The Clemson Institute for the Study of Capitalism

EVENTS

"THE MORAL AND ECONOMIC FOUNDATIONS OF CAPITALISM: IS THERE A DIFFERENCE?"

epstein The Clemson Institute for the Study of Capitalism is proud to present world-renowned University of Chicago law professor, Richard A. Epstein, to deliver the second lecture in the John W. Pope Lecture Series.

Is capitalism good because it’s the moral and just social system or because it’s the most economically productive and efficient system? Is there any connection between the moral foundations of capitalism and its economic basis? In this lecture, Professor Richard Epstein questions whether separating the moral and economic aspects of capitalism is either useful or justified. Moral evaluation of the market system is rooted in the idea that individuals ought to keep their promises. But is that all? Do these ethical obligations to follow through on voluntary transactions end the discussion of morality in a capitalist system? Prof. Epstein will explain how these moral and ethical ideals ought to be understood in relation to the economic aspects of a capitalist system. By investigating examples from antitrust law, telecommunications, and intellectual property, Epstein will illustrate the intimate connection between the moral and economic foundations of a capitalist system.
Richard A. Epstein is the James Parker Hall Distinguished Service Professor at the University of Chicago Law School and is the Director of the Law and Economics Program. Epstein is the author of over a dozen books and hundreds of articles on a diverse array of topics including antitrust law, property rights, intellectual property, medical ethics, eminent domain, tort law, contracts, legal theory, constitutional history, and many more.

Click here to watch a video of the event.

"WHY AMERICA WANTS TO PROMOTE DEMOCRACY AROUND THE WORLD"

The Clemson Institute for the Study of Capitalism is proud to present world-renowned historian
and winner of the 1993 Pulitzer Prize for History Gordon S. Wood, the inaugural lecturer in its
John William Pope Lecture Series.

America was born as a republic in the world filled with monarchies. It immediately felt a need to promote the spread of republicanism (or what we today call democracy) throughout the world not only out of self-interest but out of the belief of most of its citizens that a republican form of government based on the rule by the people was the only just polity. This led to America's emotional and diplomatic support for revolutionary movements throughout the Western world during the nineteenth century, a support that was brought to an abrupt end by the Soviet takeover of the Russian revolution in 1917. The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989 presumably changed everything, but in the past two decades America has had difficulty finding its proper role in the world. Gordon Wood is currently the Alva O. Way University Professor at Brown University.

Click here to watch a video of the event.

"WHAT WENT WRONG WITH THE REPUBLICAN REVOLUTION?"

Stephen Moore , Editorial Board, Wall Street Journal

What is the state of the American political Right in 2007? What happened to the idea of limited-government conservatism? Have conservatives been corrupted by power, or is there something in their basic philosophy that has led them to embrace big government? Is there any meaningful difference today between liberals and conservatives?

When: Wednesday, March 14, 2007

Time: 12:30 to 2:00 p.m.

Where: 364 Sirrine Hall

This event is free and open to the public. A pizza lunch will be served starting at 12:30 and the lecture will begin promptly at 1:00.

"THE IRRESPONSIBILITY OF CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY"

Fred Smith, President, The Competitive Enterprise Institute

Mr. Smith will argue that the movement for corporate social responsibility is an irresponsible and an immoral response to the political vulnerability of the modern corporation to various ideological and political attacks. Smith will argue that corporate social responsibility, by creating a multiplicity of confusing objectives, threatens to divert the firm from its basic role of wealth creation. To weaken that role by assigning to the corporation the burden of resolving environmental, racial and religious, gender problems - is to make the world a less moral place.

When: Thursday, December 7th,

Time: 11:45 to 1:00 p.m.

Where: 364 Sirrine Hall

This event is free and open to the public. A pizza lunch will be served starting at 11:45 and the lecture will begin promptly at 12:00.

"WHY CONSERVATIVES ARE ANTI-BUSINESS"
Dr. Yaron Brook
Executive Director, The Ayn Rand Institute

Conservatives often present themselves as “pro-business” and “pro-free market”—i.e., in favor of an economic system that enables productive businessmen to flourish. Yet, in reality, Dr. Yaron Brook observes, conservatives support many anti-business policies, from antitrust prosecution to "windfall" taxes on profits—policies that hurt this nation's most innovative and successful businessmen.

Date: Wednesday, February 8
Time: 12:00 p.m.
Location: Sirrine 364

Free pizza and beverages for the first 30 people!

SPONSORED BY THE CLEMSON INSTITUTE FOR THE STUDY OF CAPITALISM

PRIVATE PROPERTY VS. PUBLIC GOOD?

Invitation/Announcement:

Are private property rights absolute or should government have the authority to take private property in the name of the public good?

Was the Supreme Court's recent ruling in the Kelo case properly decided? The case arose from a city's use of eminent domain to condemn privately owned property so that it could be used as part of a comprehensive redevelopment plan to stimulate economic development in the city.

The Clemson Institute for the Study of Capitalism, the Robert J. Rutland Center for Ethics, and the Spiro Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership are pleased to announce that they will be co-sponsoring a public forum on the issue of property rights and eminent domain. Faculty and students are invited to attend.

Participants:

John Echeverria, Executive Director, Georgetown Environmental Law and Policy Institute, Georgetown University Law Center.
Bert Gall, staff attorney, The Institute for Justice, Washington, D.C.

Date: Wednesday, April 12, 2006
Time: 4:00 p.m.
Location: Auditorium, Strom Thurmond Institute

For more information: www.clemson.edu/caah/rutland