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The Cato Institute invites you to attend a half-day conference

Rebuilding Iraq: Prospects for Freedom and Prosperity

Thursday, June 26, 2003
10:00 a.m. - 1:15 p.m. (Luncheon to follow)

Cato Institute
F.A. Hayek Auditorium
1000 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20001

The Bush administration's plan for the reconstruction of post-Saddam Iraq includes the laudable goals of a democratic political system and a vibrant free-market economy. The new Iraqi democracy, it is argued, will serve as a model throughout the Islamic world. Moreover, the administration sees the free market as a vehicle for millions of Iraqis to escape poverty and unemployment. The panelists will discuss the priorities of Iraqi reconstruction and whether the administration's goals are realistic.

		Panel 1: Iraq's Economy: Debt and Reconstruction    Listen to Panel 1 in RealAudio 10:00 - 11:30 a.m. Randal Quarles Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for International Affairs Patricia Adams Executive Director of Probe International, Author of Odious Debts Irwin Stelzer Senior Fellow, Hudson Institute Richard Rahn Adjunct Scholar, Cato Institute Is the Iraqi reconstruction effort setting the right priorities to achieve prosperity? Much will depend on the future of the oil industry, the level of government spending, the extent of private property rights, the monetary system and other determinants of economic freedom. The degree to which debt reduction, or the doctrine of odious debts, is applied will also influence the prospects for growth. Speakers will draw historical lessons from countries that have experienced dramatic economic progress or post-war recoveries. 11:30 - 11:45 a.m. Break   Panel 2: Democracy in Iraq    Listen to Panel 2 in RealAudio 11:45 a.m. - 1:15 p.m. Patrick Basham Senior Fellow, Cato Institute Radwan A. Masmoudi President, Center for the Study of Islam & Democracy Michael Hudson Georgetown University President Bush is placing a large wager that the formation of democratic institutions in Iraq will stimulate a democratic political culture. Will the Iraqi reconstruction project be more difficult than White House theorists expect? This panel will analyze what causes democracy to flourish in a society. Does the long-term survival of democratic institutions require a particular political culture? What cultural factors play an essential, collective role in stimulating and reinforcing a stable democratic political system? Is democratization much more likely to take hold in richer nations than in poorer ones? 1:15 p.m. Luncheon—Wintergarden

Registration

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