GUEST SPEAKER
Peter Thiel 

ISSUES DISCUSSED
Peter Thiel spoke about the basic principles that underlie innovative products and startup firms, using examples from his own experience starting up firms such as Paypal and Palantir. 
He  emphasized the importance of creating a firm or product with characteristics of monopoly, and contrasted that idea with the distinction between monopoly and competition taught in economics. He also spoke more broadly about the future of technology and its impact on economic growth in developed countries. He answered questions about his ideas applied to clean-tech and ed-tech firms. 

Upcoming Events

Wednesday, August 26, 2026 4:30 PM Pacific Time
Lisa Blaydes and Samuel Helfont
Book Talk: "Ba‘thist Iraq Through Archives Reflections, Explorations, and Opportunities" by Lisa Blaydes and Samuel Helfont
The Hoover History Lab and Hoover Institution Library & Archives are co-hosting a hybrid event with Lisa Blaydes and Samuel Helfont to discuss… Shultz Auditorium, George P. Shultz Building
Tuesday, September 15, 2026 6:30 PM ET
Markus Wolf
Book Talk: "The Troika: The Troika: A Story of Three Families, Friendship, and the Cold War"
The Hoover Institution Library & Archives is partnering with the International Spy Museum to co-host a hybrid event on "The Troika", Markus Wolf'… International Spy Museum (700 L'Enfant Plaza, SW Washington DC 20024)
Wednesday, September 23, 2026
Kay Udea leading a discussion during the Second international workshop on Japanese diaspora 2022
Fourth International Workshop on Japanese Diaspora
The call for papers is now open. Submissions are due May 18, 2026. Hoover Institution Library & Archives, Stanford University
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