E219 - Chandran Kukathas on Capitalism, Human Nature, and the Meaning of Life
Published: October 1, 2025
Duration: 52:09
On this episode, Chandran Kukathas delivers a lecture at the Mercatus Center on capitalism, human nature, and the meaning of life.
Kukathas argues that capitalism is less a fixed system than a constantly evolving set of rules and relationships, shaped by our restless desire to transform the world. He shows how politics, rent-seeking, and shifting definitions of capital are woven into its fabric, making it impossible to separate “pure markets” from the social and political contexts in which they operate.
Kukathas challenges both critics and defenders who treat capitalism as the source of every social ill...