Capitalism: Antidote to Poverty

Two hundred years ago, 90% of human beings lived in conditions we now classify as extreme poverty. Since the emergence of capitalism, this figure has plummeted from 90% to 9%. This fact should be celebrated and studied more than it is. When curious minds grapple with the question, how has prosperity replaced poverty in so many places? They discover the miracles of free enterprise-eloquently described in Antonella Marty's important new book-including how the profit motive fosters cooperation and innovation, all to satisfy human wants and needs.

This year we are celebrating the 40th anniversary of Atlas Network's founding, and I am enormously proud of the strong network that has evolved over four decades to enhance the public appreciation of freedom and free markets. At the same time, I worry that the blessings of freedom increasingly are taken for granted by younger generations, and that we face strong winds of illiberalism from all parts of the political spectrum. More than ever, we need to make the case that it is capitalism, and the free institutions upon which it depends, that can deliver social mobility, legal equality, and dignity to all people.I am gratified that young leaders like Antonella Marty are bringing new energy to this effort. We should all take to heart that it is in our hands to raise up the cause of human freedom and prosperity, and to secure a more peaceful and more prosperous future. —Brad Lips CEO of Atlas Network