The Greek historian Plutarch famously wrote that "Courage consists not in hazarding without fear, but being resolutely minded in a just cause." Today in Washington, The American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research (AEI) leads with such fortitude as they courageously defend the moral nature of America’s free enterprise system. Perched on the top floors of a DC high-rise, some of Washington's greatest thinkers combine extensive research and practical experience in support of these economic principles.
Last weekend at an AEI conference, I had the opportunity to join some 60 students and faculty from Christian colleges nationwide. I knew only a little about AEI’s mission, and the conference’s title of ‘Purpose and Prosperity’ offered just a glimpse into our three days.
What I discovered was AEI’s high degree of scholarship and competency. Their speakers, often with Capitol Hill experience, were extremely proficient in their field. They echoed a common chorus: conservatives need new moral arguments to defend timeless economic principles. This theme resonated with me. The current representative of conservatism —the Republican Party—often offers unmoving rationale for good ideas.
AEI’s President, Arthur Brooks, insisted on a moral argument for free market enterprise. Nowadays, liberals claim fairness through a social democracy that takes from the wealthy to subsidize the poor. However, it is capitalism’s merit-based system that offers true fairness by rewarding hard work. In fact, this system promotes earned success, which provides far greater happiness than government handouts.
Pete Wehner expanded on capitalism’s morality. While he freely admitted the free market’s flaws, he argued that it is the most successful working economic system. In fact, capitalism has often bettered our moral condition by encouraging thrift and penalizing lawlessness. I had never considered these arguments. But as I thought about these claims, I realized that America was built on the hard work of millions. Of course inequality is a problem, but the liberal alternative of penalizing personal success is no solution.
This conference resonated with me because it dealt with the compelling issues of my generation. In fact, Andrew Briggs discussion of Social Security was popular because it addressed a genuine crisis. National debt has risen and entitlement programs like Social Security continue to add to this problem. Briggs clearly exposed a program that does not invest, but transfers payments from one generation to another. He proposed raising the retirement age and disincentivizing retirement to balance the program. This solution wouldn’t be popular, but it embodies Pleutarch’s concept of courage.
Back in my California, conservative views are understandably unpopular. But now that I understand how much these issues matter and how well they can be defended, I’m inspired to become more active in politics. Political unpopularity shouldn’t quell true courage. Before his death at the hand of a mob, Socrates uttered words that should guide me in upholding principle in a liberal climate: “We should not think so much of what the majority will say about us, but what He will say who understands justice and injustice.”
