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A Capitalism for the People: lecture by Luigi Zingales

Author and economist Luigi Zingales will give the 2013 John W. Pope Lecture at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 3, at North Carolina State University.

A prolific contributor to the academic literature of economics and finance, Zingales also writes for broader audiences. His Pope Lecture presentation will be based on his 2012 book, “A Capitalism for the People: Recapturing the Lost Genius of American Prosperity,” in which he applauds America’s personal freedoms and economic achievements, but warns of developing problems.

The lecture will be held at NC State’s Poole College of Management, in 3400 Nelson Hall, 2801 Founders Drive in Raleigh, N.C. This event is open to the public at no charge. A brief reception will follow the lecture, in the Commons area on the second floor of Nelson Hall. Parking is free.

The John W. Pope Lecture Series is presented annually by the NC State College of Humanities and Social Sciences and Poole College of Management, and is supported by a grant from the John W. Pope Foundation.

“Quality interaction with undergraduate students is a key component of the Pope Lecture Series,” says Dr. Andy Taylor, professor of Political Science at NC State. “Dr. Zingales will offer a public lecture, but will also meet with our students.”

Dr. Stephen Margolis, professor of economics at Poole College, is coordinating this year’s Pope Lecture. “In his book, Zingales observes that the U.S. economy risks deteriorating into a crony-capitalist system like the one he has  witnessed in Italy—pro-business rather than pro-market policies, largely serving the interests of politicians and their connected allies in the private sector,” Margolis said. “From that perspective, he identifies problems in the U.S. economy that include cronyism, regulatory capture, compromised academic practices, and repeated recourse to bailouts. He also proposes specific institutional changes that can address these problems and help recapture the sources of our prosperity.”

Zingales is the Robert C. McCormack Professor of Entrepreneurship and Finance at the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business. His research interests include corporate governance, financial development, political economy and the economic effects of culture.  Zingales received a bachelor’s degree in economics summa cum laude from Università Bocconi in Italy in 1987 and a Ph.D. in economics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1992.

By Anna Rzewnicki