Simon Sarevski interviews me on the ideas that shaped America. Published July 14, 2026.

On July 2, 1776, the same day the Congress approved a resolution to separate from Britain, he declared to his congressional colleagues, “The country is not only ripe for the measure, but in danger of rotting for the want of it.”

One of history’s most infamous con artists was born in the little town where I now live—Newnan, in Coweta County, Georgia. And we’re not proud of him. He departed this world on this very date, July 7, in 1898.

What were the reasons why America’s founders did not buy into women’s suffrage nearly 250 years ago? You might not agree with them, but you can at least try to understand them.

Rousseau was a collectivist who dreamed of homogenizing individuals in a communal blender, thereby sacrificing their uniqueness for the sake of the “common good.”

Both the American Revolution and the French Revolution promised “power to the people.” Only one delivered.

Nathan Hale, Haym Salomon, Mercy Warren, Casimir Pulaski, George Whitefield, James Otis, Esther Reed—these are among the great patriots I talk about in this June 22, 2026 lecture in Midland, Michigan.

Generally speaking, central banks get excessive credit for the good times and insufficient blame for the bad times. But you could certainly do worse than Hans Luther.

Narrated by Naomi Brockwell, this new video tells the story of my recent essay, “I, Smartphone: Far Smarter Than You Ever Imagined.” Print version of the essay: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GP9MG18K

In the first review of my forthcoming book, Born of Ideas: How Principles, Faith and Courage Forged America, Surse Pierpoint writes, “Chapter by chapter, Reed, an economist and President Emeritus at the Foundation for Economic Education, shows the same pattern: precedent accumulates, someone reads it carefully, and an institution gets built.” The book is available for pre-order now on Amazon.

Be inspired by these books. Celebrate America 250! Read online or download for free the Happy Birthday, Freedom! brochure from the Free Society Coalition, on whose board I proudly serve: freesocietycoalition.org.

The amazing story of what goes into a smartphone, this is a short November 2025 speech in San Francisco. It’s an adaptation of the principles expressed in the 1958 essay, “I, Pencil” by Leonard Read. The essay, “I, Smartphone,” is available on Amazon for about five bucks: https://tinyurl.com/yunb8jyx.

When it came to the conduct of America’s war against the world’s pre-eminent military power, Congress got one big thing right. It involved the navy and what today we would call privatization.

A new discussion with Sean Themea of Young Americans for Liberty's "Voices of Liberty" podcast, posted June 9, 2026. Lots of great subjects from history to economics to philosophy in this one!

What Al Sharpton won’t tell you is that the Framers, armed with the promise expressed in the Declaration of Independence, did as much or more to put human bondage on the road to extinction than any other generation anywhere. Spanish version: https://tinyurl.com/5dvv9jx6.

“Do We Still Need the Declaration?” was the topic of this panel discussion in Philadelphia at the Jack Miller Center’s National Summit on Civic Education on May 18, 2026.

Delivered to the Pachyderm Club in Wichita, Kansas — May 22, 2026.

Based on my forthcoming book, Born of Ideas: How Principles, Faith, and Courage Forged America (available for pre-order at https://tinyurl.com/5hbpujuj), this lecture was delivered at my alma mater, Grove City College, on April 16, 2026.

From the Amazon description: In a world where revolutions often replace one form of tyranny with another, the American Revolution stands apart. Why? In Born of Ideas, Lawrence W. Reed reveals that America’s founding was not merely the result of war, but of a profound transformation in thought―an extraordinary revolution of ideas rooted in liberty, personal responsibility, faith, and moral courage. Through engaging, accessible essays, Reed introduces readers to both well-known figures and unsung heroes whose convictions shaped a nation. From the Mayflower Compact to the struggles of the Revolutionary era, each chapter illuminates the principles that made America unique―and that remain essential today. Order here: https://tinyurl.com/3vwxznxz

Your teachers and professors undoubtedly taught you “something,” true or not, about the so-called robber barons. Did they ever mention this one?