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Acton Line podcast: What is cronyism? Samuel Gregg on reason and faith in Western civilization
Acton Line podcast: What is cronyism? Samuel Gregg on reason and faith in Western civilization
Mar 16, 2026 2:58 AM

Cronyism is everywhere, affecting industries, entrepreneurs and customers and distorting the market through political advantage. So what is cronyism and how does promise genuine capitalism? Anne Rathbone Bradley, the current academic director at The Fund for American Studies, as well as the vice president of Economic Initiatives at the Institute for Faith, Work and es onto the show to explain how cronyism affects the market and how bat it. Afterwards, Acton’s director of research, Samuel Gregg, joins the show to talk about his new book, “Reason, Faith, and the Struggle for Western Civilization.” Gregg lays out what he believes defines the West, how the disintegration of reason and faith has caused the West to decline and what can be done to reclaim it.

Check out additional resources for this episode:

Learn more about cronyism

Conservative pushback on free market principles can be traced to big government cronyism

Christians shouldn’t be surprised to find capitalism infected by cronyism

Read “The Road to Crony Capitalism” by Michael C. Munger and Mario Villarreal-Diaz

Senate Confirms 3 to Board of Export-Import Bank, Reviving Agency

Book review: ‘Reason, faith, and the struggle for Western civilization’ by Samuel Gregg

Purchase “Reason, Faith, and the Struggle for Western Civilization”

Why has the West’s integration of reason and faith fallen apart? An interview with Samuel Gregg

The integration of reason and faith is what defines the West, says Samuel Gregg on Ave Maria Radio

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Do you have feedback for the Acton Line podcast team? We want to hear from you! Email us at [email protected]. If you like Acton Line, don’t forget to leave a rating and review on iTunes!

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