Poverty-alleviation and economic development depend heavily upon the wealth creation that comes from entrepreneurship and business. But neither commerce nor free enterprise will flourish in an environment where monetary stability is absent, the banking system is weak, property rights left unprotected, and rule of law routinely violated. What are the moral and economic foundations of these institutions? How does one create and protect them over time? On Thursday, March 18, 2010, the Acton Institute, in collaboration with Austral University and Instituto Acton Argentina, co-sponsored a day-long conference in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to consider these and other questions. Hosted at the Marriott Plaza Hotel, renowned scholars, policy experts, and entrepreneurs addressed the role played by money, banking, property rights and other institutions of economic growth in promoting prosperity in developing nations and what the future holds for them. This conference the second in the seven-part series Poverty, Entrepreneurship, and Integral Development.

Speakers:

• Dr. Roberto Bosca, Adjunct Professor of Social Doctrine, Universidad Austral
• Dr. Samuel Gregg, Director of Research at Acton Institute
• Dr. Peter Heslam, Director of Transforming Business, University of Cambridge
• Mr. Michael J. Miller, Director of Programs and Media at Acton Institute
• Professor Ramon Parellada Treasurer and Trustee, Francisco Marroquin University; Director, Polímeros y Tecnología, S.A.
• Mr. Damian von Stauffenberg, Founder and President of Microrate
• Dr. Gabriel Zanotti, Academic Director for Instituto Acton Argentina