The Godly Path to Adam Smith’s Liberal Plan

Daniel Klein is professor of economics and JIN Chair at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, where he co-leads a program in Adam Smith. There's been renewed interest in the role Christianity has played in liberalism since Larry Siedentop’s 2014 book, Inventing the Individual: The Origins of Western Liberalism. Today, Dan Churchwell, Acton’s Director of Programs and Education, sits down with Klein to discuss Adam Smith and his enlightenment vision. Building on Siedentop, Klein says universal benevolent monotheism, and Christianity in particular, has led to the articulation of a specific social grammar and corresponding rights—in short Adam Smith’s “liberal plan.” 

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Dr. Klein’s faculty page

Full discussion of Larry Siedentop’s book:

Full set of notes on Siedentop

Klein published interview on Siedentop:

Klein replies to Deirdre McCloskey on Siedentop:

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