Get an in-depth look at American democracy with Dr. Ryan Yonk and Ethan Yang. Ditch the idealized views and join us for a political-economic analysis of our political institutions. From the meaning of elections to the power allocation of democracy and the American two-party system, Dr. Yonk explores the essential economic and political principles that shape our politics. Learn why politicians act the way they do, the impact of political culture vs institutions, and the role of political entrepreneurs, lobbying, and partisanship. Discover the incentives of elected officials and the influence of the American founding on today's politics. Finally, we delve into why people turn to government for everything and the perspectives of Democrats, Republicans, and American voters. Join us for a thought-provoking discussion on how to make democracy work long-term. Time stamps in description box. Don't miss it!

“Is America exceptional or fundamentally flawed? Such abstract moral questions dominating much of modern politics often lead to highly inflammatory debates in what we would call the culture war. Some might say that culture wars distract us from important policy reforms; others might say that an argument about culture is an argument about civilization itself. Either way, it is essential that we understand why and how culture drives our political discourse. To help me dissect this phenomenon, I was joined by Robin Koerner, visiting fellow at AIER and an academic dean at the John Locke Institute located in Oxford. He received his graduate degrees from Cambridge University in physics and philosophy, and he is written on cultural issues ranging from ideological possession during the Covid era, to the virtues of living truthfully at all costs. Listen to the AIER Standard with Ethan Yang here:https://www.aier.org/podcasts/00:00: The Culture Wars2:48: The Commanding Heights of Culture 5:12: Why Does American Culture Matter8:20: What is Brand America 10:00 Is America Racist or Exceptional 16:20: Culture Precedes Politics 19:10: The Culture of the American Revolution 22:20: Establishing a Culture of Freedom27:40: School Curriculums and Politics 30:10: The Loud Minority of Politics 35:01 Lockdowns and American Culture 36:14: How to Deal With the Culture War 38:17: Defending the Truth 42:52: Lowering the Stakes of Politics 44:11: How Did Studying Physics Prepare You

For decades libertarian and conservative thought formed the basis of the American right. Free markets, limited government, rule of law, and morality summed up a fusion between two groups that shared skepticism of big government. Fusionism, as this coalition and ideology were to be called, came into popularity during the latter half of the 20th Century because of the looming threat of Communism. However, today, both sides are showing signs of disillusionment as the Conservatives drift toward nationalism and the Libertarians fight over what it means to be a Libertarian. In this episode, Stephanie Slade argues that the Fusionist tradition was and is a synthesis worth defending.

In this episode, Ethan speaks with Leslie Corbly, a visiting fellow at AIER and a researcher at the Libertas Institute. Leslie brings her specialty in law and data protection to discuss emergent online privacy issues. The discussion covers contemporary developments concerning government surveillance, corporate commodification of consumer behavior, and pitfalls in current regulatory frameworks. In particular, Leslie discusses the tension between government regulation and emergent consumer preferences.

In this episode, Ethan sit's down with Paul Schwennesen, AIER Graduate Fellow, to discuss his research on the Spanish empire and its unlikely liberal impulses. When people think of liberty in the Western World, they typically point to the English tradition and the Scottish Enlightenment. When people think of the Spanish, they might remember them as brutal conquerors with few philosophical insights. Schwennesen's research adds an important nuance to this historical narrative, pointing out that ideas such as the rule of law, human rights, and market exchange showed themselves throughout the empire's history. Although Paul does not claim that the Spanish empire was a liberal civilization, his insight provides important facts about the reality of Spanish rule and what that might say about human nature.

In this episode of the AIER Standard, Ethan sits down with AIER Senior Faculty Ryan Yonk to discuss a plethora of topics relating to China. Ethan and Ryan have been deeply analyzing political and economic developments in US-China relations and within the Middle Kingdom itself. Throughout their research, they noticed a common theme that popular narratives often don't reflect reality and that the truth is often far more nuanced. The conversation touches on various important talking points ranging from the true extent of Beijing's geopolitical influence to the health of China's economy.

On this week in 1917, Communist revolutionaries overthrew the existing Russian government and changed the world forever. In this episode, Ethan sits down with AIER Senior Faculty, Phil Magness, to discuss the writings of Karl Marx, the famous or infamous German philosopher most commonly associated with Socialist ideology. Phil is the author of The Best of Karl Marx, a collection of the philosopher's original writings meant to present the reader with the original arguments straight from the source itself. The book is available for sale on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Best-Karl-Marx/dp/1630691844.

In this episode, Ethan speaks with AIER Visiting Fellow Professor Malgorzata Runiewicz-Wardyn from Kozminski University in Poland. She is an expert on topics such as an emerging concept known as "open innovation," which she explains in the interview, business, and entrepreneurship. The conversation touches on waves of creative destruction in the economy, how they come about, and the effects of the Covid pandemic in spurring a new economic revolution. Her knowledge provides key insights on how to realize the potential benefits of technological innovation brought about by the emergence of advanced digital technology.

In this episode, Ethan speaks with Matt Clark, an attorney at the Alabama Center for Law and Liberty. Matt and his colleagues filed a lawsuit against Alabama's business closure policies enacted during the Covid-19 Pandemic. The conversation covers his client's story, a small wine-tasting shop closed forced to shutter its doors, the legal theories behind the case, and the importance of constitutional limits on power.

In this episode, Ethan speaks with AIER's Harwood Visiting Fellow, Marcos Falcone, about Friedrich Hayek's ideas on foreign relations. Falcone's notable research on the topic includes writing an award-winning paper on Hayek's vision for a liberal international community. Although the noble laureate is best known for his economic ideas, he also applied his insights toward imagining a framework for defending liberty on the world stage. Hayek fuses two important but competing ideas, the limitations of central planning and the need for a strong military, economic, and diplomatic capacity to contain autocratic actors. His vision hopes to create a new international institution that is more effective than the United Nations, less bureaucratic than the European Union, and more comprehensive than NATO. Falcone hails from Argentina, where he is deeply involved in advocating for classical liberal ideas in Latin America. He received his undergraduate degree from Torcuato Di Tella University and a Masters in Social Science from the University of Chicago.