Portraits of Liberty

Despite his obscurity today, the French Irish economist Richard Cantillon was the first person to put forward a theory of the entrepreneur in the market economy.

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In 1879, Henry George wrote Progress and Poverty, still one of the bestselling economics books of all time; in it, he argued for the abolition of all kinds of taxes but one.

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Marie De Gournay’s “The Equality of Men and Women” is one of the first books to use equality to define the relationships between the sexes.

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Though born into obscurity, Josiah Wedgwood would become a household name across the European continent over the course of his life, representing refinement and taste.

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The ancient Indian writer Kautilya had more knowledge of economic affairs than any thinker for over a thousand years.

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The life of the subversive novelist José Rizal proves that sometimes the pen really is mightier than the sword.

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Born into a middle-ranking samurai family and a volatile political scene, Itagaki Taisuke would become one of the most influential figures in Japanese history. His early exposure to western ideas of liberalism led him to become a fierce advocate of constitutional government. He became the leader of the Freedom and People's Rights Movement, which later developed into Japan's first-ever political party, the Liberal Party.

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We are taking a holiday break on the Portraits of Liberty Podcast. Look for new episodes from us come the New Year. In the meantime, be sure to check out our catalog of previous episodes.

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Four hundred before Adam Smith wrote the Wealth of Nations, the 14th-century Andalusian statesman and scholar Ibn Khaldun discussed the division of labor, the benefits of trade, and the optimal rate of taxation. Today, historians consider Ibn Khaldun's work as the precursor to the disciplines o economics, historiography, and sociology.

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Despite being the first-ever vice president and second president, until very recently, John Adams was ignored by historians in favor of figures like George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin. But Adams was one of the practical and philosophical powerhouses of the American Revolution. Without the lifelong dedication of Adams, it is arguable the American Revolution might never have succeeded. C. Bradley Thompson joins Portraits to vindicate why Adams deserves a place amongst the greats of American history.

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