Joining Phila today, to discuss the differences between collectivist and individualist modes of social and economic thinking, is the Chief Operating Officer of Stellenbosch University, Professor Stan du Plessis. Prof du Plessis attained his Master of Philosophy in Economics from the University of Cambridge and his PhD in Economics from Stellenbosch University.
Professor du Plessis begins by telling us about his own intellectual development - about how he went from "an extremely committed Marxist" to a pro-market economist. He carefully annunciates what led him the way of Karl Marx and how, as a first-year student in 1991, the prospect of a new South Africa excited him. He goes on to talk about his time in London; about studying Marx and Ricardo, under one of the great Marxist scholars of the world at the time, John Eatwell. Yet despite this, it was a short, 140-paged Dostoevsky novel, Notes from Underground, that left him a "very confused ex-Marxist".
Phila and Professor du Plessis proceed to unpack the contents of "Notes from Underground" and discuss briefly, the core idea of the book. In addition to this, they explore the valuable contributions contained in Adam Smith's "The Theory of Moral Sentiments", Karl Popper's "The Open Society and its Enemies" as well as Friedrich Hayek's "Constitution of Liberty".
Tune in to hear what they have to say.
Professor du Plessis' Ted Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUEVZEbNW1g
Phila and Prof du Plessis' previous podcasts: