Is This America's Only Truly Libertarian College?

[clb09]

http://www.hillsdale.edu/about/default.asp


Hillsdale’s educational mission rests upon two principles: academic excellence and institutional independence. The College does not accept federal or state taxpayer subsidies for any of its operations.

http://www.spirituallysmart.com/Continuing%20Counter%20Reformation%2006-01-2007%20-%2007-01-2007_files/hillsdale-pic.jpg

[tremendoustie]

Visited there, almost went there. Got a lot of great things going for it :)

[Son of Detroit]

It's a little on the con-ish side I've heard, but some of the professors do have libertarian leanings. If I'm not mistaken there is a pretty good austrian economics professor there.

[heavenlyboy34]

This place is endorsed by the likes of Laura Ingraham. Caveat emptor!

[yongrel]

Hillsdale is certainly more conservative than most schools, and they do teach Austrian econ, but they're not alone. Grove City, Mercer College, and George Mason all teach Austrian Econ too.

The problem I see with Hillsdale, though it pumps out some decent libertarians, is that they are very big on their Jesus. The product is a lot of social conservatives talking about free markets without realizing the importance of free minds also.

I would hesitate to call the school as a whole libertarian, though it certainly has tendencies. Social conservatism is always at odds with libertarianism, and Hillsdale is a good example.

[angelatc]

The problem I see with Hillsdale, though it pumps out some decent libertarians, is that they are very big on their Jesus. The product is a lot of social conservatives talking about free markets without realizing the importance of free minds also.



Freedom of religion doesn't mean freedom from religion.

[No1ButPaul08]

Ludwig Von Mises donated his personal library to Hillsdale.

[heavenlyboy34]

Ludwig Von Mises donated his personal library to Hillsdale.

I wonder if the students are still allowed to read the books he donated-they could be deemed unholy relics by ne'er-do-wells who sneak onto the faculty. :eek::confused:

[coyote_sprit]

I wonder if the students are still allowed to read the books he donated-they could be deemed unholy relics by ne'er-do-wells who sneak onto the faculty. :eek::confused:

http://www.hillsdale.edu/library/collections.html

[Chieftain1776]

Hillsdale is certainly more conservative than most schools, and they do teach Austrian econ, but they're not alone. Grove City, Mercer College, and George Mason all teach Austrian Econ too.

The problem I see with Hillsdale, though it pumps out some decent libertarians, is that they are very big on their Jesus. The product is a lot of social conservatives talking about free markets without realizing the importance of free minds also.

I would hesitate to call the school as a whole libertarian, though it certainly has tendencies. Social conservatism is always at odds with libertarianism, and Hillsdale is a good example.

This ^ would be tame compared to what I've read. Apparently the President is a dedicated "Straussian Neocon" fresh from a perch at the Claremont Institute.

Hillsdale’s Transformation to State Worship (http://www.lewrockwell.com/blog/lewrw/archives/004873.html)
Posted by Thomas DiLorenzo on June 18, 2004 09:09 AM | Post a civil, substantive, and intelligent comment

Hillsdale College in Michigan used to be known as a symbol of private property, quality private education, and the best of civil society in America. Along with Grove City College, it was long admired by conservatives and libertarians for refusing to accept any government funds. It is now being transformed into an institution devoted to worshipping the state and global central planning.

About four years ago Hillsdale hired a new president, Straussian neocon Larry Arnn, who had previously been president of the Claremont Institute for fifteen years. One of his first orders of business, apparently, was to divert funds from education to begin erecting two large statues — of Lincoln and Churchill — on the campus.

Think about this: Hillsdale has been transformed from a model of libertarian education to state worship with statues of two politicians dominating the campus landscape. Not statues of Einstein, Aristotle, Locke, or even Mises, but of two warmongering politicians who have in common the policy of bombing cities populated by civilians, among other things.

A former Hillsdale faculty member told me that Arnn is trying to turn the institution into a training academy for neocon foreign policy interventionism, i.e., perpetual global warfare in the name of saving the world. Even the names of courses are being changed to signify this change (i.e. “America’s Role in the World,” etc.). The latest issue if Imprimis, the college’s newsletter, contains a long, rambling bit of Lincoln idolatry and mythology by Straussian high priest Harry Jaffa. Students are apprently being taught that “statesmanship” means bombing, invading, conquering and occupying any country on earth that does not adhere to neocon ideology, with the Iraq War being Case Study #1.

I now recommend only Grove City College to friends, family and neighbors who are seeking a high quality and genuinely private education for their college-age children.

[Chieftain1776]

One of Claremont's "projects"

1. America is now confronted with an enemy no less dangerous and no less determined than the twin menaces of fascism and communism we faced in the 20th century. And as we were victorious over them, so we must prevail in this, the first war of the 21st century. AVOT will, as its first task, remind citizens of the paramount importance of this effort.
2. The radical Islamists who attacked us did so because of our democratic ideals, our belief in, and practice of, liberty and equality. AVOT will take to task those who blame America first and who do not understand-or who are unwilling to defend-our fundamental principles.

http://www.claremont.org/projects/pageID.2486/default.asp

[Unspun]

Northwood University is great if you want an education in business. Their Economics and Business Management dual major requires you take the class "Austrian Economic Theory" and the school holds a "Freedom Seminar" every summer which I just got back from yesterday. This year it was a bit different because it was held in conjunction with the National Summit in Detroit. So all day we heard from CEOs, academics, and politicians talking about green jobs, technology, manufacturing, and energy and how there needs to be more government intervention. However, the evening speakers back at the Northwood only event was completely free market. They included Lawrence Reed (President of FEE, and a fan of Rothbard and a big Austrian), Terry Anderson (he was on John Stossels "want to save endangered species, eat them" special and advocated private property solutions) and Peter Schiff (I don't think I need to explain who he is) as the speakers. After the National Summit was completely ended, the professors took us in the room and said how disgusted they were to see government and business working so close together and how most of the summit was basically a lobbying opportunity for these businesses with all the pandering and calls for government intervention and how rare it was to hear the term "free market" here (one of the professor mentioned it mostly came from his students mouths). So it's good to know I'm in good company. One of my professors who was also calling the housing bubble early on (who is very close and has attended many Mises Institute seminars) introduced me to his professor from Walsh college and his professor was wearing a tie with the Mises crest.

If you are looking for a private business orientated major with teachers that are Austrian or Austrian leaning, I would definitely recommend Northwood University. They also offer a Economics, Banking & Finance, Business Management triple major, which I am enrolled in.

The "about us" page really tells it all...
http://www.northwood.edu/aboutus/

http://www.northwood.edu

[yongrel]

Freedom of religion doesn't mean freedom from religion.

So?

Whether or not I should tolerate religion's existence has no bearing on the statement that social conservatism is always at odds with liberty.

Yay for Hillsdale for not cowtowing to my personal agenda of secularism. Now if only they could produce students that love free minds the same as they do free markets

[Aurelia]

You know, I went to a "hardcore libertarian" college, and for awhile it turned me off to the ideology because it is just as dogmatic as any other "hardcore" follower of some idea. I would say when academics touch anything, it ruins it. It's great to "instill values" but when it comes to brainwashing and an indignant rejection of any other evidence, it loses its credibility (among the thinking society) and its magic. I know nothing about this college, but there's a real possibility that it's all show.