There is an economic case for redefining liberal arts education

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how to think critically. Critical thinking has never been more important. A changing economy offers no guarantees.

Just a few years ago, learning to code seemed to offer stability. Now AI can write code. But the ability to think analytically, reason well and communicate clearly with a wide range of people will remain invaluable.

This is not the first time the economy has been rapidly transformed. Modern liberalism can be credited for the rise in wealth and living standards that came from the last major transition, from agriculture to industry. It is no coincidence, economic historian Deirdre McCloskey argues, that 18th century Europe was the centre of liberal thought and the birthplace of industrialization.

What made this place and time exceptional, she argues, was a pervasive belief in the individual and the ability of anyone to become their best self. These ideas may have come from academia, but they radiated through society. They helped bring about universal education and an atmosphere where ideas could be freely debated.

This culture has economic value, too. It enables discovery of new things and building on the last thing. Europe’s liberal outlook and the intellectual openness promoted by its universities helped create the conditions for exponential growth in wealth and living standards.

Dogma drags down curiosity, innovation and growth. Lately, as Clive Crook noted, many in the humanities have rejected notions of openness and free inquiry crucial to the university. Instead of teaching liberal principles, they emphasize a hierarchy of oppression and define people based on immutable characteristics.