The Great Antidote

Send us a textMarkets don’t work without trust. Tawni Ferrarini joins Juliette Sellgren to explore how honesty and reputation make exchange possible — from medieval trade networks to blockchain and Amazon reviews — and why decentralized trust systems matter in today’s economy of polarization, misinformation, and weak institutions.Support the showNever miss another AdamSmithWorks update.Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Send us a textAEI Economist Derek Scissors joins Juliette Sellgren to unpack the reality of China’s economy, U.S.–China relations, and whether China is truly a threat. From demographics to debt and political control, Scissors explains what’s really driving China’s trajectory, and why it matters for America’s future.Support the showNever miss another AdamSmithWorks update.Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Send us a textThis week, Juliette Sellgren sits down with Martina Bacik, the 21-year-old founder of the Economics Olympiad that has grown to 120,000 students in 35+ countries, and Tawni Hunt Ferrarini, coauthor of Common Sense Economics. Together they explore why teaching economics early matters, how competitions and books ignite curiosity, and what inspiring young people can teach us about building a hopeful, prosperous future.Support the showNever miss another AdamSmithWorks update.Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Send us a textWhy does freedom matter? How can we defend it in an age of rising authoritarianism? In this episode, I sit down with Tom Palmer to explore the ideas, virtues, and strategies that keep liberty alive.We cover:·       The rise of authoritarian movements and global threats to liberty·       The morality of freedom: how to know what to fight for and when·       January 6th as a failure of duty, and what true constitutional leadership requires·       Trump, responsibility in office, and the role of virtue in political life·       How persuasion, clarity, and even humor (à la Bastiat) can advance freedomPalmer draws on decades of experience—from supporting dissidents in the USSR before the Berlin Wall fell to working in Ukraine’s struggle against Russia today, and fighting for self-defense rights, marriage equality, and freedom from conscription in the U.S.The through line is clear: defending freedom takes more than theory—it requires virtue, duty, and clarity of purpose to make liberty resilient and worth fighting for.Support the showNever miss another AdamSmithWorks update.Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Send us a textIn this special episode of The Great Antidote, Amy Willis of Liberty Fund takes the mic to interview Juliette Sellgren, the voice behind the show. Together, they reflect on the evolution of the podcast—from its early days to the hundreds of guests it has featured—and how Juliette herself has grown in the process.They talk about what it means to foster curiosity, how Juliette approaches reading (and recommends you do, too), and what makes for a great question. They also discuss the future of the podcast, the future of Juliette, and how The Great Antidote continues to explore the ideas of liberty and flourishing through meaningful conversation.We explore questions like:What have been the most surprising lessons from interviewing economists, philosophers, and thinkers about liberty?How has Juliette’s own worldview changed since the podcast began?What is her approach to reading—and how does it fuel her curiosity?If she could have dinner with any past guest (or figure), who would it be?Juliette Sellgren is the creator and host of The Great Antidote, a podcast by Liberty Fund that explores the ideas, institutions, and people behind a free society. She’s a researcher, writer, and lover of questions whose work bridges classical liberal ideas and public conversation.Whether you're a longtime listener or just tuning in, this behind-the-scenes episode offers an honest, reflective look at the voice behind the mic—and what’s next.Support the showNever miss another AdamSmithWorks update.Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Send us a textWhat happens when people stop trusting rules—and start rewriting them?In this episode, we are joined by economist Edward Lopez about the life and legacy of James M. Buchanan, the Nobel Prize-winning founder of public choice economics. We begin by unpacking Buchanan’s biography and intellectual roots: what shaped his worldview, who influenced his thinking, and why his work remains foundational to understanding government, rules, and freedom.From there, we dive into the rich ideas in The Limits of Liberty—a dense but powerful book in which Buchanan asks: How can free individuals live together without descending into chaos or coercion? Lopez shares with us Buchanan’s key questions, his analytical framework, and the underlying principles that guide his work—especially his emphasis on rules, consent, and the boundaries of state power.We explore questions like:Who was James Buchanan, and why does his work matter today?What makes Buchanan a “consummate Smithian” and a classical liberal?What are the central ideas in The Limits of Liberty—and why are they still so relevant?How does public choice theory reshape how we understand politics, institutions, and individual freedom?Edward Lopez is a professor of economics and the BB&T Distinguished Professor of Capitalism at Western Carolina University. He directs the Center for the Study of Free Enterprise and is the past president of the Public Choice Society. His work focuses on the intersection of law, economics, and political processes, especially in the tradition of public choice and constitutional political economy.If you’ve ever wondered what holds free societies together—or what happens when the rules start to break—this episode is for you.Want to explore more? Intellectual Portrait Series: A Conversation with James BuchananPierre Lemieux, Lessons and Challenges in The Limits of Liberty, at Econlib.Randy Simmons on Public Choice, a Great Antidote podcast.Sandra Peart on Ethical Quandaries and Politics Without Romance, a Great Antidote podcast.Edward Lopez, Socialism from the Bottom Up: Where Lawson and Powell Meet Hayek and Buchanan, at Econlib.Support the showNever miss another AdamSmithWorks update.Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Justin Callais, chief economist at the Archbridge Institute, dives into the factors that contribute to state success and individual freedom. He argues that internal growth and self-mastery lay the groundwork for true social change. The discussion highlights the stark contrast between states like Utah and Louisiana in terms of economic mobility, showing how governance and policies affect opportunities. Callais also emphasizes the significance of community, culture, and a holistic approach to social mobility, urging for reforms to foster prosperity.

Send us a textRemember the Amazon HQ2 frenzy? When nearly every U.S. state competed to become Amazon’s next home, offering billions in tax breaks and incentives? I do — I grew up right next door to Crystal City, Virginia, the site Amazon ultimately chose.In this episode, I talk with economist Peter Calcagno about targeted economic incentives—the controversial policy tool that fueled the Amazon HQ2 bidding war and countless other corporate deals.We explore questions like:What are targeted incentives?Do they actually create economic development and job growth?Why do politicians favor targeted incentives over other tools?Who wins—and who loses—when states compete this way?Peter Calcagno is a professor of economics at the College of Charleston and director of the Center for Public Choice and Market Process. He’s also a fellow at the American Institute for Economic Research, where he studies public choice theory and fiscal policy.If you’ve ever wondered whether government subsidies for big business pay off—or if they just create unfair advantages—this conversation is for you.Want to explore more?Peter Calcagno, Follow the Money, at EconLog.Russell Sobel, Who Really Gains from Billions in Economic Development Incentives? at Econlib.Lauren Heller, Prosperity Without a Price Tag, at EconlibRandy Simmons on Public Choice, a Great Antidote podcast.Art Carden, From Here to Serenity: How Public Choice Makes Me Less Cynical, at Econlib.Support the showNever miss another AdamSmithWorks update.Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Send us a textWhat if modern economics has overlooked what truly makes us human?In this episode, Bart Wilson joins us to explore humanomics—an approach to economics that reintroduces meaning, culture, and moral judgment into how we understand economic behavior.We talk about how economists miss the mark by assuming too much about how rational we really are—and too little about what it means to be human.Wilson shares insights from his experimental work with non-human primates, showing how comparing monkey behavior to human decision-making can reveal deep truths about markets, cooperation, and fairness.We explore big questions all economists should grapple with: What is humanomics, and how does it challenge traditional models? What makes human goals different from animal instincts? Can monkeys and other animals help us understand moral behavior in economics?Bart Wilson is a professor of Economics and Law at Chapman University and the Director of the Smith Institute for Political Economy and Philosophy. He is the co-author (with Vernon Smith) of Humanomics and the author of Meaningful Economics. His research spans experimental economics, moral philosophy, and decision-making in both humans and non-human primates.Join us for a wide-ranging and thought-provoking conversation about the future of economics, human nature, and what monkeys can teach us about meaning.Want to explore more?Maria Pia Paganelli, "Humanomics: Moral Sentiments and Wealth of Nations for the Twenty-First Century," at Econlib.Vernon Smith on Markets and Experimental Economics, an EconTalk podcast.From the Shelf with Arnold Kling: Bart Wilson, Jack Hope, and Chris Martin, a discussion of Nichaol Raihani's The Social Instinct.Charles Noussair on Experimental Economics and Testing Institutions, a Great Antidote podcast.Support the showNever miss another AdamSmithWorks update.Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Send us a textWhat is it like to grow up under a dictatorship? The speakers of The Dissident Project don’t have to wonder — they’ve lived it. And they’ve escaped.In this episode, Grace Bydalek joins us this week to discuss her work with The Dissident Project, which brings survivors of authoritarian regimes into American high schools to share their powerful, firsthand stories. From Cuba and Venezuela to Russia and beyond, these voices bring the reality of life without freedom into the classroom.We talk about why these stories matter — especially for students who may never have questioned their own liberties. Why high schoolers? Why now? And does this kind of civic education actually make a difference?Join us for a moving and timely conversation about freedom, resilience, and the importance of living for something larger than yourself.Grace Bydalek is the Director of The Dissident Project, an initiative of the nonprofit Young Voices dedicated to educating American students about the dangers of authoritarianism. She is also a visiting fellow at the Independent Women’s Forum, a ministry apprentice at Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City, and is currently pursuing a master’s in theology. Oh — and she’s also an actor.Want to explore more?Daniel DiMartino on Life in Venezuela and Immigration, a Great Antidote podcast.Arthur Brooks on Love Your Enemy, an EconTalk podcast.Bryan Caplan, Communism, in the Concise Encyclopedia of Economics.Support the showNever miss another AdamSmithWorks update.Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.