Skip to main content
Cato University

The Use and Abuse of State Power

Date and Time
August 8, 2024 – August 11, 2024
Location
George Mason University, 4400 University Dr, Fairfax, VA
Share This Event

The law perverted! And the police powers of the state perverted along with it! The law, I say, not only turned from its proper purpose but made to follow an entirely contrary purpose! The law become the weapon of every kind of greed! Instead of checking crime, the law itself guilty of the evils it is supposed to punish! If this is true, it is a serious fact, and moral duty requires me to call the attention of my fellow citizens to it.

—Bastiat, The Law

Cato University is the Cato Institute’s premier educational event for college students. Each program will explore classical liberal philosophy as a foundation for considering current policy issues. While the topics for each Cato University program will vary, the goal remains to bring together outstanding faculty and participants from across the country who share a commitment to liberty and learning and to provide participants an opportunity to form an enduring community through a one-of-a-kind experience.

Cato University is for United States based applicants; we are currently not accepting applications from internationally based attendees.

Benefits include room and board, 20+ hours of academic programming, networking opportunities, resources for further study, and a $500 travel stipend upon completion of the program.

Applicants will be notified of their status on a rolling basis. The deadline for applications is Monday, July 1, 2024 at 5:00 p.m. EDT. If you have any questions or need assistance applying, please email our staff at events@​cato.​org.



Schedule

August 8

Resources for At-Home Learning


Lib​er​tar​i​an​ism​.org is the Cato Institute’s treasury of resources about the theory and history of liberty.

It offers a wealth of original essays and classic reprints by great classical liberals and libertarians as well as articles from modern-​day thinkers, book reviews, four podcasts, a libertarian encyclopedia, videos, online introductory courses, and books on a variety of topics within the libertarian tradition.


Are you interested in another type of learning experience — on your own, at your own pace? We are delighted to now have the Cato University Home Study Course available. The 12 modules of this program are available as downloads or listened to online.