The Great Antidote

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In this final episode of The Great Antidote, I sit down with my mom, Veronique de Rugy (does this feel like a Mr. Big name reveal for some of you?!), to reflect on the podcast and the remarkable journey of the past five years. Together, we revisit how the show started, the ideas that shaped it, the moments that changed me, and the people whose support made everything possible. This episode is a reflection on learning, growth, and gratitude—and a thank-you to everyone who has been part of this project.

Veronique de Rugy is the George Gibbs Chair in Political Economy and Senior Research Fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. She is also an incredible mother (just ask me (if you don't trust me, you can ask my sister)).

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Philosopher Rebecca Lowe (Mercatus Center) joins me to do an ideas-only deep dive: what freedom really is, why it matters, how it intersects with equality, and how to tell coercion from choice. We talk charitable argument (steelmanning), the social value of clear definitions, and Rebecca’s agent-focused view of freedom—plus why doing something freely can have value even when the act is bad. 

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Why is D.C. trying to shut down a rideshare app that pays drivers more and charges riders less? Jack Nicastro of Reason joins to unpack Empower’s battle with regulators, what “innovation vs. permission” means in real life, and how markets—not mandates—keep people safe. 

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Is tech panic new—or just history on repeat? Judge Glock (Manhattan Institute) walks through what past tech scares (lead gasoline, CFCs, TV) got right and wrong, why “externalities” matter more than vibes, and how to think about AI regulation today—transparency mandates, liability vs. preclearance, “AI pauses,” and realistic optimism. We end with his own journey from socialism to markets. 

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Markets don’t work without trust. Tawni Ferrarini joins Juliette Sellgren to explore how honesty and reputation make exchange possible — from medieval trade networks to blockchain and Amazon reviews — and why decentralized trust systems matter in today’s economy of polarization, misinformation, and weak institutions.

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AEI Economist Derek Scissors joins Juliette Sellgren to unpack the reality of China’s economy, U.S.–China relations, and whether China is truly a threat. From demographics to debt and political control, Scissors explains what’s really driving China’s trajectory, and why it matters for America’s future.

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This week, Juliette Sellgren sits down with Martina Bacik, the 21-year-old founder of the Economics Olympiad that has grown to 120,000 students in 35+ countries, and Tawni Hunt Ferrarini, coauthor of Common Sense Economics. Together they explore why teaching economics early matters, how competitions and books ignite curiosity, and what inspiring young people can teach us about building a hopeful, prosperous future.

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Why does freedom matter? How can we defend it in an age of rising authoritarianism? In this episode, I sit down with Tom Palmer to explore the ideas, virtues, and strategies that keep liberty alive.

We cover:

·       The rise of authoritarian movements and global threats to liberty

·       The morality of freedom: how to know what to fight for and when

·       January 6th as a failure of duty, and what true constitutional leadership requires

·       Trump, responsibility in office, and the role of virtue in political life

·       How persuasion, clarity, and even humor (à la Bastiat) can advance freedom

Palmer draws on decades of experience—from supporting dissidents in the USSR before the Berlin Wall fell to working in Ukraine’s struggle against Russia today, and fighting for self-defense rights, marriage equality, and freedom from conscription in the U.S.

The through line is clear: defending freedom takes more than theory—it requires virtue, duty, and clarity of purpose to make liberty resilient and worth fighting for.

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In this special episode of The Great Antidote, Amy Willis of Liberty Fund takes the mic to interview Juliette Sellgren, the voice behind the show. Together, they reflect on the evolution of the podcast—from its early days to the hundreds of guests it has featured—and how Juliette herself has grown in the process.

They talk about what it means to foster curiosity, how Juliette approaches reading (and recommends you do, too), and what makes for a great question. They also discuss the future of the podcast, the future of Juliette, and how The Great Antidote continues to explore the ideas of liberty and flourishing through meaningful conversation.

We explore questions like:

• What have been the most surprising lessons from interviewing economists, philosophers, and thinkers about liberty?
• How has Juliette’s own worldview changed since the podcast began?
• What is her approach to reading—and how does it fuel her curiosity?
• If she could have dinner with any past guest (or figure), who would it be?

Juliette Sellgren is the creator and host of The Great Antidote, a podcast by Liberty Fund that explores the ideas, institutions, and people behind a free society. She’s a researcher, writer, and lover of questions whose work bridges classical liberal ideas and public conversation.

Whether you're a longtime listener or just tuning in, this behind-the-scenes episode offers an honest, reflective look at the voice behind the mic—and what’s next.

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What happens when people stop trusting rules—and start rewriting them?

In this episode, we are joined by economist Edward Lopez about the life and legacy of James M. Buchanan, the Nobel Prize-winning founder of public choice economics. We begin by unpacking Buchanan’s biography and intellectual roots: what shaped his worldview, who influenced his thinking, and why his work remains foundational to understanding government, rules, and freedom.

From there, we dive into the rich ideas in The Limits of Liberty—a dense but powerful book in which Buchanan asks: How can free individuals live together without descending into chaos or coercion? Lopez shares with us Buchanan’s key questions, his analytical framework, and the underlying principles that guide his work—especially his emphasis on rules, consent, and the boundaries of state power.

We explore questions like:

• Who was James Buchanan, and why does his work matter today?
• What makes Buchanan a “consummate Smithian” and a classical liberal?
• What are the central ideas in The Limits of Liberty—and why are they still so relevant?
• How does public choice theory reshape how we understand politics, institutions, and individual freedom?

Edward Lopez is a professor of economics and the BB&T Distinguished Professor of Capitalism at Western Carolina University. He directs the Center for the Study of Free Enterprise and is the past president of the Public Choice Society. His work focuses on the intersection of law, economics, and political processes, especially in the tradition of public choice and constitutional political economy.

If you’ve ever wondered what holds free societies together—or what happens when the rules start to break—this episode is for you.

Want to explore more? 

• Intellectual Portrait Series: A Conversation with James Buchanan
• Pierre Lemieux, Lessons and Challenges in The Limits of Liberty, at Econlib.
• Randy Simmons on Public Choice, a Great Antidote podcast.
• Sandra Peart on Ethical Quandaries and Politics Without Romance, a Great Antidote podcast.
• Edward Lopez, Socialism from the Bottom Up: Where Lawson and Powell Meet Hayek and Buchanan, at Econlib.

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