June 17, 2013
All around the world, democratic governments seem unable to constrain their spending. Sovereign debt crises present a real threat in most of the western world, and yet government debt continues to spiral out of control as politicians consistently fail to pass the reforms necessary to cut spending. In the wake of the unwillingness of democratic governments to face these challenges, more and more people are asking: How well does democracy actually work?
Diana Thomas, Assistant Professor of Economics at Utah State University, provides an overview of the topic in a week-long Learn Liberty Academy program.
She will be joined by two guest scholars for a debate over whether or not democracy works. Sign up for the program to take part in this debate starting on June 17th to match wits with your peers and our expert commentators!
WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THE PROGRAM:
You will have access to online videos and lectures on the topic. You can also participate in debates on the issue, which will culminate in a live debate between two professors on June 20th. Note that their arguments will be shaped by your participation!
A couple of hours during the week will provide you with an excellent overview of the topic and a signed certificate of completion (Certificates only available to US Residents). If you’d like to complete the session with distinction and get special perks like free books, invitations to exclusive in-person educational programs, personalized letters of recommendation, and other opportunities, you might want to commit yourself to about 5 a week to make it happen.
July 1, 2013
The 2008 financial crisis and subsequent recession prompted pundits of all ideologies to compare these events to those of the Great Depression. These comparisons have been used in the past five years to justify significant growth in the size and scope of government. However, many of the arguments are based on vast misconceptions about the Great Depression, and that is what I’m going to address in this program!
WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THE PROGRAM:
In this eight-week course, we will explore four crucial questions:
- What caused the Great Depression?
- Why was it so bad?
- Why did it last so long?
- What eventually ended it?
In order to fully understand what happened during the Great Depression, we’ll begin with a chronology of events to provide historical context. We’ll also cover some basic economic theories about the causes of the Depression, including the Austrian theory of the business cycle. With this knowledge, we can examine the events of the Great Depression more closely.
During this time, we will find answers to questions behind the most common Great Depression myths:
- Was President Hoover really an advocate of laissez-faire capitalism, and did laissez-faire capitalism policies cause the Depression to happen?
- Did the New Deal really play a part in ending the Depression, as is commonly claimed?
- Was World War II really the key to ending the Depression?
You may be surprised at what you discover!
You will have access to online videos, lectures, and playlists discussing the program’s topics. A couple of hours each week will provide you at the end of the eight-week program with an excellent overview of the topic and a signed certificate of completion from Professor Horwitz.
If you’d like to complete the session with distinction and get special perks like free books, invitations to exclusive in-person educational programs, personalized letters of recommendation, and other opportunities, you might want to commit yourself to about 5 hours a week to make it happen.
