The Great Antidote

Why Freedom Matters: Tom Palmer on Authoritarianism and January 6th

Juliette Sellgren

Send us a text

Why 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 freedom

Palmer 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 show

Never miss another AdamSmithWorks update.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.


People on this episode

Podcasts we love

Check out these other fine podcasts recommended by us, not an algorithm.

EconTalk Artwork

EconTalk

Russ Roberts
Qualified Opinions Artwork

Qualified Opinions

Veronique de Rugy
Advisory Opinions Artwork

Advisory Opinions

The Dispatch