Acton Institute Powerblog

Promoting free societies characterized by liberty & religious principles

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October 15, 2012

Redistribution and the Sacred Right of Property

“Scandinavian economies are some of the most market-oriented on the planet” says economist Scott Sumner, who adds “Denmark is the most market-oriented country on earth.” This peculiar claim is even more curious considering that it is based on the Heritage Foundation’s 2012 Index of Economic Freedom. Continue Reading...
September 20, 2012

Hobby Lobby’s Billionaire CEO Says ‘God Owns It’

Forbes recently ran a profile of Christian billionaire and Hobby Lobby CEO David Green. According to Forbes, Green is “the largest evangelical benefactor in the world,” giving “at upwards of $500 million” over the course of his life, primarily to Christian ministries. Continue Reading...
September 18, 2012

Petty Bribery: It’s Not Pretty

“Petty” bribery is an accepted way of life in much of the world. A person simply understands that he or she will need to “grease the palms” of certain officials in order to get a business license, a work contract or help with a legal matter. Continue Reading...
July 16, 2012

How to Create an Underclass

Several years ago economist Walter Williams explained “How Not to Be Poor”: Avoiding long-term poverty is not rocket science. First, graduate from high school. Second, get married before you have children, and stay married. Continue Reading...
March 02, 2012

James Q. Wilson, Requiescat in pace

Political scientist and criminologist James Q. Wilson, co-author of the influential “Broken Windows” article in The Atlantic Monthly in 1982, which led to shift toward community policing, died today at the age of 80. Continue Reading...
October 18, 2011

Nothstine on Occupy Wall Street’s Utopian Aims

New polling data on the Occupy Wall Street protesters (HT: Reason.com blog) shows that the “movement” isn’t exactly representative of America’s downtrodden: Rather, it comprises an unrepresentative segment of the electorate that believes in radical redistribution of wealth, civil disobedience and, in some instances, violence. Continue Reading...
September 29, 2011

Samuel Gregg: Imitate Sweden’s Economic Liberation, Not Her Failed Socialism

Acton’s director of research Samuel Gregg has a piece over at The American Spectator that may surprise big government liberals. (We know you read this blog.) In “Free Market Sweden, Social Democratic America,” he lays out the history of Sweden’s social democracy — its nature and its effects on the country’s economy — and then draws lessons for the United States. Continue Reading...
July 06, 2009

NRO: The Divine Economy

My commentary on the forthcoming social encyclical was published on National Review Online. Here’s the complete text: On Tuesday, Pope Benedict XVI will release his first social encyclical, Caritas in Veritate. Continue Reading...