The Adam Smith Program is designed for those seeking to broaden and deepen their understanding of the ideas that have shaped how we think about free markets, limited government, and a strong, thriving society. The program focuses on political economy and public policy from a classical liberal and conservative perspective, encouraging participants to apply these intellectual tools within the Israeli arena.
The program’s participants include a diverse mix of graduate students, future or current civil servants, individuals active in the public sphere, entrepreneurs and business owners in the private sector, and influential figures engaged in the third sector.
Study Group
In the Adam Smith Program, we carefully select and form a small, high-quality learning group. Together, participants study influential and challenging texts in political economy, public policy, political theory, and ethics. The learning format is seminar-style, incorporating guest lectures, group discussions, and open critical dialogue. The program focuses on equipping participants with essential analytical tools in political economy and public policy, and encourages them to apply these tools in areas that shape Israeli public life.
Commitment and Depth
Participation in the program requires seriousness, depth, and ongoing engagement. Participants are expected to complete intensive reading assignments in preparation for sessions, take an active role in discussions, present a seminar paper (with guidance from the academic staff), submit two comprehensive reading reports on selected books during the year, and submit a final assignment at the program’s conclusion. Throughout the year, students receive evaluations of their participation and work from the program’s faculty.
In the Adam Smith Program, we carefully select and form a small, high-quality learning group. Together, participants study influential and challenging texts in political economy, public policy, political theory, and ethics. The learning format is seminar-style, incorporating guest lectures, group discussions, and open critical dialogue. The program focuses on equipping participants with essential analytical tools in political economy and public policy, and encourages them to apply these tools in areas that shape Israeli public life.
Participation in the program requires seriousness, depth, and ongoing engagement. Participants are expected to complete intensive reading assignments in preparation for sessions, take an active role in discussions, present a seminar paper (with guidance from the academic staff), submit two comprehensive reading reports on selected books during the year, and submit a final assignment at the program’s conclusion. Throughout the year, students receive evaluations of their participation and work from the program’s faculty.
The Adam Smith Program examines the economic, political, and ethical dimensions of conservative political economy. Participants explore political theory, economic principles, and the moral foundations required for a free and thriving society.
Led by Dr. Sagi Barmak, the program includes study and discussion of the following topics and works:
What are the different justifications for capitalism? Students explore deontological, utilitarian, and epistemic arguments, focusing in particular on the insights of Friedrich Hayek. The course examines how the decentralization of knowledge and the spontaneous price system form the basis of a free society.
Key questions include: How should we think about inequality and poverty? How is poverty measured, and how can it be alleviated? Should economic inequality concern us in shaping public policy? Is a capitalist order moral? Students engage with the strongest traditional arguments in defense of capitalism.
What role does culture play in economic growth and public policy? Drawing on the work of economist Deirdre McCloskey, students consider how liberal culture sparked the Great Enrichment.
The program also emphasizes “government failure” as often more significant than “market failure.” Through the lens of public choice theory and the work of Nobel laureate James Buchanan, participants explore the idea of looking at politics “without romance.”
What can we still learn from Adam Smith? Students read The Wealth of Nations and The Theory of Moral Sentiments to extract timeless insights.
The program also examines whether socialism is rational, focusing on Ludwig von Mises’s critique of comprehensive economic planning.
What are the economic, social, and moral costs of an ever-expanding welfare state? Students explore a conservative critique of state intervention in the economy, with special attention to the work of Wilhelm Röpke.
What is the role of business in a free society? Why are businesses important, and under what conditions do they thrive? Drawing on Milton Friedman, students define and analyze the place of business and entrepreneurs in a free economy.
How should we think about regulation? Is state regulation the only form possible? How can smart deregulation be advanced? Students examine how to design public policy in line with human nature and a conservative understanding of society. Is society merely a collection of disconnected individuals, or a network of communities? What follows from this for public policy aimed at empowering citizens and strengthening their sense of agency?
PhD in American History; founder of the Exodus Program; expert in political economy; Head of the Adam Smith Program; Editor-in-Chief of Hashiloach.
BA student in Law and MA student in Government and Strategy at Reichman University; Managing Editor at Hashiloach journal.
Master’s or doctoral student in the humanities, social sciences, or law, or active in the public, political, or social sphere
Minimum average grade of 85 (for students)
Familiarity with economic thought and public policy
Qualified candidates will be invited to an admission interview