WanSaiful.com

Personal thoughts of Wan Saiful Wan Jan

Freedom Week, Sydney Sussex College, Cambridge University


Got internet access today but unfortunately I took all my notes on my laptop. As I did not bring the USB stick with me, I am not able transfer the notes onto this site.

But I have to say the speakers are some very very prominent people.

Discussed over lunch with Tom Palmers, Director of Cato University why I believe that if a society chooses to be ruled under Islamic law, the dictum of freedom to choose means libertarians should support that choice.

Talked with Professor Kenneth Minouge why it is absurd for companies to not adopt corporate social responsibility (which he believes is socialism in disguise). Also told him why David Henderson got it wrong. 

Learned from Madsen Pirie, President of Adam Smith Institute about why he thinks it is good to be ideal, but idealism must be blended in with realism too.

Spoke to Professor Julian Morris, Executive Director of the International Policy Network, about how he set up a think tank.

Chatted with Pierre Garello, Director of Institute of Economic Studies-Europe, about his experience organizing similar seminars in Europe.

Tried to convince Mark Pennington that social enterprises are serious for-profit pro-market ventures and not just simply another way of grabbing public money.

Listened to Alex Singleton, Director-General of The Globalization Institute on why unilateral liberalization of national economies is the best way forward.

Made new friends with like-minded people from across the UK, the USA, Greece, Romania, Belgium, etc.

And tried, albeit unsuccessfully, to look for Cromwell’s head in the chapel of Sydney Sussex College. Apparently only the Master and one more person knows where it was buried.

Lecture notes to follow.

Filed under: Misc

2 Responses

  1. 'Abidin says:

    “[I]f a society chooses to be ruled under Islamic law, the dictum of freedom to choose means libertarians should support that choice.”

    But this is secondary to the primary reason why libertarians should support Islamic law, which is that it provides the best protection of individual liberty available to humans.

    CSR = socialism is an odd argument, but it sounds like you’re having a good time! Shame I couldn’t join you.

  2. wansaiful says:

    Agree with your point about Islamic law. I should have used that argument too.

    I am trying to convince Tom Palmer to include the works of Ibn Khaldun in his “Misbahalhurriya” project (http://www.misbahalhurriyya.org/). I also had a much longer discussion with him about another aspect of Islamic law but I will try to explain that in the notes which I will put forward later this week.

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