CATEGORY: ECONOMICS—POINT (7 min)
This week’s pair of articles gives you an invigorating primer on one of the most intense and timely arguments in the conservative movement today.
Are Pencils of the Devil?
It’s time to say thanks-but-no-thanks to the miracle of the global supply chain, argues Declan Leary in The American Conservative.
Leary revisits Leonard E. Read’s classic essay, “I, Pencil”—a celebration of global exchange, coordinated by the Invisible Hand—in light of global supply chain disruptions.
Sure, supply chains are miraculous. But they put us at the mercy of forces beyond our control, robbing us of “the human capacity for self-reliance and the social-economic primacy of craft.”
Do you agree with Leary that we should “reject the miracle, as fully as we’re able”? Read his case and judge for yourself!
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CATEGORY: ECONOMICS—COUNTER-POINT (7 min)
Over at National Review Online, Dominic Pino is having none of it.
Responding directly to Leary’s article, Pino defends “I, Pencil” (and global supply chains) as ways to mitigate risk, not generate it.
The vulnerabilities that Leary highlights “pale in comparison to the vulnerabilities of pre-globalized production,” he argues.
You should also note how Pino takes issue with Leary’s characterization of the Invisible Hand . . .
. . . and where Pino believes the real problems lie.
Read both arguments and let us know, who do YOU think is right?
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Because our student editors and writers are bravely bringing conservative ideas to their campuses, we’re highlighting their efforts here.
IU Lecturer Tells Class She Wishes ‘Death to the Republican Party’ via the Crimson Post
Opposition Mounts Ahead of YAF “In Defense of Mr. Jefferson” Event via the Jefferson Independent
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CATEGORY: LAW (6 min)
You’ve probably heard of the idea of originalism. It’s shaped a lot of conservative thought on the best forms of jurisprudence.
But what does originalism look like in practice?
The late Justice Antonin Scalia lived originalism.
In this timeless Intercollegiate Review article, Noah Diekemper shows what that means—and why it matters.
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What do you think it takes to be a great leader?
American history is filled with examples of individuals who navigated America through moments of crisis.
We need a new generation of leaders who—learning from the great men of our past—can apply those timeless principles to our present challenges.
That’s why ISI is launching the George Washington Statesmanship Program: Ideas and Applications in Politics, Philosophy & Economics.
You’re invited to apply to this competitive program that will bring together a select group of twelve ISI alumni and young/mid-career professionals from across the U.S. with top ISI faculty.
Throughout the program, fellows will:
- Study prominent thinkers and statesmen like Aristotle, Edmund Burke, Alexis de Tocqueville, Abraham Lincoln, Winston Churchill, and of course, George Washington
- Participate in a series of ‘modern day application’ sessions like “Civil Rights, Race, and Identity,” and “America is the World’s Technological City on a Hill”
- Enjoy a trip to Normandy to participate in the annual Tocqueville Conversations conference at Alexis de Tocqueville’s family chateau and to visit historic sights including the beaches stormed by American troops in World War II
Sessions will take place virtually on Tuesday evenings from February to May 2022. Fellows will watch a 30-minute lecture prior to each session and will engage in a 90-minute Socratic discussion with an ISI faculty member during each session.
Applications for this program close on December 3, 2021. This is a free fellowship program; however, participants are expected to pay $500 toward their travel costs for the capstone trip to Normandy.
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“What is prudence in the conduct of every private family, can scarce be folly in that of a great kingdom.”
—Adam Smith, The Wealth of Nations
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Thank you for reading. Share with a friend!
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