How to leverage resources within the liberty movement

My show has always been about promoting ideas that lead to a flourishing, free society. I try to leverage my resources to spotlight issues that are neglected by shallow politicians and mainstream media (see my free guide to *The Shallow State* for details).

While occupational licensing and rolling back the administrative state may not be the most glamorous causes, I never tire of covering the work of organizations like the Institute for Justice in their fight against the most pervasive and regressive forms of government overreach.

Much like the entrepreneurs they serve, the Atlas Network also leverages scarce resources for maximum impact. They have cultivated a global network of think tanks working behind the scenes to advance free market competition and accelerate international development.

While the “problem” of development has stymied well-funded academics, and supranational government bodies, Atlas has used the same “engage and exchange” formula time and time again to spur growth and entrepreneurship without accepting a penny from any government or quasi-government institutions.
How?

Matt Warner, the Atlas Network’s president, reveals the secrets in his new book Poverty and Freedom: Case Studies on Global Economic Development. Warner recognizes development as an opportunity – not a problem. The case studies from the dozens of Atlas-supported think tanks around the world show that solutions are not handed down from on high by all-knowing government officials but discovered on the ground. Through the broader Poverty and Freedom initiative, Atlas Network is “harnessing local visions for change to free people to carve paths out of poverty.” The secret is property rights, aligning incentives, finding key partners and building bottom-up coalitions. Warner is a dissenter in the world of development economics and a self-described “positive deviant.”

In addition to summarizing uplifting case studies ranging from prison reform in the state of Georgia to innovative land rights reform in Ukraine, each chapter ends with important questions for everyone in the liberty movement (not to mention entrepreneurs, parents, and community leaders) such as:

How can I make the most of my scarce resources?

How can I communicate effectively to politicians and people in power?

How can I be a “positive deviant” and what unlikely innovations could I harness in pursuit of my unique mission?

If I am determined to achieve even more than I am now, what peers can I choose that are most relevant for a motivating comparison—and from whom can I learn the most?

If you need a break from all of the doom and gloom of current events, do yourself a favor and read Matt’s book – or tune in live to the show of ideas (never-ever, not one single time, the show of attitude). The arc of history is long, but it bends toward freedom.