In this episode of Roots, Rights & Reason, host Lee Smith speaks with Professor C. Bradley Thompson, political philosopher at Clemson University and Executive Director of the Clemson Institute for the Study of Capitalism, about the growing ideological assault on capitalism and why the defense of liberty must begin with a moral defense of property rights.

Thompson explains that America’s constitutional order rests on the natural rights tradition articulated by John Locke and embraced by the Founding Fathers — life, liberty, and property. Far from being merely an economic system, capitalism is rooted in the principle of self-ownership and the moral right of individuals to pursue their own happiness without coercion.

The conversation explores how socialism represents not simply an economic alternative, but a fundamentally different moral vision — one that subordinates individual rights to collective claims. Thompson argues that the modern debate over capitalism has been lost on moral grounds, as critics claim the ethical high ground while defenders focus only on economic efficiency. He makes the case that freedom, property, and self-interest rightly understood are inseparable pillars of a just society.

Smith and Thompson also discuss the historical roots of anti-capitalist ideas, from antebellum pro-slavery theorists to modern progressivism, and why today’s ideological battles are deeply connected to America’s universities.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why private property is a moral right, not just an economic principle
• How Locke and Jefferson shaped America’s understanding of liberty
• Why socialism challenges the moral foundations of freedom
• The connection between self-ownership, self-interest, and human flourishing
• Why universities are central to today’s ideological conflicts

Read More: Watch new episodes of Roots, Rights & Reason weekly at http://AmericasFuture.net

Learn more about: Snow Institute: Exploring Capitalism's Morality

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