Should the U.S. Government Adopt an Industrial Policy? A Soho Forum Debate
American Compass Executive Director Oren Cass vs. the Cato Institute's Scott Lincicome on whether the U.S. should increase its intervention in the manufacturing industry.
Podcast: The Soho Forum Debates
Reason presents a libertarian-themed debate series recorded monthly before a live audience in New York City. Moderated by former Barron's Economics Editor Gene Epstein, the Soho Forum features Nobel prize winners, radical thinkers, and other public intellectuals facing off over the future of bitcoin, electric vehicles, government debt, illegal drugs, robotics, sex work, and other controversial topics.
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End the COVID-19 Lockdowns? Two Epidemiologists Debate
Harvard's Martin Kulldorff vs. Andrew Noymer of UC Irvine
The Electoral College: Keep or Replace? A Soho Forum Debate
Richard Epstein vs. Lawrence Lessig
Completely Replace Fossil Fuels Within 20 Years? A Soho Forum Debate
Jeff Nesbit and Bjorn Lomborg on the threat of climate change and what should be done about it
Who Should Libertarians Vote for in 2020? A Soho Forum Update
Ilya Somin, Angela McArdle, and Francis Menton refresh their cases for Biden, Jorgensen, and Trump.
Could All Parents Have 'Pandemic Pods' If There Were More School Choice? A Soho Forum Debate
As K–12 education goes remote, groups of parents are hiring teachers to teach their kids in person. Is that wrong?
Does COVID-19 Strengthen the Case for Medicare for All? A Soho Forum Debate
Gerald Friedman of the University of Massachusetts says yes, while the Pacific Research Institute's Sally Pipes says no.
Who Should Libertarians Vote For in 2020? A Soho Forum Debate
Ilya Somin, Angela McArdle, and Francis Menton debate whether libertarians should vote for Joe Biden, Jo Jorgensen, or Donald Trump.
Radley Balko and Rafael Mangual Debate Systemic Racism
The Washington Post's Radley Balko vs. The Manhattan Institute's Rafael Mangual on whether or not "there is overwhelming evidence that the criminal justice system is racist."
Were the Lockdowns a Mistake? A Soho Forum Debate
Physician Marty Makary vs. epidemiologist Knut Wittkowski on whether "the lockdown saved hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of lives."
Does COVID-19 Make Immigration Restrictions Necessary? A Soho Forum Debate
The Center for Immigration Studies' Mark Krikorian vs. George Mason University economist Bryan Caplan
Is It Time to End the Coronavirus Lockdowns? A Soho Forum Debate
Economists David Henderson and Justin Wolfers debate whether the coronavirus lockdowns are doing more harm than good.
Should the Government Break Up Companies Like Amazon and Facebook? A Soho Forum Debate
Law professors Tim Wu and Richard Epstein went head to head at a live event.
Is Donald Trump's Trade Policy with China Good for Americans? A Soho Forum Debate
Stephen Moore and Gene Epstein debate whether or not President Trump's Chinese trade policy deserves broad public support.
Will Robots Lead to Widespread Joblessness and Economic Inequality?
Martin Ford and Antony Sammeroff debate the future of robotics and its potential economic impacts at the Soho Forum.
Libertarianism and Abortion: A Debate
Walter Block and Kerry Baldwin debate whether women should have the legal right to terminate their pregnancies.
Is Socialism Preferable To Capitalism? A Soho Forum Debate
Richard D. Wolff squares off against Gene Epstein on which system better promotes freedom, equality, and prosperity.
Should Adults Be Allowed to Use Any Drug They Choose? A Soho Forum Debate
Reason's Jacob Sullum and former New York Times reporter Alex Berenson debate eliminating laws that prohibit the use and sale of narcotics.
How Can The Libertarian Party Effect Real Change? A Soho Forum Debate
Dave Smith and Nicholas Sarwark debate the 2016 Libertarian Party ballot, what constitutes success in an election, and how to effectively share libertarian principles.
Can Bitcoin Replace Central Banking? A Debate
Listen to economists Saifedean Ammous and George Selgin face off at the Soho Forum.
Is Postmodernism Marxist or Libertarian? A Soho Forum Debate
Thaddeus Russell and Stephen Hicks debate human nature, moral relativism, and the nature of truth.
How Secure is Social Security? A Debate
Gene Epstein and Teresa Ghilarducci debate whether the social security trust fund exists or is merely an accounting fiction.
Vegetarians vs. Omnivores: A Soho Forum Debate
Listen to journalist Nina Teicholz face off against David L. Katz, MD, the founding director of the Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center, at an event in New York City.
Does Middle East Peace Require a Two-State Solution or a Palestinian Defeat? A Debate
Should Israel negotiate with Hamas and Fatah, or are they unwavering enemies in a protracted struggle?
What Caused the 2008 Financial Crisis: Market Distortions or Market Failure? A Debate
Former BB&T Bank CEO John Allison vs. Moody's Mark Zandi
Government Caused Housing Segregation. Do We Need More Government to Fix the Problem?
The Manhattan Institute's Howard Husock debates Economic Policy Institute's Richard Rothstein at the Soho Forum.
A Crackdown on Cash and Bitcoin? Curbing Crime vs. Empowering the Surveillance State
Economists Kenneth Rogoff and Lawrence H. White face off over what the impact would be of a ban on cryptocurrency and phaseout of the $100 bill.
Has Anti-Racism Become as Harmful as Racism? John McWhorter vs. Nikhil Singh
Watch the Oxford-style debate hosted by the Soho Forum.
Should Facebook and Twitter Censor Themselves? A Debate.
What should the culture of free speech, free expression, and ownership look like on our social media platforms?
Socialism vs. Capitalism: Jacobin's Bhaskar Sunkara and Economist Gene Epstein Debate
Which economic system is most effective at bringing freedom to the masses?
Would More Gun Control Lead to More Crime? A Debate
Criminologist Gary Kleck debated Paul Helmke, the former president and CEO of the Brady Center, at the Soho Forum.
Can the Free Market End Global Poverty? Nobel Laureate Joseph Stiglitz vs. NYU's William Easterly
Watch two leading development economists debate at the Soho Forum.
Has the U.S. Constitution Lost Its Meaning? A Debate
Law professors Randy Barnett and Michael Dorf argued over "originalism" at an event hosted by the Soho Forum.
Resolved: The Government Should Cut Off All Funding to Colleges and Universities.
Economists Bryan Caplan and Edward Glaeser debate at the Soho Forum.
Does Fractional Reserve Banking Endanger the Economy? A Debate
Texas Tech University's Robert Murphy vs. Cato's George Selgin at the Soho Forum
Is There a 'Rape Culture' on College Campuses? Watch the Debate.
Journalist Cathy Young faces off against sociologist Michael Kimmel-with opening standup from comedian Dave Smith.
Should We Abolish the Sex Offender Registry? A Debate.
Watch sociologist Emily Horowitz debate legal scholar Marci Hamilton at the Soho Forum.
Is Selfishness a Virtue? A Debate With Yaron Brook and Gene Epstein.
"The Christian morality of sacrifice and altruism is wrong," says Brook, executive chairman of the Ayn Rand Institute.
Resolved: 15 Million Americans Would Be Better Off Without Welfare
Center for American Progress' Neera Tanden and Foundation for Government Accountability's Tarran Bragdon debate government handouts at the Soho Forum.
Should the U.S. Unilaterally Abolish All Tariffs And Duties? A Debate on Free Trade.
Watch Don Boudreaux vs. Rick Manning at the Soho Forum.
'Medicare Is a Bank Without Security Guards:' Media Executive David Goldhill Debates Princeton's Paul Starr
Watch or listen to the latest Soho Forum on expanding government-run health care.
Is School Choice Good for Kids? Listen to Last Night's Debate. [Reason Podcast]
ChoiceMedia's Bob Bowdon vs. Teachers College's Samuel Abrams in New York City last night.
Is Adam Smith the Father of Economics and Free-Market Capitalism? [Reason Podcast]
Gene Epstein of Barron's and FreedomFest's Mark Skousen debated Smith's legacy at a raucous Soho Forum debate.
Are College Campuses Racist Environments? [Reason Podcast]
Lawrence Ross vs. Kmele Foster in a public debate at the Soho Forum
Did Federal Deposit Insurance Corrupt the Banking System? [Reason Podcast]
George Selgin vs. Josh Barro at the Soho Forum.
Can the Free Market Fix Health Care? Listen to Michael Cannon vs. Jonathan Cohn at the Soho Forum (Reason Podcast)
A live debate at the Soho Forum in New York City.
Should the U.S. Open Its Borders to Everyone? (Reason Podcast)
Ben Powell and Mark Krikorian debate immigration policy at the Soho Forum.
