Deirdre McCloskey
Economist, author of the Bourgeois Trilogy, and senior fellow holding the Isaiah Berlin Chair of Liberal Thought at the Cato Institute; argues that liberal ideas and equality of permission drove modern economic growth.
Top 3 podcasts with Deirdre McCloskey
Ranked by the Snipd community
Nov 3, 2025 • 58min
Freedom or Welfare State? Deirdre McCloskey on the Liberal Choice | IEA Interview
Deirdre McCloskey, Isaiah Berlin Chair and noted author on liberalism and economic history, discusses her idea of “equality of permission.” She contrasts permission with outcome-focused equality and argues for removing barriers to flourishing. Conversation covers licensing, regulation, free speech, persuasion versus coercion, and why ideas drove Western prosperity.
Nov 18, 2025 • 1h 5min
Liberalism and the Great Enrichment: Why Ideas, Not Capital, Made the Modern World
Deirdre McCloskey, an esteemed economist and author of the Bourgeois Trilogy, delves into how the 'equality of permission' revolutionized global income from $2 to $50 per day. She champions the 'bourgeois deal' that celebrates individual creativity and critiques modern economics for oversimplifying human nature. McCloskey contrasts the innovation paths of England and France, advocates for 'humanomics' to incorporate ethics and rhetoric, and discusses the potential of India’s liberalization while warning against statist solutions that stifle growth.
Sep 26, 2024 • 16min
Where Are the Rooming Houses?
Deirdre McCloskey, an economist and historian, joins fellow economist Art Carden to unravel the bizarre legacy of outdated laws originally aimed at brothels that now stifle boarding houses. They tackle how these restrictions contribute to socioeconomic segregation and limit affordable housing for students and immigrants. The duo also explores the shocking potential GDP boost from flexible migration policies, the historical roots of the current housing crisis, and the push and pull of community desires against the need for diverse housing solutions.
