Personnel note: Daniel Coleman named President of Birmingham-Southern College
Aa Birmingham resident with more than three decades of experience in finance, has been named president of Birmingham-Southern College, a small, liberal arts school located in Birmingham, Ala. College officials announced Daniel Coleman as the new president, Thursday, Nov. 15. Coleman, who was CEO of the global financial services firm KCG Holdings until its 2017 sale, has been a member of the college’s Board of Trustees and is currently an adjunct professor of finance at the college. He said he wants Birmingham-Southern College to continue to expand its educational reach as it builds for its second century in Birmingham and to solidify its longtime role as “the intellectual heart of the city.” “I feel like the best way for me to have a positive impact on the city is to help Birmingham-Southern thrive,” Coleman said. “It has always been a special place here in Birmingham, and has such a history of and culture of service to the community.” Coleman, 54, who will take office as president on Dec. 3, has played a leading role in the evolution of automated trading in global financial markets. Until its 2017 sale to Virtu Financial, New York-based KCG was a leader in the securities and financial services industry, Before KCG, Coleman was CEO of GETCO, a privately-held automated trading firm based in Chicago. Prior to that, he worked for 24 years for UBS and its predecessor firms, ending up as global head of equities for UBS Investment Bank. “We are fortunate to have someone with such a thorough understanding of the college and broad experience shaping and growing complex organizations,” said BSC Board Chair Denson N. Franklin III ’85, who introduced Coleman to the campus at an event Thursday afternoon. “His love for Birmingham-Southern is apparent, but more than that, he brings an incredible skill set and perspective and impressed us with his ideas for moving BSC forward.” Coleman’s credentials Coleman earned his B.A. in English at Yale University and an M.B.A. at the University of Chicago. Coleman said his own background and work experience has epitomized the value of the kind of personalized liberal arts education that BSC provides. “I started my career in finance on a trading floor, but now, those jobs are almost all gone,” said Coleman. “When I think about college, I think about that kind of rapid professional evolution that’s happening in every field. We need to make sure students have jobs when they graduate, but we also have to make sure they have the ability to adapt so they have careers decades later. That’s something the liberal arts does like no other form of education.” Coleman replaces BSC President Emerita Linda Flaherty-Goldsmith, who retired from Birmingham-Southern earlier this semester due to health and family reasons.
Regional EPA official turns himself in on state ethics charges
The Trump administration’s top environmental official for the Southeast has been arrested on Alabama state ethics charges related to a scheme to help a coal company avoid paying for a costly toxic waste cleanup. Trey Glenn was booked into a county jail in Birmingham on Thursday before being released on a $30,000 bond. Glenn was appointed last year as chief of the Environmental Protection Agency’s regional office in Atlanta, which oversees operations in eight states. Glenn is charged with multiple ethics violations stemming from his prior work as a coal-industry consultant opposing federal Superfund cleanup efforts. He resigned as director of the Alabama Department of Environmental Management in 2009 following another ethics scandal. It was not clear if Glenn had an attorney. EPA spokesman John Konkus declined to comment. Republished with permission from the Associated Press.
Terri Sewell, Randall Woodfin weigh-in on Birmingham indictments surrounding EPA clean-up site
A Jefferson County grand jury on Tuesday indicted the Southeast regional administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and a former Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) Commissioner for violating state ethics laws in his work to stop the listing of North Birmingham’s Superfund site on the EPA’s National Priorities List (NPL). The North Birmingham 35th Avenue Superfund Site consists of contaminated soil from industrial pollution. Alabama 7th District U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell believes the indictment is “a step in the right direction.” “This week’s indictment is a step in the right direction for residents of North Birmingham who were the victim of corruption and hazardous pollution,” Sewell said in a statement. “We still have work to do seeking justice for families whose homes and communities have been contaminated… North Birmingham should be reconsidered for the National Priority List. No family should have to live with a contaminated backyard, and no community should be left to clean up decades of industrial waste. We must continue fighting for a full cleanup of North Birmingham until our whole community is made safe.” In August, Sewell led a tour of the Superfund site along with Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin and other city, state and neighborhood leaders. The site consists of contaminated soil from industrial pollution. Sewell, Woodfin, and Sen. Doug Jones have called on the EPA to consider North Birmingham for the NPL. According to EPA Region 4 Superfund Division Director Franklin Hill , the study site of roughly 2,000 properties revealed that 390 sites have undergone the contamination removal process; 127 sites are in need of treatment. “The corruption and the appearance of corruption has destroyed the public’s confidence in this process, which has hijacked efforts to clean up the North Birmingham community,” Woodfin added. “The people of North Birmingham deserve a transparent process in order to restore their community and the resources needed to make them and their neighborhoods whole.” History of the site According to EPA guidelines, a site may be included on the NPL if it scores 28.50 or greater on the agency’s Hazard Ranking System. The North Birmingham 35th Avenue Superfund Site scored a 50. On July 19, 2018, a federal jury convicted a coal executive and an attorney who represented the coal company in a criminal conspiracy to prevent the North Birmingham 35th Avenue Superfund Site from advancing to the NPL. On November 13, it was reported that EPA Southeastern regional office administrator Trey Glenn and a former business partner, Scott Phillips, were charged with multiple ethics violations in Birmingham in keeping the site off of the NPL.
Jeff Flake vows to oppose judges unless Robert Mueller bill gets a vote
Republican Sen. Jeff Flake said Wednesday that he won’t vote to confirm judicial nominees unless GOP leaders hold a vote on legislation to protect special counsel Robert Mueller from being fired. Flake of Arizona and Democratic Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware went to the Senate floor on Wednesday and tried to bring the legislation up for a vote. But Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell objected. McConnell has said that the legislation is unnecessary because he believes Mueller won’t be fired. Flake and Coons called for the vote in the wake of Attorney General Jeff Sessions‘ departure. President Donald Trump pushed Sessions out last week and temporarily replaced him with a loyalist, Matt Whitaker, who has criticized the Mueller investigation. The special counsel’s probe is investigating Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and Russian ties to Trump’s Republican campaign. “This is not a moment for our leadership to be weak or irresolute or compromised in any way,” Flake said, adding that “the president now has this investigation in his sights and we all know it.” He said the appointment of Whitaker was a “blatant” move that increased the urgency for the legislation. Flake, who retires in January, said he wouldn’t vote to confirm judges on the Senate floor or to advance them out of committee until there was a vote on the Mueller bill. He said he’d continue to come to the Senate floor to call for one. McConnell objected without comment. But he said earlier Wednesday that he’s never heard anyone at the White House suggest they want to shut the investigation down. “I think it’s in no danger, so I don’t think any legislation is necessary,” McConnell said. The move by Flake and Coons comes more than a year after the bipartisan legislation was introduced and underscores the deep concerns many lawmakers have long had over Trump’s comments about Mueller’s investigation. Trump has repeatedly called the probe a “hoax” and leveled personal criticism at the former FBI director. Those concerns were only amplified after Trump appointed Whitaker as acting attorney general. Whitaker is now overseeing the probe, which had previously been overseen by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein. Rosenstein told Congress that he saw no reason to fire Mueller. Sessions had recused himself from overseeing Mueller because he worked on Trump’s campaign — a decision that infuriated Trump and led to Sessions’ resignation. Several other Republicans have said they would vote for the special counsel bill. They include Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, Maine Sen. Susan Collins and the legislation’s GOP co-sponsors, South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham and North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis. Democrats, who will take the House majority in January, have also said shielding Mueller’s investigation will be one of their top priorities. Along with Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, they have called for the special counsel bill to be added to a year-end spending bill that must pass in December to avoid a partial government shutdown. The bipartisan legislation to protect Mueller was approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee in April. It would give any special counsel a 10-day window to seek expedited judicial review of a firing and put into law existing Justice Department regulations that a special counsel can only be fired for good cause. Despite some GOP support, it’s unclear if the measure could gain 60 votes in the Senate — and even less clear that Trump would sign a bill that contained the legislation. Flake and Coons said they were certain they could get 60 votes and noted that Trump has changed his mind on legislation before. On Tuesday, Grassley said that he would leave the decision up to McConnell but that “if it comes to a vote, I will vote for that bill.” Graham, who is close to Trump, said he doesn’t expect Mueller to be fired, “but it would probably be good to have this legislation in place just for the future.” Tillis said he was talking to other senators about how they might be able to get it done. Collins said passage of the bill would “send a powerful message that Mr. Mueller must be able to complete his work unimpeded.” Mueller’s investigation has already resulted in six guilty pleas, a trial conviction and pending charges against more than two dozen others, including Russian intelligence officers. According to a new court filing Wednesday, the investigation could go on for several more months. Prosecutors say they’re not ready for Trump campaign aide Rick Gates to be sentenced because he is continuing to cooperate with “several ongoing investigations.” And they’re asking a federal judge to give them until mid-January to offer another update about his case. Gates pleaded guilty this year to two felonies as part of the probe. Gates’ mentor, ex-Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort, was convicted this year on eight counts of tax and bank fraud. He is also cooperating. Republished with permission from the Associated Press.
Martha Roby fights for farmers’ inclusion in hurricane recovery efforts on House floor
A little over month ago Hurricane Michael tore through parts of Alabama, leaving devastation in its wake. On Thursday, Alabama 2nd District U.S. Rep Martha Roby took to the House floor to discuss the devastation to the counties in Alabama’s Second District that were impacted by the storm. She also appealed to her colleagues to include farmers in all in hurricane recovery efforts. “Just over a month ago, Hurricane Michael, the third most powerful hurricane to ever make landfall on the United States mainland, ravaged areas of Alabama, Florida, and Georgia… Alabama’s Second District was badly impacted in several counties in the Wiregrass region,” Roby said. She continued, “… agriculture is the backbone of our economy. Throughout my time in Congress, I have made it a priority to fight for our farmers of all commodities. I will continue to advocate for them, especially during this time of uncertainty. I want the people I represent to know that my offices stand ready to help during this challenging time… We must get this right, and we must ensure Alabama’s farmers are included in all recovery efforts.” Representative Roby recognized the agriculture community in particular and encouraged those who still need recovery assistance to contact her offices. Watch Roby’s floor speech below: The full text of Representative Roby’s remarks as prepared is below: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just over a month ago, Hurricane Michael, the third most powerful hurricane to ever make landfall on the United States mainland, ravaged areas of Alabama, Florida, and Georgia. Hundreds of Americans lost everything, and more than 30 people were killed. Hurricane Michael appears to have done its worst in Panama City, Florida, and the nearby areas, but Alabama’s Second District was also badly impacted in several counties in the Wiregrass region. In fact, Hurricane Michael is the most powerful storm to ever hit Houston County according to recorded history. In my district, the agriculture community faces the most significant devastation. While the full scale of the damage to local agriculture is still being assessed, Hurricane Michael dealt a terrible blow to our cotton, timber, and peanut farmers. In the aftermath of the storm, I have traveled to the Wiregrass several times to be with our farmers and to see firsthand what they are experiencing. The devastation is heartbreaking, to say the least. The farmers in Southeast Alabama are in the midst of a very real crisis. In Alabama’s Second District, agriculture is the backbone of our economy. Throughout my time in Congress, I have made it a priority to fight for our farmers of all commodities. Their work to provide the food and fiber we depend on is vitally important. I will continue to advocate for them, especially during this time of uncertainty as we work to put the pieces back together for these hardworking men and women who have suffered tremendous loss to their livelihoods. Mr. Speaker, I want the people I represent to know that my offices stand ready to help during this challenging time. I will work with my colleagues here in Congress to provide the proper resources and assistance to our farmers. We must get this right, and we must ensure Alabama’s farmers are included in all recovery efforts. I encourage anyone in Alabama’s Second District who needs assistance in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael to contact one of my offices today. My staff and I work for you, and we are committed to ensuring that the folks impacted know the options available to them. As we work through this season of rebuilding, I have been encouraged to see and hear about so many acts of kindness and charity in our district and throughout the Southeast. This time of recovery will not be easy, but if we continue to help each other in whatever ways we are able, we will get through this together. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I yield back.
Federal judge: Florida is ‘laughing stock of the world’
A federal judge slammed Florida on Thursday for repeatedly failing to anticipate election problems, and said the state law on recounts appears to violate the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that decided the presidency in 2000. “We have we have been the laughing stock of the world, election after election, and we chose not to fix this,” U.S. District Judge Mark Walker said in court. Walker vented his anger at state lawmakers but also Palm Beach County officials, saying they should have made sure they had enough equipment in place to handle this kind of a recount. Walker also said he’s not happy about the idea of extending recount deadlines without limit. The overarching problem was created by the Florida Legislature, which Walker said passed a recount law that appears to run afoul of the 2000 Bush v. Gore decision, by locking in procedures that don’t allow for potential problems. A total of six election-related lawsuits are pending in Tallahassee. Earlier Thursday, Walker ordered that voters be given until 5 p.m. Saturday to show a valid identification and fix their ballots if they haven’t been counted due to mismatched signatures. Florida’s 67 counties have faced a 3 p.m. Thursday deadline to finish recounts that could determine the next senator and governor in one of America’s top political battlegrounds. Republicans said they would immediately appeal. State officials testified that nearly 4,000 mailed-in ballots were set aside because local officials decided the signature on the envelope didn’t match the signature on file. If these voters can prove their identity, their votes will now be counted and included in final official returns due from each county by noon Sunday. Meanwhile, the ongoing recount threatens to stretch into the weekend. The election supervisor in Palm Beach County, a Democratic stronghold, warned they may not meet Thursday’s initial deadline. U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson and Democrats want that looming deadline set aside, and other lawsuits could lead to more delays. More than a week after Election Day, an immediate resolution seems remote. Once the machine recount is complete, state law requires a hand review of races with margins of less than 0.25 percentage points. This almost certainly means another recount in the Senate race, with unofficial results showing Republican Gov. Rick Scott ahead of Nelson by 0.14 percentage points. Also, the election won’t be certified until Tuesday, even though the machine recount may essentially bring a conclusion to the governor’s race, where Republican Ron DeSantis leads Democrat Andrew Gillum by 0.41 percentage points in unofficial results. Nelson, a three-time incumbent, has defended his legal strategy that resulted in Walker’s ruling, saying in a statement Wednesday that “it remains the most important goal of my campaign to make sure that every lawful vote be counted correctly in this Senate race, and that Floridians’ right to participate in this process is protected.” Republicans, however, say in their own lawsuits and motions that Democrats are trying to change the rules after the voting didn’t go their way. “We will continue to fight to defend Florida law and uphold the will of the voters,” said Chris Hartline, a spokesman for Scott. Nelson and Democrats had wanted Walker to order the counting of all mail-in ballots rejected for a mismatched signature, arguing that local election officials aren’t handwriting experts. Walker said he could not go along with that suggestion. “Let this court be clear: It is not ordering county canvassing boards to count every mismatched vote, sight unseen,” Walker wrote in his 34-page ruling. “Rather, the county supervisors of elections are directed to allow those voters who should have had an opportunity to cure their ballots in the first place to cure their vote-by-mail and provisional ballots now, before the second official results are fully counted. This should give sufficient time, within the state’s and counties current administrative constraints, for Florida’s voters to ensure their votes will be counted.” Lauren Schenone, a spokeswoman for Scott, called Walker’s ruling “baseless” and said they were “confident” it would be overturned by the Atlanta-based appellate court. The developments are fueling frustrations among Democrats and Republicans alike. Democrats want state officials to do whatever it takes to make sure every eligible vote is counted. Republicans, including President Donald Trump, have argued without evidence that voter fraud threatens to steal races from the GOP. Just when state officials will get recount results from all counties remains unclear. Tallying machines overheated earlier this week in Palm Beach County. That caused mismatched results with the recount of 174,000 early voting ballots, forcing staffers to go back and redo their work. The county’s Supervisor of Elections Susan Bucher said the machines underwent maintenance right before the election, but “I don’t think they were designed to work 24/7.” Republished with permission from the Associated Press.
Moving up the ranks: Rep. Gary Palmer elected to House leadership team
House Republicans chose their leadership team for the next Congress on Wednesday and among them is Alabama 6th District U.S. Rep. Gary Palmer. Palmer, who first joined Congress in 2015, was elected to the position of Republican Policy Committee Chair for the 116th Congress — the fifth highest ranking leadership position among House Republicans. Prior to this, Palmer served as the Vice Chairman of the Republican Policy Committee. “I appreciate the faith that my colleagues have placed in me and am grateful for their support,” Palmer said in a statement. “Throughout my career, I have focused on being a problem solver and developing and promoting sound policies, so I feel like I’m uniquely prepared for this role. I look forward to working with my colleagues as we continue advancing and promoting ideas supported by the American people.” Established in 1949 by the House Republican Conference, the Republican Policy Committee (RPC) is a place for Republicans in the House to generate quality legislative proposals. More specifically, “The RPC serves as an advisory Committee to House Republicans and provides a forum for Republican Members to discuss legislative proposals before the House. The Committee reports its findings and suggestions for consideration to the Republican Conference,” according to the RPC website. In his new role Palmer will tap into the experience and skill sets he developed at the Alabama Policy Institute (API), where he served as president for 24 years. During his tenure, the API became a full-spectrum public policy organization that engaged in virtually all policy issues that affected Alabamians. It is considered the premier conservative think-tank in Alabama. Palmer also sits on the House Budget Committee and the Oversight and Government Reform Committee. His Alabama House colleagues congratulated him following his election to the position. Congratulations to Alabama’s own @USRepGaryPalmer on being elected Policy Chair of @HouseGOP! https://t.co/rP9dFkpwBW — Rep. Bradley Byrne (@RepByrne) November 14, 2018 A big congratulations to my friend and Alabama delegation colleague @USRepGaryPalmer for being elected House GOP Policy Chair. Proud of you! — Rep. Martha Roby (@RepMarthaRoby) November 14, 2018 Your new House GOP leadership pic.twitter.com/UXyU2wrw94 — Elaina Plott (@elainaplott) November 14, 2018 Palmer pictured on the left. Palmer will serve in the GOP’s leadership team alongside: Minority Leader: Rep. Kevin McCarthy Minority Whip: Rep. Steve Scalise Conference Committee Chair: Rep. Liz Cheney Conference Committee Vice Chair: Rep. Mark Walker Conference Committee Secretary: Rep. Jason Smith National Republican Campaign Committee Chair: Rep. Tom Emmer
Birmingham’s Southern Research receives funding from US DOE
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has selected Southern Research for an award of up to $1.5 million to advance technology for carbon dioxide (CO2) utilization. The DOE award, now being negotiated, will fund scale-up and field testing of a catalytic process for conversion of CO2 and shale-derived ethane to ethylene, a valuable olefin. Olefins serve as building blocks for a sweeping variety of products such as packaging, plastics, textiles, paints and electronics. Industrial demand for olefins such as ethylene and propylene is rising at 4 to 5 percent annually as living standards improve across the world. This diagram shows the process of how carbon dioxide is transformed into light olefins. (Southern Research) Over the last two years on a previously funded DOE study, Southern Research has developed a novel nano-engineered catalyst-driven process for the production of light olefins, such as ethylene, using CO2 from coal-fired flue gas and lower alkanes derived from shale gas feedstock. This lab scale study demonstrated the conversion, selectivity and stability of this new generation catalyst in presence of flue gas impurities and low concentrations of CO2. The results of the lab scale study led to this new award, which consists of constructing and operating a field scale unit. This project will produce and test a larger amount of catalyst and validate both the process reliability and the ability to produce ethylene at the next engineering scale. “Ethylene and propylene are the highest-volume petrochemicals in use today. Current production methods are capital- and energy-intensive as well as large greenhouse gas emitters,” said Corey Tyree, Ph.D., senior director of Energy and Environment at Southern Research. “By combining CO2 with shale gas, which is readily available in the U.S., our new process promises to have meaningful economic and environmental impact,” he said. The project’s long-term goal is a commercially viable and environmentally friendly technology for producing light olefins via CO2 utilization. Environmental benefits Production techniques for ethylene, which is manufactured in amounts greater than any other chemical, typically use naphtha or ethane as raw materials, and require a large amount of energy to crack apart molecules. Principal investigator Amit Goyal, Ph.D., director, Sustainable Chemistry and Catalysis, said Southern Research’s innovative process concept can use CO2 directly (or captured) from coal-fired power plants, or derived from any source, to produce light olefins. The new technique can yield significant environmental benefits by becoming a net consumer of CO2, he added. “Ethylene alone accounts for 1 percent of the world’s energy consumption and 180 to 200 million tons of CO2 emission,” Goyal said. “Due to the large magnitude of ethylene production, any reduction on the energy requirement will be highly impactful.” The approach would reduce carbon dioxide emissions from coal-fired plants, the top emitters of the colorless, odorless gas in the U.S power sector. In 2015, coal-based power plants in the United States emitted nearly 1.4 billion metric tons of CO2. “Coal is abundant and cheap, making it a vital energy source,” said Jadid Samad, Ph.D., advanced chemical engineer and co-principal investigator for Southern Research. “A smart solution to the issue of emissions from coal-fired power plants lies in the prospect of using CO2 as feedstock to produce valuable chemicals.” Converting CO2 Samad said Southern Research’s approach on the project directly supports the Carbon Use and Reuse research and development portfolio being assembled by DOE’s Office of Fossil Energy. The portfolio is developing and testing novel approaches that convert captured CO2 from coal-fired power plants into usable products. The funding from the Office of Fossil Energy for Southern Research’s project totals $1,499,442. The office announced Oct. 31 that it has committed a total of $18.7 million to funding projects to support its Carbon Use and Reuse R&D portfolio. Southern Research’s partners include 8 Rivers Capital LLC, a company developing and commercializing sustainable infrastructure technologies, which will provide support on the project’s techno-economic analysis. The National Carbon Capture Center, a DOE site for testing innovative technologies, will provide the field site and flue gas feed generated at a utility plant for the project. The center is operated by Southern Company and based in Wilsonville. In addition, a petrochemical consultant will provide guidance on catalyst development, as well as scale-up and commercialization aspects of the project. This story originally appeared on Southern Research’s website. Republished with permission from the Associated Press.
Daniel Sutter: World War I versus progress
Veterans Day 2018 marks one hundred years since the end of World War I. Veterans Day was Armistice Day until America learned that we had not fought the war to end all wars. The Great War profoundly challenged the dominant ideology of the time, liberalism, with far-reaching consequences. We now call the 19th Century’s liberalism “classical liberalism” to distinguish it from the modern version. Classical liberalism provided the foundation for liberal democracy, and began with the premise that individuals’ happiness matters, not the fame and fortune of rulers. This was a radical idea; kings and emperors used people to build pyramids, fight wars, or otherwise serve them. If individuals are not means to anyone’s ends, then their interactions should be voluntary. In economics, this means economic freedom and free markets. Adam Smith explained how many of our institutions – including money, business, and language – arose spontaneously from voluntary interaction between people. John Locke and others extended voluntariness to government, maintaining that legitimate political leaders must serve the people, not the other way around. And reason allows us to make sense of the world. Modern science emerged with the Enlightenment, and its application to production yielded the Industrial Revolution. Classical liberals were not against religion, but did care about well-being in this world. The application of reason over time would produce progress and civilization, not regression. Liberalism dramatically improved the world. Economic historian Angus Maddison dates the takeoff of economic growth to England around 1700. For the first time in history, the average standard of living rose above subsistence. A dramatic increase in life expectancy and the diffusion of literacy and education followed. Britain and America developed political institutions limiting government and ending authoritarian rule. Britain never abolished its monarchy, but Parliament slowly exercised power. In America, our constitution limited government. The most explicit form of human servitude, slavery, was abolished in the 19th Century. Classical liberalism led to recognition of the immorality of slavery and demands for its abolition. Equal rights were extended to women. Progress was regrettably slow, particularly for African-Americans following abolition, but these accomplishments must be evaluated relative to thousands of years of dismal history. And then came World War I. The horrors of the Great War included trench warfare, disease, poison gas, and senseless slaughter. Nineteen thousand British soldiers were killed on the first day of the Battle of the Somme to capture three square miles of territory from the Germans. The U.S. suffered 116,000 military deaths, double our losses in Vietnam, in one year of fighting. Classical liberals saw international trade as an important means of maintaining peace. The saying, “When goods don’t cross borders, armies will,” captures the liberal view. Economic and cultural ties encourage recognition of our common humanity, making conflict less likely. And the potential disruption of trading relations during war creates political demands for peace. Yet Western Europe was highly integrated before World War I; not until the 1970s did its volume of international trade return to pre-1914 levels. Economic and cultural integration did not prevent war. The Great War seriously challenged the classical liberal worldview. Civilized nations surely could never perpetrate or tolerate the horrors of the Western Front. The ensuing malaise, voiced by the writers of The Lost Generation, contributed to the rise of fascism and thus to World War II. Professors can debate whether classical liberalism can be reconciled with the War; the start of the war can be blamed on illiberal Austria, Serbia, and Russia. What I find more significant is that educated contemporaries in Europe and America, who were quite familiar with liberalism, interpreted the War as a refutation. Progress has arguably resumed since the end of World War II. The incidence of extreme poverty across the world has fallen by more than half since 1990, and wars between nations have become less frequent. Hopefully progress will continue. But the Great War warns us that progress is never guaranteed. ••• Daniel Sutter is the Charles G. Koch Professor of Economics with the Manuel H. Johnson Center for Political Economy at Troy University and host of Econversations on TrojanVision. The opinions expressed in this column are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the views of Troy University.
