On Executive Authority

The John Templeton Foundation has funded a series of articles on Liberal Virtues and Values, published in the online magazine Persuasion. Three articles related to this series have been published, including pieces by Yascha Mounk, Teresa M. Bejan, and Francis Fukuyama.

Yascha Mounk interviewed Francis Fukuyama about his life and thought at The Abbey Centre in London on September 6th, with the event promoted through Persuasion and American Purpose. In this conversation, Fukuyama discussed how he initially supported the Iraq War and what changed his mind, as well as the neoconservative movement's experience of Eastern Europe shaping its disastrous assumptions about the Middle East.

In a separate article, Teresa M. Bejan argued that John Locke had an unfamiliar vision of "Lockean" toleration, one focused on accommodating some dissent from public orthodoxy while promoting a more reasonable and tolerant approach to religion supported by the state. This perspective was inspired by Locke's 1667 manuscript memorandum.

Meanwhile, Francis Fukuyama wrote about how President Trump has tried to expand executive authority in the U.S., with potentially far-reaching impacts on governance in America.