The Good Fight Cass Sunstein on Defending Liberalism
Sep 2, 2025
Cass Sunstein, Robert Walmsley University Professor at Harvard, discusses the intricacies of liberalism and its critiques from both ends of the political spectrum. He explores John Stuart Mill's 'experiments in living' and argues that liberalism's battle is often against the misperceptions that undermine it. Sunstein contrasts economic theories from Hayek and Mill, emphasizing freedom over regulation. Delving into the core principles of liberalism, he advocates for a moral discourse to reclaim its virtues and values in an era of growing illiberalism.
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Monopolies And Planning Undermine Pluralism
- Private monopolies and state-run economies both conflict with liberal commitments to pluralism and occupational freedom.
- Sunstein argues monopolies and command economies concentrate power and reduce careers open to talents.
Build Reviews Into Long Rules
- Include midterm reviews when designing long-term regulations to adapt to changing technology.
- Sunstein used fuel-economy standards to illustrate why agencies should revisit long rules.
Markets Aggregate Dispersed Knowledge
- Hayek's key insight is that knowledge is dispersed across society and markets aggregate it through prices.
- Sunstein argues this dispersal makes central planning ill-suited to adapt to rapid technological change.
