Acton Line

In their own time, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Russell Kirk occupied different ends of the political spectrum. Their philosophies inspired the two most powerful movements of the age: the Nonviolent Movement (which led the larger Civil Rights Movement) and the modern Conservative Movement. Without King and Kirk modern American Social Justice liberalism and modern American conservatism as we know them would not exist. And yet, for all of their differences, our modern politics suffer because contemporary liberalism and conservatism lack the grounding in virtues, communitarian values and faith in an ordered universe that both Kingian Nonviolence and Kirkian Conservatism held fast to. Is it possible that by reacquainting ourselves with these lost traditions we could summon the better angels of left and right and restore a politics of virtue for the modern age?

In this episode, Eric Kohn, Acton’s Director of Marketing & Communications, talks with John Wood, Jr., National Ambassador for Braver Angels about the overlap in first principles between Dr. King and Russell Kirk and reducing partisan polarization in our divisive times.

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Braver Angels

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Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI—scholar, teacher, theologian, prefect of the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith, and finally supreme pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church until his resignation in 2013—died on December 31, 2022, at the age 95.

Whether the subject was Islam, ecumenism, the rise and decline of the West, or simply "Who is Jesus Christ?,” Benedict opened up discussions once considered taboo and caused even hardened secularists to rethink some of their positions. 

For today’s episode of Acton Line, in remembrance of Pope Benedict XVI’s life and legacy, we’re airing a lecture from Sam Gregg, currently senior research fellow at the American Institute for Economic Research, illustrating how much the pope changed the focus of Christian engagement by addressing political, social, and economic issues. 

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Pope Benedict XVI: 1927-2022 | Joshua Gregor, Acton Institute

Faith and Reason in the Life and Work of Benedict XVI | Kevin Duffy, Acton Institute

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On November 7, 2022, the jackpot for the Powerball lottery reached an astonishing $2.05 billion. Even after the federal and state governments take their piece of that, the winner will still be the recipient of a life-changing amount of money, more than enough to last an entire lifetime. But if the winner of that $2.05 billion Powerball jackpot was the United States federal government, they'd burn through that enormous sum of money in just over a week.

How did the federal budget get this large? What does that budget say about our political system and the desires and priorities of the public and politicians?

In this episode, Eric Kohn sits down with Dr. David Hebert, chair of the economics department and associate professor of economics at Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, to discuss his recent article for the American Institute for Economic Research using the Powerball to explain the size and scope of the federal budget.

David Hebert graduated with a bachelor's degree in economics from Hillsdale College in 2009, and then attended George Mason University, where he earned a master's in 2011 and a doctorate in 2014. During graduate school, he was an F.A. Hayek fellow with the Mercatus Center and a fellow with the Department of Health Administration and Policy. He also worked with the Joint Economic Committee in the U.S. Congress. Since graduating, he has worked as an assistant professor at Ferris State University in Big Rapids, Michigan, and Troy University in Troy, Alabama. He was also a fellow with the U.S. Senate Budget Committee, where he authored a comprehensive report on federal budget process reform.

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Taxes, Spending, and Powerball Winnings by David Hebert | AEIR

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The Acton Institute is named in honor of John Emerich Edward Dalberg-Acton (1834–1902), 1st Baron Acton of Aldenham, a historian of freedom. Known as “the magistrate of history,” Lord Acton was one of the great personalities of the 19th century. Widely considered one of the most learned Englishmen of his time, Lord Acton made the history of liberty his life’s work.

The most notable conclusion of Acton’s work is that political liberty is the essential condition and guardian of religious liberty. He thereby points to the union of faith and liberty, which has been the Acton Institute’s inspiration. In describing the Institute’s purpose, Acton’s president emeritus, Rev. Robert Sirico, has said: “Acton realized that economic freedom is essential to creating an environment in which religious freedom can flourish. But he also knew that the market can function only when people behave morally. So faith and freedom must go hand in hand. As he put it, ‘Liberty is the condition which makes it easy for conscience to govern.’”

So who was Lord Acton?

In this episode, Eric Kohn, Acton’s director of marketing & communications, sits down with Dan Hugger, Acton’s librarian, a research associate, and editor of the book Lord Acton: Historical and Moral Essays, to discuss Lord Acton: his work, his beliefs, his life, and his legacy.

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Lord Acton: Historical and Moral Essays | Dan Hugger

Lord Acton: A Study in Conscience and Politics | Gertrude Himmelfarb

Lord Acton: Historian and Moralist | Samuel Gregg

Selected Writings of Lord Acton | J. Rufus Fears

The Pope and the Professor: Pius IX, Ignaz von Dollinger, and the Quandary of the Modern Age | Thomas Albert Howard

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The Beatles will go down in history as one of the most prolific music acts of all time. Their music is still played in our homes and around the world and has influenced pop culture on a global scale.

In this episode, Eric Kohn, Acton's Director of Communications, sits down with Samuel Staley to discuss his new book The Beatles and Economics: Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and the Making of a Cultural Revolution. 

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Book | Beatles & Economics 

Pope John Paul, George, and Ringo on the harms of high taxes  

Music contained in this episode:

Getting Better | The Beatles | 1967

I Want to Hold Your Hand | The Beatles | 1963

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band | The Beatles | 1967

Here Comes the Sun | The Beatles | 1969

Everything in its Right Place | Radiohead | 2000

Come Together | The Beatles | 1969

Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) | The Beatles | 1965

Tomorrow Never Knows | The Beatles | 1966

Strawberry Fields Forever | The Beatles | 1966

Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds | The Beatles | 1967

Revolution | The Beatles | 1968

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Daniel Klein is professor of economics and JIN Chair at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, where he co-leads a program in Adam Smith. There's been renewed interest in the role Christianity has played in liberalism since Larry Siedentop’s 2014 book, Inventing the Individual: The Origins of Western Liberalism. Today, Dan Churchwell, Acton’s Director of Programs and Education, sits down with Klein to discuss Adam Smith and his enlightenment vision. Building on Siedentop, Klein says universal benevolent monotheism, and Christianity in particular, has led to the articulation of a specific social grammar and corresponding rights—in short Adam Smith’s “liberal plan.” 

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Dr. Klein’s faculty page

Full discussion of Larry Siedentop’s book:

Full set of notes on Siedentop

Klein published interview on Siedentop:

Klein replies to Deirdre McCloskey on Siedentop:

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For this episode, we’re presenting the final evening plenary from Acton University 2022. This plenary was a panel discussion on Hong Kong medial mogul and pro-democracy advocate Jimmy Lai, the subject of Acton’s most recent documentary feature film, The Hong Konger: Jimmy Lai’s Extraordinary Struggle for Freedom.

When Hong Kong’s basic freedoms come under attack, Jimmy Lai finds himself in the crosshairs of the state and must choose between defending Hong Kong’s long-standing liberties or his own freedom. This conversation with the filmmakers and interview subjects of The Hong Konger discusses the rise of China, the plight of Hong Kong, the fight for freedom that continues there to this day, and the man at the center of it all: Jimmy Lai.

The featured panelists are:

Jimmy Lai is currently sitting in a jail cell in Hong Kong awaiting trial on national security law charges. Recently, Lai was granted permission to be represented by a UK barrister in the trial, human rights attorney Tim Owen. That decision to allow Owen to represent Lai is being appealed to Beijing for “clarification.” The trail, which was supposed to start on December 1st has been delayed until December 13, and will almost certainly be delayed even further into the future.

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The Hong Konger: Jimmy Lai's Extraordinary Struggle for Freedom.

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In this episode, Sarah Negri, research project coordinator at the Acton Institute, sits down with Margarita Mooney Clayton, professor of practical theology at Princeton Theological Seminary and founder and executive director of Scala Foundation, to talk about Mooney Clayton’s most recent book The Wounds of Beauty: Seven Dialogues on Art and Education (Cluny Media, 2022). They discuss beauty as a way of encountering and participating in the splendor of transcendental being through embodied sensory experiences, point out the dangers of viewing art merely as self-expression or “art with an agenda”, and draw out beauty’s connection to human freedom, creativity, and flourishing.

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About Margarita Mooney Clayton 

The Wounds of Beauty: Seven Dialogues on Art and Education (Margarita Mooney Clayton)

Beauty: A Very Short Introduction (Roger Scruton)

The Face of God (Roger Scruton)

The Soul of the World (Roger Scruton)

“The Feeling of Things, the Contemplation of Beauty” (Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger)

Scala Foundation Event: An Interactive Conversation with Aidan Hart

Scala Foundation 2023 Conference

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For this episode, we're bringing you a session from our recent Poverty Cure Summit, a debate between between Bryan Caplan and Chris Arnade.

The Poverty Cure Summit provides an opportunity for participants to listen to scholars, human service providers, and community leaders address the most critical issues we face today that can either exacerbate or alleviate poverty. Speakers joined panel discussions to discuss the legal, economic, social, and technological issues pertaining to both domestic (U.S.) and global poverty. Rooted in foundational principles of anthropology, politics, natural law, and economics, participants gained a deeper understanding of the root causes of poverty and identify practical means to reduce it and promote human flourishing.

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In this episode, we're bringing you the keynote address from Mary Kissel at this year's Acton Institute Annual Dinner.

Mary Kissel is executive vice president and senior policy adviser at Stephens Inc., a Little Rock, Arkansas–based, privately held financial services firm, where she advises management and clients on foreign policy and geopolitical risk. Prior to joining Stephens, she served as senior adviser to U.S. Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo from October 2018 to January 2021. In that role, she provided advice to advance the national interests of the United States, conducted special projects for the secretary, and traveled to more than 60 countries.

Kissel also appears in Acton's latest documentary film, The Hong Konger: Jimmy Lai's Extraordinary Struggle for Freedom.

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