This special event featured Marian Tupy and Fraser Nelson in a thought-provoking conversation, led by CIS executive director Tom Switzer. Marian and Fraser were in Australia for the annual Consilium conference, and this was their only public appearance.
In an era characterised by a prevailing sense of trepidation, fuelled by dire predictions spanning from global famine to overpopulation and climate catastrophe, a fascinating paradox emerges.
In 2021, a study conducted by the University of Bath engaged 10,000 people aged 16 to 25 worldwide, revealing that a staggering 75% harboured a profound fear of the ‘frightening’ future. A remarkable 56% believed that the very essence of ‘humanity’ stood on the precipice of extinction, and a notable 39% expressed reluctance to bring children into a world they perceived as increasingly bleak.
Are their fears legitimate? Or is it possible there’s another side to the story concealed from public discourse? That, thanks to the spread of capitalism around the globe, there is a brighter side that is rarely told?
An examination of the bigger picture of human history unveils a striking paradox — despite the persistent narratives of apprehension, we find ourselves in an era of unprecedented human fortune. As capitalism’s accomplishments continue to mount — exemplified by a marked reduction in extreme poverty, greater educational attainment and wide access to healthcare — the more unpopular markets seem to have become.
Fraser Nelson, a columnist at the Daily Telegraph, and the editor of The Spectator in London since 2009, brought his unique perspective to the event.
Marian Tupy, a senior fellow at the Cato Institute’s Centre for Global Liberty and Prosperity and co-author of the book “Superabundance” (Cato), as well as the narrator of PragerU’s recent video series “The Best Time to be Alive,” with nearly half a million views, shared his insights.