Chris DeMuth traces how colonial-era economic competition and federalism shaped American liberty, then explains his shift from traditional conservatism to national conservatism—arguing strong nation-states, not just free markets, are essential to protecting freedom against declining institutions and evolving elitism.

• Colonial Capitalism & Early American Economic Competition (01:40)
• Insurance, the Atlantic Trade, & Taking Control of One's Fate (10:29)
• From Traditional Conservatism to National Conservatism (14:14)
• State Capitalism & Industrial Policy (24:01)
• Populism, the Mob, & Martin Gurri's Information Revolution (26:33)

The Future of Liberty — Former Indiana governor and Purdue University president Mitch Daniels investigates the prospects for liberty and more through conversations with prominent thinkers and leaders across diverse fields. New episodes are available wherever you listen, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. Visit thefutureofliberty.org to learn more.

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With the nation's 250th anniversary upon us, Mitch Daniels sits down with historian Ryan Cole, author of The Last Adieu: Lafayette's Triumphant Return, the Echoes of Revolution, and the Gratitude of the Republic, to explore what that extraordinary homecoming meant to Americans then and what it can teach us now. They discuss Lafayette's role in winning independence, "informed patriotism" and the danger of losing our historical memory.

• Who Was the Marquis de Lafayette (1:26)
• Taylor Swift, Pigeons & Pageantry (6:00)
• Historical Memory & Informed Patriotism (17:20)
• Hamilton, History & the Next Generation (25:02)
• Gratitude & the Grateful Republic (29:00)

The Future of Liberty — Former Indiana governor and Purdue University president Mitch Daniels investigates the prospects for liberty and more through conversations with prominent thinkers and leaders across diverse fields. New episodes are available wherever you listen, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. Visit thefutureofliberty.org to learn more.

Want more from Liberty Fund? Get the latest ideas and conversations on liberty delivered straight to your inbox by signing up for the LF Weekly Digest. You can also follow Liberty Fund on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X, and YouTube.

Tocqueville warned that one of the greatest dangers to American democracy was the tyranny of the majority. Few have taken that warning more seriously than Lamar Alexander. Governor Mitch Daniels sits down with the former Senator, Governor, and Secretary of Education on what it takes to keep a republic free.

• The Portrait Test: What Makes a Consequential President (0:58)
• The Filibuster & Tyranny of the Majority (8:20)
• Civic Decorum & the Standards We've Lost (17:38)
• Civics Education & What Americans Don't Know (21:25)
• The Federal Debt & the Reforms Nobody Wants (33:00)

The Future of Liberty — Former Indiana governor and Purdue University president Mitch Daniels investigates the prospects for liberty and more through conversations with prominent thinkers and leaders across diverse fields. New episodes are available wherever you listen, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. Visit thefutureofliberty.org to learn more.

Want more from Liberty Fund? Get the latest ideas and conversations on liberty delivered straight to your inbox by signing up for the LF Weekly Digest. You can also follow Liberty Fund on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X, and YouTube.