1776: American Independence and the Wealth of Nations

As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, it is a good time to reflect on the enduring significance of the year 1776—not only as the year of the Declaration of Independence, but also as the year Adam Smith published The Wealth of Nations. Together, these two milestones helped shape the political and economic foundations of the modern world’s most productive economy.

But anniversaries should invite honest assessment as well as celebration. This speech will examine three warnings facing the United States today: unsustainable fiscal debt, a cultural drift away from contribution and toward self-definition, and weakening confidence in institutions. It will also consider what renewal requires: restoring fiscal discipline, making competence and contribution fashionable again, modernizing capitalism for the age of artificial intelligence, and rebuilding civic cohesion.

Join Hudson Institute as the former British defence secretary and international trade secretary, the Right Honourable Sir Liam Fox, delivers a keynote address on this important issue.