Violent Saviors: The West’s Conquest of the Rest

Violent Saviors: The West’s Conquest of the Rest

Author: Cato Institute December 12, 2025 Duration: 1:32:23
In the name of material progress, the West has sought to develop and frequently exploit the less-developed “rest.” William Easterly will draw from 400 years of history—ranging from the conquest of the Americas and the Atlantic slave trade to colonization in Asia and Africa and the invention of the Third World—to show how the West has justified different forms of intervention in the societies it has purportedly intended to improve. Easterly will explain why development based on consent, choice, and human agency is superior to an approach that neglects dignity, focuses narrowly on material improvements, and too often justifies various degrees of coercion. Deirdre McCloskey will comment on the fundamental role of freedom in development.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


Step inside the Cato Institute's renowned Washington, D.C. events without leaving your desk. The Cato Event Podcast brings the lecture hall and briefing room directly to you, featuring unfiltered audio from live policy forums, author discussions, and Capitol Hill briefings. Each episode captures the substance of these gatherings, where scholars, policymakers, and leading thinkers engage in detailed conversations about liberty, governance, and current affairs. You'll hear substantive debates and thoughtful commentary that cut through the noise of daily headlines, offering deeper analysis on the issues shaping legislation and public discourse. This isn't a produced studio show; it's a front-row seat to the kind of candid exchanges that happen when experts gather to challenge conventional wisdom. The Cato Institute, through this podcast, provides a direct conduit to these discussions, emphasizing a perspective rooted in individual freedom, limited government, and free markets. Tune in for a raw, intellectual experience that goes beyond soundbites, perfect for anyone who wants to understand the foundational ideas behind today's political news.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Cato Event Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Liberty, Literature, and Civil Discourse in the Classroom [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:33
As we approach the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, we recall the key principles that form America’s foundation. Of these, the “certain unalienable rights” the Founders declared are “life, liberty, a…
SHUFFLE Directed by Benjamin Flaherty [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:40
Winner of the Grand Prize for Documentary at the 2025 South by Southwest Film Festival, Shuffle is filmmaker Benjamin Flaherty’s powerful exposé of unintended consequences in American health policy. Through intimate port…
The Risks of Expanding FDIC Deposit Insurance [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:31
Since the 1930s, the federal government has used the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s (FDIC) deposit insurance to justify its increased involvement in banking. Now, in the name of supporting community banks, some…