment. Each month highlight the latest numbers we need...