The Building Blocks of Progress

Over the last century, free-market capitalism and socialism have been the two dominant and conflicting political and economic models. The Human Prosperity Project investigates the historical record to assess the consequences for human welfare, individual liberty, and interactions between nations of various economic systems ranging from pure socialism to free-market capitalism.

Edward Lazear explores what has made America's economy successful, what sets it apart from other nations, and what needs to be done to sustain its prominence in the global economy. Lazear shows that America and its people have prospered by prioritizing economic freedom, industriousness, low taxes, light regulation, free trade, and openness to immigration.

American Umpire is a 56-minute documentary that explores the evolution of the United States’s security role in the world. Relatively isolationist until the twentieth century, the United States was a leader in establishing and maintaining the economic and security commons that was created following World War II. It produced a period of historic prosperity and relative peace, but continues to require enormous commitments of defense spending and military personnel. American Umpire explores how the US became the “indispensable nation,” and whether it can and should continue to serve this role. It was written by Hoover Research Fellow Lisa Cobbs Hoffman and features analysis from seven other Hoover fellows.

Native Americans prospered for thousands of years before Europeans arrived. Today they are America’s poorest minority. The stark economic disparities that exist between indigenous peoples and the rest of American society stem directly from policies imposed by the federal government, which has denied secure property rights, clearly defined jurisdictions, and effective governance structures. To revive their economies, indigenous peoples are restoring the dynamic customs, culture, and dignity that existed before colonization. The Hoover Project on Renewing Indigenous Economies conducts research to inform and promote policies that empower Native Americans to regain control over their lives and resources.