The Curious Task

Mustafa Akyol — How Free Is The Muslim World?

In this conversation from 2020, Alex Aragona speaks with Mustafa Akyol as he explores whether Islam can be compatible with liberalism, and his recent research on freedom in Muslim-majority countries.

References from Episode 70 with Mustafa Akyol

• Mustafa Akyol is the author of Rethinking the Kurdish Question: What Went Wrong, What Next? (Turkish), Islam Without Extremes: A Muslim Case For Liberty, The Islamic Jesus: How the King of the Jews Became a Prophet of the Muslims, and his book set for release in April 2021, Reopening Muslim Minds: A Return to Reason, Freedom, and Tolerance (all available titles hyperlinked to Amazon Canada store pages).
• You can read Mustafa’s articles featured on his profile on the CATO Institute’s website at this link.
• The concluding segment of this podcast was dedicated to discussing Mustafa’s findings in his study, Freedom in the Muslim World, which was published on the Cato Institute’s website and is available for reading here.
• Mustafa quotes the observation that Islam had compatible socio-legal setups for embracing liberal society early on had it abided by its foundational teachings from Professor David Forte’s article, Islam’s Trajectory. This article can be read on the Foreign Policy Research Institute’s website at this link.
• One of the themes in his upcoming book, Reopening Muslim Minds, Mustafa cites Ash’arism as one of the theological paradigms predating modernity which gave rise to the insularity in Islamic philosophy towards thoughts not originating from revelation. The journal Studia Islamica has an article recounting the religious history of Ash’arism and can be accessed at this link through an active JSTOR account.
• Mustafa briefly mentions the Euthyphro Dilemma (Wikipedia), Divine Command Theory (Michael W. Austin, Eastern Kentucky University), and Ethical Objectivism (Oxford Reference) whilst discussing the different camps in Islamic thought. More can be read about these topics through their respective hyperlinks.
• You can read more about philosopher John Locke’s premises on toleration of religion and heresy here (A Letter Concerning Toleration courtesy of McMaster University), as well as his view on the separation of church and state at this link (Liberty Fund).
• While literature on Islamic liberalism is vast, a good place to start is this article titled What Is Liberal Islam?: The Sources of Enlightend Muslim Thought featured in the Journal of Democracy at this link.
• This article on Deutsche Welle summarizes the domestic and international tensions stemming from the cartoons of religious caricatures that were published in France.
• Mustafa quotes Daniel Philpott’s book, Religious Freedom in Islam: The Fate of a Universal Human Right in the Muslim World (available on Amazon Canada), about how Islam “had seeds of freedom, but those seeds need to be cultivated.”
• You can read the excerpt where the French jurist, Jean Bodin, commended the religious freedom of the Ottoman empire compared to the denominational violence amongst Christians in Europe in Daniel Goffman’s book, The Ottoman Empire and Early Modern Europe here.
• Here are Wikipedia articles to the controversy of Islamic scarfs in France, policing over the burkini, and Saudi Arabia’s legislation on public head coverings for women.

How Is Conservatism Changing In Canada? - Sam Routley

In this episode, Alex speaks with political researcher Sam Routley about how conservatism is changing in Canada. Drawing on his article “Decoding Canada’s Conservative Coalition” published in The Hub, Routley explains why Canada’s conservative movement has remained more stable than those in other Western democracies, where right-wing politics have undergone dramatic upheavals. They discuss the historical roots of Canada’s “fusionist” conservatism, the economic and cultural shifts driving new tensions between working-class and knowledge-economy voters, and how Pierre Poilievre’s brand of populism fits within Canada’s longstanding political traditions. 

References:

• DeepDive: Decoding Canada’s Conservative coalition — Sam Routley (The Hub)
  https://thehub.ca/2025/09/27/deepdive-decoding-canadas-conservative-coalition/ The Hub

• Sam Routley — Author Page (The Hub)
  https://thehub.ca/author/samroutley/ The Hub

• Stephen Harper embraced pragmatic, incremental change. Does Pierre Poilievre have grander ambitions? — Sam Routley (The Hub)
  https://thehub.ca/2024/10/11/sam-routley-stephen-harper-embraced-pragmatic-incremental-change-does-pierre-poilievre-have-grander-ambitions/ The Hub

• Canada’s hard-fought immigration consensus is crumbling before our eyes — Sam Routley (The Hub)
  https://thehub.ca/2024/04/10/sam-routley-canadas-hard-fought-immigration-consensus-is-crumbling/ The Hub

• Canada needs new political experts — Sam Routley (The Hub)
  https://thehub.ca/2023/11/09/sam-routley-canada-needs-new-political-experts/ The Hub

• How Canada’s Conservatives Should Solve Their Free Trade Confusion — Sam Routley (C2C Journal)
  https://c2cjournal.ca/2023/07/how-canadas-conservatives-should-solve-their-free-trade-confusion/ C2C Journal

• Right Here, Right Now: Politics and Leadership in the Age of Disruption — Stephen J. Harper (Indigo)
  https://www.indigo.ca/en-ca/right-here-right-now-politics-and-leadership-in-the-age-of-disruption/9780771038624.html Indigo

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Thanks to Our Patrons

Including Kris Rondolo, Amy Willis, and Christopher McDonald.
To support The Curious Task, visit: https://patreon.com/curioustask

Neil Boyd - Does Drug Decriminalization Work?

In this episode from 2023, Alex speaks with Neil Boyd about the effects of drug decriminalization and legalization in Canada and around the world, and how regulation and criminalization can have positive or negative impacts on users of various substances and the communities around them.

References

1. “Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, 1996” by the Justice Laws Website

Link: https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/c-38.8/ 

2. “Cannabis Act, 2018” by Justice Laws Website 

Link: https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/c-24.5/

Jason Lee Byas - How Should We Deal With Historic Injustice?

In this conversation from 2022, Alex speaks with Jason Lee Byas about the complexities of responding to questions of historic injustice, reparations, and compensation within a libertarian framework. 

References

1. Articles by Jason Lee Byas, Center for a Stateless Society 

Link: https://c4ss.org/content/author/jason-byas 

2. “Rectification and Historic Injustice” by Jason Lee Byas

Link: https://philpapers.org/archive/BYARAH.pdf 

3. “A Black Commons: A Framework for Recognition, Reconciliation, and Reparations” by Julian Agyeman and Kofi Boone 

Link: https://www.academia.edu/113180745/The_Black_CommonsA_Framework_for_Recognition_Reconciliation_Reparations 

4. “Compensation for Historic Injustices: Completing the Boxill and Sher Argument” by Andrew I. Cohen

Link: https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/40212837.pdf 

5. “Should Race Matter?: Unusual Answers to the Usual Questions” by David Boonin

Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Should-Race-Matter-Unusual-Questions/dp/0521149800 

6. “The Ethics of Liberty” by Murray N. Rothbard

Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Ethics-Liberty-Murray-N-Rothbard/dp/0814775594 

7. “Historical Rights and Fair Shares” by A. John Simmons

Link: https://www.jstor.org/stable/3505011 

8. “The Multiculturalism of Fear” by Jacob Levy

Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Multiculturalism-Fear-Jacob-T-Levy/dp/0198297122 

9. “Apologies and Moral Repair: Rights, Duties, and Corrective Justice” by Andrew I. Cohen

Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Apologies-Moral-Repair-Corrective-Justice/dp/0367508036

Seth Kaplan - Why Are Neighbourhoods Important?

In this coversation from 2023, Matt speaks with Seth Kaplan about his book Fragile Neighborhoods, and why a decision as simple as where we choose to live can often make the difference between lives of prosperity and lives of uncertainty and strife. 

Seth's book can be ordered here:

https://a.co/d/aqUzRny 

Andrew Coyne - Why Is Canadian Democracy In Crisis?

In this episode, Alex speaks with journalist and author Andrew Coyne about why Canadian democracy is in crisis. Drawing from his book The Crisis of Canadian Democracy, Coyne explains how the concentration of power in the Prime Minister’s Office, the erosion of cabinet and caucus independence, and the iron grip of party discipline have hollowed out Parliament. They explore electoral reform, regional alienation, and voter disengagement, and discuss why Canada’s institutions now fail to hold leaders accountable. Coyne argues that the issue is systemic: a slow but steady weakening of democratic norms that requires serious institutional repair if Canadian democracy is to endure.

References

The Crisis of Canadian Democracy — Andrew Coyne
https://a.co/d/49B2UrX

Andrew Coyne — Columns (The Globe and Mail)
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/authors/andrew-coyne/

Canada’s Democracy Is in Crisis: Andrew Coyne on GCD #3 — Macdonald-Laurier Institute
https://macdonaldlaurier.ca/canadas-democracy-is-in-crisis-andrew-coyne-on-gcd-3-in-the-post/

Q&A: MPs ‘Utterly Subservient’ to Leaders — Coyne on Reforming Canada’s Democratic System — The Hill Times
https://www.hilltimes.com/story/2025/06/26/qa-mps-utterly-subservient-to-leaders-says-andrew-coyne-who-proposes-a-path-away-from-that-anti-democratic-system/465123/

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Including Kris Rondolo, Amy Willis, and Christopher McDonald.
To support The Curious Task, visit: https://patreon.com/curioustask

Tyler Cowen - Who Is The Greatest Economist Of All Time?

In this conversation from 2024,

Matt speaks with Tyler Cowen about his recent book "GOAT:
Who is the Greatest Economist of all Time and Why Does it Matter?", as they discuss the case for and against each of the top finalists, and the interactive AI features that Tyler has integrated into the book's online release.

Episode Notes:

The full book plus all interactive AI features can be found for free here: https://goatgreatesteconomistofalltime.ai/en 

 

Aaron Powell - Is Fusionism Dead?

In this episode from 2022, Alex speaks with Aaron Powell about the origins of fusionism, where it stands today, and why non-traditional alliances might be the way of the future. 

References

1. Free Thoughts Podcast 

Link: https://www.libertarianism.org/podcasts/free-thoughts 

2. ReImagining Liberty Podcast

Link: https://www.reimaginingliberty.com/podcast/ 

3. “After protests, Disney CEO speaks out against ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill” by Elizabeth Blair

Link: https://www.npr.org/2022/03/08/1085130633/disney-response-florida-bill-dont-say-gay 

4. “An Introduction to Marxism for Non-Marxists” ReImagined Podcast Episode 

Link: https://www.reimaginingliberty.com/an-introduction-to-marxism-for-non-marxists-w-ian-bennett/

Mike Munger - What Is The Difference Between Directionalism and Destinationism?

In this conversation from 2023, Alex and Mike Munger discuss two strains of thought within the liberty movement - one concerned with philosophical purity and cohesion, the other with advancement towards a common ideal of greater freedom for all. 

Episode Notes:

Mike's article "The Right Kind of Nothing": https://www.chronicle.com/article/the-right-kind-of-nothing/

An introduction to Coasian bargaining:

http://www.ejolt.org/2015/09/coasian-bargaining-2/ 

The Piece commissioned by Leonard Read by Milton Friedman and George Stigler on Rent Control:

https://fee.org/resources/roofs-or-ceilings-the-current-housing-problem/ 

Mike Munger's piece "This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things"

https://www.aier.org/article/this-is-why-we-cant-have-nice-things-directionalists-vs-destinationists/ 

James Buchanan on Relatively Absolute Absolutes

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11127-021-00883-0 

Pete Boettke - Is Hayek Still Relevant?

In this conversation from 2023, Alex speaks with Pete Boettke about the relevancy of Friedrich Hayek in the contemporary context, what it means to be a "Hayekian" and the curious tale of how Hayek came to be the focus of his latest book "F. A. Hayek: Economics, Political Economy and Social Philosophy"

Episode Notes

• Pete’s book “F. A. Hayek: Economics, Political Economy and Social Philosophy“ https://a.co/d/ah7SpwW 
• Hayek on The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/friedrich-hayek/ 
• Introduction to Hayek’s “Road to Serfdom” https://mises.org/library/road-serfdom-0 
• Murray Rothbard’s “Man, Economy and State” retrospective https://fee.org/articles/rothbards-man-economy-and-state-at-50/ 
• Milton Friedman’s “Free To Choose” https://www.proglocode.unam.mx/sites/proglocode.unam.mx/files/docencia/Milton%20y%20Rose%20Friedman%20-%20Free%20to%20Choose.pdf 
• Hayek “Prices and Production” https://mises.org/library/prices-and-production-and-other-works 
• Introduction to economics of Lucas https://www.econlib.org/library/Enc/bios/Lucas.html 
• Steve Horowitz on Hayek https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5dR0zgC1ZI 
• Herbert Dreyfuss “What Computers Can’t Do” https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262540674/what-computers-still-cant-do/ 
• Horowitz quote on Hayek “we have to learn to live in two worlds at once” https://www.jstor.org/stable/41560288 
• Hayek’s “The Fatal Conceit” https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/F/bo3643985.html 
• Kenneth Boulding “After Samuelson, Who Needs Adam Smith?” https://read.dukeupress.edu/hope/article-abstract/3/2/225/12381/After-Samuelson-Who-Needs-Adam-Smith
  • “The Extended Present” (concept) https://medium.com/extended-present/about 
• The “Grapes vs. Cucumbers as pay for Monkeys” experiment (youtube video) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meiU6TxysCg 
• The Constitution of Liberty - Hayek https://www.mises.at/static/literatur/Buch/hayek-the-constitution-of-liberty.pdf 
• Chandran Kukathas’ Liberal Archipelago https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-liberal-archipelago-9780199219209?cc=ca&lang=en& 
• Kind vs. Wicked learning environments. https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/experience-studio/202007/experience-kind-vs-wicked 

 

Robert Poole - What's Wrong With America's Highways?

In this episode, Alex speaks with transportation policy expert Robert Poole about his book Rethinking America’s Highways. Poole makes the case for replacing the current tax-funded, politically managed highway system with a customer-focused, market-based model. He outlines how tolling, public-private partnerships, and long-term concessions can improve infrastructure, reduce congestion, and provide sustainable funding. The discussion examines lessons from international examples, the political and technical barriers to reform, and why a shift in mindset is essential for meeting America’s future mobility needs.

References

Rethinking America’s Highways — Robert Poole
https://a.co/d/1gu8lWE

Robert Poole — Reason Foundation Profile
https://reason.org/author/robert-poole/

Modernizing the Interstate Highway System via Toll Finance — Robert Poole (Reason Foundation)
https://reason.org/policy-study/modernizing-the-interstate-highway/

Funding & Finance — Eno Center for Transportation
https://enotrans.org/topics/funding-finance/

The Big Roads — Earl Swift
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-big-roads

Infrastructure Economics and Policy: International Perspectives — José A. Gómez-Ibáñez & Zhi Liu (eds.)
https://www.booktopia.com.au/infrastructure-economics-and-policy-jose-a-gomez-ibanez/book/9781558444188.html

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Including Kris Rondolo, Amy Willis, and Christopher McDonald.
To support The Curious Task, visit: https://patreon.com/curioustask

Kevin Vallier - What Are The New Religious Threats To Liberalism?

In this episode from 2023, Alex speaks with Kevin Vallier about his new book "All The Kingdoms Of The World", in which he takes a global view of anti-liberal integralist strands in political thought and warns of the consequences of following them toward a rejection of liberal freedom and democracy. 

Episode Notes:

• The conversation focuses primarily on Kevin’s book:
  • https://www.kevinvallier.com/books/all-the-kingdoms-of-the-world-radical-religious-alternatives-liberalism/ 
• Introduction to Catholic Political Integralism: 
  • https://thejosias.com/ 
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Integralism 
• Introduction to islamic political anti-liberalism 
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamism 
• “The Confucian Tradition and Politics” Youngmin Kim, Ha-Kyoung Lee and Seongun Park https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780190228637.013.991

Brian Dijkema - Did Liberalism Fail?

In this episode, Matt speaks with Brian Dijkema of Cardus, about the moral limits of modern liberalism. Dijkema argues that while classical liberalism emerged from a tradition concerned with virtue and the common good, today’s liberalism often treats neutrality and technocratic governance as ends in themselves. They discuss the work of classical liberal theorists, Rawls' liberal vision, the legacy of Christian social thought, and how institutional renewal requires more than procedural fairness but rather a shared vision of the good.

References:

Brian Dijkema — Profile (Cardus)
https://www.cardus.ca/personnel/brian-dijkema/

“Liberty, Equality, … Disintegration?” — Patrick Deneen in conversation with Brian Dijkema
https://comment.org/liberty-equality-disintegration/

“Labor’s Conservative Heart” — Brian Dijkema (American Compass)
https://americancompass.org/labors-conservative-heart/

Why Liberalism Failed — Patrick Deneen
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Why_Liberalism_Failed

“The Ethics of Attention in an Age of Distraction” — Brian Dijkema
https://digitalcommons.georgefox.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1146&context=icctej

Brian Dijkema — Contributor Archive (Convivium)
https://www.convivium.ca/writers/bio/bdijkema/page/2/

Brian Dijkema — Articles at Comment Magazine
https://comment.org/contributors/brian-dijkema/

“The Classical Liberal Diaspora” — Michael C. Munger
https://dukespace.lib.duke.edu/items/513d2184-ca95-4508-b4ef-f137a03b32f0

 

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Including Kris Rondolo, Amy Willis, and Christopher McDonald.
To support The Curious Task, visit: https://patreon.com/curioustask

 

Chandran Kukathas - What’s Wrong With Immigration Control?

In this episode from 2022, Alex speaks with Chandran Kukathas about the costs of limiting immigration and what effects there may be on policy if the question of who counts as an immigrant is itself unclear.

References

1. “Immigration and Freedom” by Chandran Kukathas

Link: https://www.amazon.com/Immigration-Freedom-Chandran-Kukathas/dp/0691189684

 

Pete Boettke — What Is The Curious Task of Economics?

In this conversation from 2020, Alex Aragona chats with Pete Boettke as he dives into what the curious task of economics is and relates it back to the work of Friedrich Hayek.

References from Episode 40 with Pete Boettke

• You can purchase Pete Boettke’s book on F.A. Hayek on Amazon Canada here
• Check out Pete Boettke’s economics blog here

Bruce Pardy - Freedom Or Virtue?

In this episode, Matt speaks with legal scholar Bruce Pardy about the deep tension between freedom and virtue. Pardy argues that “freedom people” - classical liberals and libertarians - see virtue as something that can only emerge when individuals are free to choose, while “virtue people” believe virtue must come first, even if enforced by the state. They explore the limits of state neutrality, city planning, drug policy, and the rise of authoritarian instincts across both the right and the left. Pardy explains why a truly free society is risky - and why that risk is necessary for genuine virtue and responsibility.

References:

• “Freedom and Virtue: Friends or Enemies?” — Bruce Pardy (Brownstone Institute)
  https://brownstone.org/articles/freedom-and-virtue-friends-or-enemies/

• Bruce Pardy — Profile (Fraser Institute)
  https://www.fraserinstitute.org/profile/bruce-pardy

• Bruce Pardy — Author Page (The Epoch Times)
  https://www.theepochtimes.com/author/bruce-pardy

• The Road to Serfdom by Friedrich Hayek
  https://a.co/d/cp4rlD5

• The Open Society and Its Enemies by Karl Popper
  https://a.co/d/iVwmVvs

Thanks to Our Patrons including Kris Rondolo, Amy Willis, and Christopher McDonald. To support The Curious Task, visit: https://patreon.com/curioustask

 

Ben Woodfinden - What Is Canadian Conservatism?

In this episode, Alex speaks with political theorist Ben Woodfinden about the meaning and complexity of Canadian conservatism. Drawing on his essay “A Tory Impulse and Anti-Laurentian Ideas Drive Canadian Conservatism”, Woodfinden explains why conservatism in Canada is not a single rigid doctrine but a pluralistic network of regionally rooted traditions — from prairie populism and Western anti-elitism to Ontario’s old Toryism and Quebec’s nationalist strands. They unpack Canada’s unique confederation story, the idea of the Laurentian elite, and how any coherent conservatism must remain a coalition rooted in local distinctiveness and historical context.

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References

• “A Tory Impulse and Anti-Laurentian Ideas Drive Canadian Conservatism” – Ben Woodfinden (The Hub)
  https://thehub.ca/2022/08/17/ben-woodfinden-a-tory-impulse-and-anti-laurentian-ideas-drive-canadian-conservatism/

• “Canada’s aspiring populists aren’t actually all that radical” – Ben Woodfinden (The Hub)
  https://thehub.ca/2022/05/27/canadas-aspiring-populists-arent-actually-all-that-radical/ 

• “King Charles III and the glorious weirdness of Canada's monarchy” – Ben Woodfinden 
  https://nationalpost.com/opinion/ben-woodfinden-king-charles-iii-and-the-glorious-weirdness-of-canadas-monarchy 

• Ben's contributions to The Hub
  https://thehub.ca/author/benwoodfinden/ 

• “Lament for a Nation: The Defeat of Canadian Nationalism” by George Grant
  https://a.co/d/d0NQs95 

• “The Crooked Timber of Humanity” by Isaiah Berlin
  https://a.co/d/6l1wq3d 
  
  

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Thanks to Our Patrons
Including Kris Rondolo, Amy Willis, and Christopher McDonald. To support the podcast, visit:
https://patreon.com/curioustask

Jacob Levy - Is Liberalism Neutral?

In this conversation from 2023, Alex speaks with Professor Jacob Levy about the concept of neutrality within the history of liberalism and how many historical thinkers have approached the subject within that tradition. 

Episode Notes:

• Michael Oakeshott on “adverbial rules” https://lawliberty.org/forum/michael-oakeshott-on-the-rule-of-law-and-the-liberal-order/ 
• John Locke’s religious beliefs https://rb.gy/1yg43 
• Heresy of Americanism https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Americanism_(heresy) 
• Deirdre McCloskey’s Bourgeois Virtues Thesis https://www.deirdremccloskey.com/docs/bv_selection.pdf 
• Ronald Dworkin “Liberalism” https://www.scribd.com/document/313373358/Ronald-Dworkin-Liberalism# 
• Stephanie Slade, "Must Libertarians Care About More Than the State?" https://reason.com/2022/03/19/two-libertarianisms/ 
• Alexis De Toqueville’s concerns about the rising liberal democratic order https://www.economist.com/schools-brief/2018/08/09/de-tocqueville-and-the-french-exception 
• John Stuart Mill “On Liberty” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_Liberty 

Bill Wirtz - Why Do Governments Hate Fun?

Episode Summary:

Matt Bufton is joined by Bill Wirtz of the Consumer Choice Centre to explore why governments often crack down on fun—from drinking and smoking to gambling and vaping. They dive into the cultural and political roots of paternalistic policies, how public health rhetoric masks deeper control impulses, and why Canada offers a revealing case study in state-imposed virtue. Wirtz also highlights how prohibitionist instincts persist even when evidence contradicts their effectiveness.

References

“Children Are the Future: Authoritarianism, Culture War and Making Model Citizens” by Alan Elrod
https://www.liberalcurrents.com/children-are-the-future-authoritarianism-culture-war-and-making-model-citizens/

That Which is Seen and That Which is Not Seen by Frédéric Bastiat
https://oll.libertyfund.org/title/bastiat-selected-essays-on-political-economy#lf0181_head_009

The Fun Police – Podcast Series by Bill Wirtz
https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/fun-police/id1714265675

World Health Organization – Framework Convention on Tobacco Control
https://fctc.who.int/

Milton Friedman’s “Free to Choose” (PBS Series)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dngqR9gcDDw&list=PLt27lKoC5LS4wbD28Jkv95UUm9H7wbVO4

Thanks to Our Patrons

Including Kris Rondolo, Amy Willis, and Christopher McDonald. To support the podcast, visit:
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Marc-William Palen - Were There Left-Wing Visions of Free Trade?

In this conversation from 2024, Alex speaks with Marc-William Palen about the evolution of left-wing visions of free trade from the mid-19th century through the Cold War, highlighting key movements and figures like the Anti-Corn Law League, Karl Marx, and the Fair Trade movement, and contrasting these with protectionist and imperialist policies of the era.

Episode Notes:

Marc-William's book "Pax Economica: Left-Wing Visions of a Free Trade World": https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691199320/pax-economica 

Marx on Free Trade:

https://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1888/free-trade/#:~:text=Only%20under%20Free%20Trade%20can,%2C%20wage%2Dlaborers%20there%3B%20hereditary 

The Eric Schliesser episode of the Curious Task mentioned by Alex: https://thecurioustask.podbean.com/e/special-episode-5-eric-schliesser-%e2%80%94-what-is-neoliberalism/ 

Journal of Liberal History's summary of the history of the Anti-Corn Law League:

https://liberalhistory.org.uk/history/anti-corn-law-league/ 

Overview of the history of the Opium Wars:

https://asiapacificcurriculum.ca/learning-module/opium-wars-china#:~:text=The%20Opium%20Wars%20in%20the,China%20lost%20both%20wars. 

A primer on the origins of Fair Trade and the Haslemere Declaration: 

https://imperialglobalexeter.com/2018/05/03/what-fair-trade-was-originally-about-the-haslemere-declaration-of-1968/