Spring 2024 Volume 1, No. 1 ![Free Society Volume 1](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/aside_3x/public/2024-03/cover_final1.jpg?itok=ABzzIhwD) Spring 2024 Volume 1, No. 1 For creating free, open, and civil societies founded on libertarian principles. ![Peter Goettler Portrait](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/aside_mobile/public/2024-03/peter-goettler-portrait.png?itok=5uvrGnxs) [## Letter from the President, Peter Goettler](/free-society/letter-president)Welcome to the inaugural edition of *Free Society*: a flagship publication of the Cato Institute and a fresh new vehicle to deliver our values, ideas, and work to an expanding audience of citizens, policymakers, media and business leaders, educators, and the next generation. [Read the letter ](/free-society/letter-president) --- ## Features [![Free Society - Human Freedom Spread](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/content_teaser/public/2024-03/Human%20Freedom%20Spread-MM.jpg?itok=Z5I2Izid)](https://www.cato.org/free-society/through-progress-peril-precarious-state-human-freedom) Free Society ### [Through Progress and Peril: The Precarious State of Human Freedom](/free-society/through-progress-peril-precarious-state-human-freedom) By [Johan Norberg](https://www.cato.org/people/johan-norberg) From the rise of authoritarian regimes to the challenges in established democracies, the fight to preserve liberty and free markets is more critical than ever. [![Free Society - TOC - Fumiko Tipping and Family](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/content_teaser/public/2024-03/toc_fumiko_family%20copy.jpg?itok=L6Lw1x7V)](https://www.cato.org/free-society/freedom-learn-tenacious-fight-educational-choice) Free Society ### [Freedom to Learn: The Tenacious Fight for Educational Choice](/free-society/freedom-learn-tenacious-fight-educational-choice) By [Bekah Congdon](https://www.cato.org/people/bekah-congdon) and [Audrey Grayson](https://www.cato.org/people/audrey-grayson) Fighting for the freedom to choose the education that best fits their children’s needs is a relentless pursuit for families facing the constraints of a one-size-fits-all system. [![Lena Stone](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/content_teaser/public/2024-03/lena-stone.png?itok=s7uoo4F2)](https://www.cato.org/free-society/between-new-factory-old-church-vinfasts-bumpy-road-north-carolina) Free Society ### [Between a New Factory and an Old Church: VinFast’s Bumpy Road in North Carolina](/free-society/between-new-factory-old-church-vinfasts-bumpy-road-north-carolina) By [Paul Best](https://www.cato.org/people/paul-best) The arrival of VinFast’s electric vehicle factory brings both economic promise and personal upheaval, challenging the fabric of Chatham County. --- ## In This Issue [![Bridget M. McCormack, president and CEO of the American Arbitration Association and former chief justice of the Michigan Supreme Court.](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/content_teaser/public/2024-03/mccormack-1.png?itok=NqkpbIJc)](https://www.cato.org/free-society/qa-bridget-mccormack-laws-new-era) Free Society ### [Q&A: Bridget McCormack on the Law’s New Era](/free-society/qa-bridget-mccormack-laws-new-era) By [Caleb O. Brown](https://www.cato.org/people/caleb-o-brown) In a candid discussion, the former Michigan Supreme Court chief justice addresses the systemic challenges in civil adjudication and the dynamic potential of AI-driven legal aid. [![Free Society - Veteran teacher Frank Wiswall leads a thoughtful discussion with students at Cranbrook Schools in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, applying the civil discourse techniques promoted by the Cato Institute’s Sphere Education Initiatives.](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/content_teaser/public/2024-03/sphere-classroom_0.jpg?itok=6kuqYXTB)](https://www.cato.org/free-society/sphere-classroom-teaching-american-history-polarized-times) Free Society ### [Sphere in the Classroom: Teaching American History in Polarized Times](/free-society/sphere-classroom-teaching-american-history-polarized-times) By [Bekah Congdon](https://www.cato.org/people/bekah-congdon) A veteran teacher grapples with the rising tide of political tribalism, and leans on Cato’s Sphere Education Initiatives to bring civility back to the classroom. [![Cato's Letters books](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/content_teaser/public/2024-03/cato-letters-books-logo_0.jpg?itok=ccGvRJFK)](https://www.cato.org/free-society/echo-freedom-lessons-18th-century-call-action) Free Society ### [An Echo of Freedom: Lessons from an 18th-Century Call to Action](/free-society/echo-freedom-lessons-18th-century-call-action) By [Paul Meany](https://www.cato.org/people/paul-meany) Amid rising challenges to liberal values, the enduring lessons of *Cato’s Letters* forge the path for safeguarding individual liberties. [![Illustration by Jean-Michael Tixier](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/content_teaser/public/2024-03/cheer-up-illo.jpg?itok=b2AeZf11)](https://www.cato.org/free-society/cheer-catos-case-optimism-influences-influencers) Free Society ### [Cheer Up: Cato’s Case for Optimism Influences the Influencers](/free-society/cheer-catos-case-optimism-influences-influencers) By [Josh Hardman](https://www.cato.org/people/josh-hardman) One of the most pernicious myths belying calls for bigger government is the notion that an increasing population will lead to resource scarcities. [![A world map consisting of thousands of people - 3d illustration](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/content_teaser/public/2023-09/GettyImages-1334086597%20copy.png?itok=t5h-UfqW)](https://www.cato.org/free-society/new-cato-project-shows-humanity-globalization) Free Society ### [New Cato Project Shows Humanity of Globalization](/free-society/new-cato-project-shows-humanity-globalization) By [Josh Hardman](https://www.cato.org/people/josh-hardman) [![Free Society - Romina Boccia - In The News](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/content_teaser/public/2024-03/In-the-news-2.png?itok=AD1HlABU)](https://www.cato.org/free-society/cato-news) Free Society ### [Cato in the News](/free-society/cato-news) [![In November, Cato hosted a film screening of the Acton Institute’s documentary, The Hong Konger: Jimmy Lai’s Extraordinary Struggle for Freedom. Jimmy Lai was the recipient of the 2023 Milton Friedman Prize for Advancing Liberty.](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/content_teaser/public/2024-03/Jimmy-Lai-Struggle-Freedom.jpg?itok=gedGQoIK)](https://www.cato.org/free-society/cato-quarterly-events-publications-studies) Free Society ### [Cato Quarterly: Events, Publications, and Studies](/free-society/cato-quarterly-events-publications-studies) A look at events, publications, and studies from the Cato Institute [![Free Society - Ray and Carol](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/content_teaser/public/2024-03/ray-and-carol_0.png?itok=CdgjXTlt)](https://www.cato.org/free-society/ray-carol-life-steered-libertarian-ideals-unyielding-values) Free Society ### [Ray and Carol: A Life Steered by Libertarian Ideals and Unyielding Values](/free-society/ray-carol-life-steered-libertarian-ideals-unyielding-values) By Brian Mullis [![Free Society - The Last Word - Marian Tupy](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/content_teaser/public/2024-03/last-word-portrait%20copy.jpg?itok=yBRAP2cK)](https://www.cato.org/free-society/last-word-following-julian-simons-footsteps) Free Society ### [Last Word: Following in Julian Simon’s Footsteps](/free-society/last-word-following-julian-simons-footsteps) By [Marian L. Tupy](https://www.cato.org/people/marian-l-tupy) Never miss a beat – sign up for our email newsletter now to get the latest digital *Free Society* issues delivered straight to your inbox. version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"? .cls-1 { clip-path: url(#clippath); } .cls-2 { fill: none; } .cls-2,.cls-3 { stroke-width: 0px; } .cls-3 { fill: #243e89; } # “ ### All civil virtue and happiness, every moral excellency, all politeness, all good arts and sciences, are produced by liberty. # ” ###### Cato’s Letter, no. 63 ###### 1723 John Trenchard and Thomas Gordon