Schumpeter warned that socialism might ultimately prevail over capitalism, for four reasons. Creative disruption is rarely popular. Capitalism itself tends towards oligopoly. Intellectuals are susceptible to socialism. So are many bureaucrats and politicians. Socialism had manifestly failed everywhere it had been tried by the 1980s, apparently proving Schumpeter wrong.
President Trump is reportedly “obsessed” with the pardon power, which he apparently understands to be the unbounded constitutional authority to dispense forgiveness as he pleases. In his recent rash of 11 pardons and commutations, Trump dispensed with the Department of Justice process for vetting pardon applications and relied instead on the advice of friends and allies, and on his own judgments about redressing “unfairness.”
David Brooks essay in the Atlantic "The nuclear family was a mistake" has a lot of interesting ideas. We used to (1800s) largely live with extended family. In the mid 20th century we moved to mom, dad and kids, the nuclear family that David thinks is a mistake. Now we increasingly live the widely parodied Life of Julia (Taranto scathing review at WSJ, guide to parodies at Atlantic), individuals whose main relationship in life is to the federal government.
The Hoover Institution’s Summer Policy Boot Camp (HISPBC) is an intensive, one-week residential immersion program in the essentials of today’s national and international United States policy.
At the end of a lecture on future threats to the Missouri National Guard a few years ago, I was asked what unexpected event might challenge their capabilities. I replied that a mission impossible would result from an explosively lethal pandemic that triggered quarantines on major cities—their enforcement efforts would fail, due to the physical structures of today’s urban areas.
Hoover Institution fellow Elizabeth Economy discusses some common misunderstandings surrounding trade deals as well as what the United States’ trade policy might be with China. Economy also talks about how the upcoming presidential election might affect US trade policy.
Hoover Institution fellow Jack Goldsmith discusses his examination of the disappearance of former Teamsters' leader Jimmy Hoffa in 1975, the impact of Hoffa’s story on Goldsmith’s own life, and the evolution of the American labor movement and Hoffa’s legacy.
In 1998, a career military officer was elected president of the wealthiest country in Latin America on a platform of socialism. It was an election victory that shocked the world, as many believed that the catastrophic failure of the Soviet Union had closed the book on socialism as a form of government.
Stanford is preparing to welcome more 4,000 visitors on Feb. 28 and 29 for the annual Family Weekend, which gives parents and guardians a glimpse into Stanford academic and campus life.
