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Givers, Doers, & Thinkers—A Podcast on Philanthropy and Civil Society

Givers, Doers, and Thinkers introduces listeners to the fascinating people and important ideas at the heart of American civil society. We speak with philanthropists, foundation leaders, reformers, social entrepreneurs, nonprofit executives, religious believers, historians, sociologists, philosophers, journalists, and anyone else who will help us understand contemporary civil society’s achievements and failures. We also sprinkle in practical advice for nonprofit leaders and fundraisers. This is the podcast for anyone interested in that vital space where philanthropy and civil society intersect.

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Givers, Doers, & Thinkers—A Podcast on Philanthropy and Civil Society

Mark T. Mitchell & property ownership in America

October 05, 2022 • Jeremy Beer • Season 4 • Episode 10

To close the fourth season of Givers, Doer, & Thinkers, Jeremy sits down with political philosopher Mark T. Mitchell about why and how the health of the American constitutional order is connected to private property.

Mark is the Dean of Academic Affairs at Patrick Henry College. He is the author of The Limits of Liberalism: Tradition, Individualism, and the Crisis of Freedom, The Politics of Gratitude: Scale, Place, and Community in a Global Age, and Michael Polanyi: The Art of Knowing. He is co-editor of Localism in the Mass Age: A Front Porch Republic Manifesto, The Humane Vision of Wendell Berry, and The Culture of Immodesty in American Life and Politics. He is the co-founder of the web-zine Front Porch Republic. In 2008-2009, he was a fellow at the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions at Princeton University.

Is the system rigged? Mark dives into the details of how often we are tricked into “playing the game” that favors some and creates barriers of entry for others and the dangers it poses to the health of our republic. What is the real state of play when it comes to property ownership in America? Mark expounds on what is special about private property, how it works to help secure freedom, and what’s left of our constitutional order. Jeremy and Mark also discuss work, the essentials of happiness, and the wisdom of limits. All of this and more are in today’s podcast.

Are you planning to launch a capital campaign in 2023? Then, you’ll want to hear from American Philanthropic managing consultant Steve Bird about the pitfalls of running a capital campaign during this week’s practicalities segment.

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