Can we achieve just outcomes in society without government force? Do free markets contribute to or help solve financial crises? Participants will tackle core cultural issues through the lenses of humanities and social sciences. Ideal for students seeking to add nuance and depth to an existing understanding of libertarian principles.
Liberty & Society
Breakfast
Philosophies of Government: A Roadmap
Every day talk of the 'left' versus the 'right' leaves out important distinctions. What justifies the government's authority to oblige and coerce? How do consequentialists differ from rights-based thinkers when it comes to justifying liberty?
Coffee Break - Grab that much-needed cup of coffee and a pastry as you take a few minutes to chat with fellow students.
Law and Order: The Development of Criminal Law
Within the history of criminal law, learn important differences between civil law, customary law, and criminal law. Should the justice system be geared toward retribution or restitution? What would a modern-day restitution system look like? How does this differ from our current criminal justice system?
Lunch & Free Time - Talk, explore, run, throw a Frisbee, read, nap…it’s up to you! (*Tuesday afternoon and evening are free for participants to visit friends nearby or explore the surrounding areas.)
Labor Standards, Trade and Development: How to Help the World's Poor
Globalization is about voluntary exchange across borders. Yet workers in developing countries labor under conditions we might find objectionable. How can we ensure that those workers are treated fairly? Should we use trade sanctions to improve the working conditions of the world's poor? What effect will this have on helping them rise from poverty?
Dinner - Still have questions about labor standards or restitution? What about sweatshops? Do all crimes require victims? Bring your thoughts and your appetite and talk through your questions with your seminar professors.
Industrialization and Poverty in the 19th Century
Marx and Dickens paint a dire picture of living and working conditions in the 19th Century. The standard view is that working-class people were exploited unless the government intervened. But does history confirm this view? What effect did the Industrial Revolution have on the living conditions of society's least well off? Your evening lecturer takes you through the history of the time to show what life was really like and the improvements to the quality of life that people of that era experienced.
Evening Social - Enjoy a drink, some friendly debate, and in-depth discussions that linger late into the night.
