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Learning from Victorian Virtues
R&L: Let’s begin by discussing your latest book, The Demoralization Of Society . In it you state that Victorian society stigmatized the recipients of government assistance. Tell us about that.A Revolution of Compassion
R&L: You are viewed by many as one of the architects of the “Welfare Revolution”. Many believe that this revolution is motivated solely by financial concerns, but in your work The Tragedy of American Compassion, you speak of other dimensions and motivations. What do you believe are the strongest reasons for welfare reform?Current Government Policies are Hurting Our Families
R&L: Many Christians are not comfortable with Capitalism as an economic system, often blaming the “system” for such things as poverty and social ills. Often this fear of Capitalism leads many to endorse forms of Socialism as more Christian. What are your views concerning Capitalism?Private Solutions: The Best Hope for Cultural Renewal
R&L: In your book Transforming America from the Inside Out , you diagnose America’s social condition as “Cultural AIDS”. That has become a controversial metaphor. What do you mean by “Cultural AIDS” and why is it more accurate than the common phrase “culture wars”?Faith Essential Ingredient of Democratic Capitalism
R&L: You opened your essay in Reinventing the American People, a recent book from the Ethics and Public Policy Center, by noting that a long line of political theorists, dating back to the days of the Romans, would regard you as “a dangerous man, a threat to the public order” because you are “an orthodox Christian.” What is the appropriate way for Christians to be political?Civilization Held Together by Persuasion, Not Force
R&L: You have written, “The triumph of persuasion over force is the sign of a civilized society.” Could you explain what you mean by this?There is a Crucial Link Between Culture and Economics
R&L: Do you agree with Josef Schumpeter’s thesis that capitalism is ultimately destructive of both itself and the culture within which it operates?Christianity, Classical Liberalism are Liberty's Foundations
R&L: Explain the difference between classical liberalism and modern liberalism.Economics Raises Profoundly Moral Questions
R&L: You are a professor of economics and a Christian. How do you understand the relationship between your faith and your field of study?Changed Hearts, Not Politics, Prompt Social Renewal
R&L: In some Christian circles, social action has taken precedence over evangelism. I am here thinking of the way that the pursuit of social justice has taken the place of the proclamation of the Gospel. What are your thoughts on this trend?Free Markets Best Protect the Environment
R&L: Now that communism has been defeated and discredited, many see radical environmentalism as the next great threat to freedom. Do you agree with this analysis?
Local Communities Are Charity's Resource of First Resort
R&L: What are your views on the nature of the welfare state and the need for its reform?