Politics

What Writer Most Turned You on to Freedom?

Or, What We Heard at Reason's Bastiat Prize Dinner.

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On Thursday, November 8, The Wall Street Journal's Anne Jolis took home top honors in Reason's Bastiat Prize for Journalism, which celebrates writers who demonstrate the importance of individual liberty and free markets with originality, eloquence, and wit. Over 200 writers entered the contest and winners were named at reception and dinner held in New York City.

Reason TV asked a variety of attendees to name the writer who first turned them on to the importance of freedom in human flourishing and what they see as the brightest hope for progress in 2013 and beyond. George Orwell, Ayn Rand, Murray Rothbard, Hunter S. Thompson, D.H. Lawrence, and former Reason editor Virginia Postrel get shout-outs, along with many other writers.

Among the people appearing in this video: Shikha Dalmia (Reason Foundation); Gene Epstein (Barron's); Andrea Millen Rich (Laissez Faire Books); Judge Andrew Napolitano (Fox News); Damon Root (Reason.com); Matt Welch (Reason magazine); Michael C. Moynihan (The Daily Beast); John Aglialaro (Producer, Atlas Shrugged); John Tierney (The New York Times); Tunku Varadarajan (Newsweek International); Andrew Kirell (Mediaite); John Stossel (Fox Business); Michael Goodwin (New York Post); John Fund (National Review); Trevor Butterworth (STATS.org); James O'Keefe (Project Veritas), Emmanuelle Richard (journalist); and Hyperion Knight (pianist).

About 2.40 minutes long. Edited by Jim Epstein, with assistance from Amanda Winkler and Anthony L. Fisher. Interviews by Nick Gillespie.

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