Daniel Klein

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Articles

Pride and Vanity, After Adam Smith

Nov 27, 2024 | adamsmithworks.org | Daniel Klein

vanity pride just sentiments the proud man November 27, 2024In The Theory of Moral Sentiments Adam Smith describes many kinds of men, including the proud man and the vain man. Klein explores Smith's ideas and himself in this essay. "Smith’s view is that something impels us to learn to command troublesome passions, both solicitous and turbulent, but the commanding necessarily deploys other passions, commanding passions, to command or subdue the troublesome passions.
A Check Against Thralldom

Nov 22, 2024 | blog.independent.org | Daniel Klein

Law & Liberty published “The Electoral College in Context” by Robert G. Natelson—who provides historical context to help us appreciate the wisdom behind the Electoral College in the US system of electing the executive. The main point of controversy today is that, as compared to a straight national popular vote determination, the Electoral College apportions a bit more sway to less-populous states.
Are “populists” really our main problem? A critique of Nils Karlson’s “Reviving Classical Liberalism Against Populism”

Oct 25, 2024 | iea.org.uk | Kristian Niemietz |Daniel Klein

I was recently watching the video “Are Populists Destroying Democracy?” on the IEA’s Youtube channel, in which the IEA’s Editorial Director Kristian Niemietz interviewed Swedish political scientist Nils Karlson about his much-discussed book Reviving Classical Liberalism Against Populism (2024). Apart from its treatment of populism, Karlson’s book is very good, particularly in probing the question: can classical liberalism be sustained if it does not answer people’s search for meaning?
In defence of hate

Sep 6, 2024 | iea.org.uk | Kristian Niemietz |Daniel Klein

“They will never love where they ought to love, who do not hate where they ought to hate.”-Edmund Burke Governments and their allies are using the label of ‘hate’ to censor people. The speech they hate they call ‘hate speech’. Before we start hating on censorship, let’s put aside the ugliness of politics and get straight on hate. Is there such a thing as just hate? Is it improper to hate? Start with liking. One might like baseball, certain types of music, ideas, or personalities.
'Misinformation' Is the Censors' Excuse: They kneecap free-speech advocates by portraying them as defenders of lies. | Daniel B. Klein

Apr 4, 2024 | independent.org | Daniel Klein

The Supreme Court heard oral arguments last month in the momentous case of Murthy v. Missouri. At issue is the constitutionality of what government authorities did to censor speech that departed from preferred narratives. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson posed a hypothetical to Louisiana Solicitor General J. Benjamin Aguiñaga: Suppose someone started posting about a new teen challenge that involved teens jumping out of windows at increasing elevations. . . . Kids all over the country start doing this.
'Liberal' as a Political Adjective (in English), 1769-1824 | Daniel B. Klein

Dec 6, 2023 | independent.org | Daniel Klein

PDF 30 pages, 891 KB Abstract The data from text digitization show that liberal acquired a sustained political signification for the first time around 1769: the liberal policy principles of Adam Smith and his associates.
Adam Smith's Great Power Politics in One Paragraph | Daniel B. Klein

Oct 3, 2023 | independent.org | Daniel Klein

The discovery of America, and that of a passage to the East Indies by the Cape of Good Hope, are the two greatest and most important events recorded in the history of mankind. Adam Smith, The Wealth of Nations That is the first sentence of a paragraph recently referred to by Professor Jeffrey Sachs in an interview he did with Alexander Mercouris and Glenn Diesen. The paragraph is remarkable. Lets look at it in full, a couple of sentences at a time.
Misinformation Is a Word We Use to Shut You Up | Daniel B. Klein

Sep 18, 2023 | independent.org | Daniel Klein

When President Biden established the Disinformation Governance Board in 2022, it was dubbed his Ministry of Truth, evoking the dystopia of George Orwells 1984. That Board was a project in censorship. Disinformation is the deliberate propagating of misinformation. But what is misinformation? Last week, the European Unions Digital Services Act became enforceable.
Happy 300th, Adam Smith! | Daniel B. Klein

Jun 17, 2023 | independent.org | Daniel Klein

Adam Smith was born 300 years ago today, on June 16, 1723. To discuss Adam Smith, Michael Durčák interviewed Dan Klein, director of the Adam Smith Program at the George Mason University Department of Economics. Adam Smith would have celebrated his 300th birthday on June 16. If he were alive, what would you wish him? He was Scottish and part of the so-called Scottish Enlightenment. Can you explain what that was about? What kind of man was Smith?
Misinformation Is a Word We Use to Shut You Up | Daniel B. Klein

May 31, 2023 | independent.org | Daniel Klein

PDF 20 pages, 382 KB Abstract The policing of information is the stuff of Naziism, Stalinism, Maoism, and similar anti-liberal regimes. To repress criticism of their dicta and diktats, anti-liberals label criticism misinformation or disinformation. Those labels are instruments to crush dissent.