If we want to sell people on our ideas, we must sell them on classical liberalism as a philosophical tradition that rests on some genuinely valuable ethical foundations, and not just on a narrow or caricatured vision of economic growth. Hence the impetus of this essay.

People shouldn’t be fooled by the visions of Klaus Schwab and others who dream of a better, greener, and more equal “stakeholder” capitalism.

This booklet contains short write-ups on the lives and ideas of eighteen classical liberal thinkers from the past century and a half. Together, these short biographical essays tell the story of the evolution of classical liberal thought as the benefits of freedom have spread, though haltingly and unevenly, around the world. And they point the way forward to a future of greater and more widespread wealth and well-being for all.

Although we take supermarkets for granted, our access to such a quantity and variety of food products on demand and at any time of year is absolutely remarkable. This “miracle” is all the more impressive given that it is the result of spontaneous and voluntary collaboration between millions of people, most of whom will never meet. This paper will examine the historical evolution and the current operation of supermarkets and the numerous intermediaries that supply them, using the analytical framework of the Austrian School of Economics.

Portrait of Economist Lawrence H. White.

Portrait of the Economist Lawrence H. White.

Portrait of Professor Mario Rizzo.

Portrait of economist Carl Menger.

Portrait of economist Carl Menger.

Portrait of Economist Joseph Alois Schumpeter.