Talks from the Hoover Institution

Dragon Kings and Grey Rhinos: The World War of 1914-1918 and the Pandemic of 2020-? with Niall Ferguson

Thursday, May 7, 2020

Hoover Institution, Stanford University

 

It has become commonplace among beleaguered leaders seeking to rally popular support to say that the COVID-19 pandemic is a “war,” albeit against an “invisible enemy.” For a number of obvious reasons, a pandemic is very different from a war, of course. We think of a pandemic as a natural disaster, whereas a war as man-made. Nevertheless, the two kinds of disaster have much in common. This paper considers one particular point of resemblance, namely the way the pandemic came as a surprise to most people, despite numerous warnings of the likelihood of such a disaster. The paper then explores the economic, social, political and geopolitical consequences of World War I and shows what they can teach us about the possible consequences of the pandemic.

Niall Ferguson, MA, D.Phil., is the Milbank Family Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University, and a senior fellow of the Center for European Studies, Harvard. He is the author of fifteen books, most recently The Square and the Tower, and an award-making filmmaker, having won an international Emmy for his PBS series The Ascent of Money.

A Century Of Ideas: Technology, Innovation, And The Future Of The US Economy

Monday, May 20, 2019

A Century Of Ideas: Technology, Innovation, And The Future Of The US Economy

This session will discuss the historical sources of prosperity in the United States over the past century and will look at the drivers of prosperity over the next century. Panelists will also address the ongoing debate about the impact of artificial intelligence and robotics on standards of living and the relevant facts and data to consider.

A Century Of Ideas: A Century Of Prosperity: A Review Of The Standard Of Living, 1919 Vs. 2019

Thursday, April 18, 2019

A Century Of Ideas: A Century Of Prosperity: A Review Of The Standard Of Living, 1919 Vs. 2019

The past century has witnessed dramatic improvements in the standard of living in the United States. Panelists will discuss the role that free markets, property rights, innovation, regulation, and national security have played in this remarkable advancement in human well-being.

A Century Of Ideas: One Hundred Years Of Democracy And Foreign Policy

Tuesday, March 26, 2019

A Century Of Ideas: One Hundred Years Of Democracy And Foreign Policy

The United States was founded on the principles of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, and for decades, support for democracy around the world has been a central tenet of American foreign policy. The past century provides many examples of prosperity in thriving democracies balanced with the instability of authoritarian and repressive regimes. This panel discussion examines the changing role of democracy building in America’s foreign policy over the past century.