Column: In Defense of the Koch Scholar Program
I participated in Koch Scholars in the Spring of 2018. It’s a program where selected students read one book per week and have a corresponding dinner and book discussion and receive a stipend. This program has been accused by a previous article in the Utah Statesman of being a “libertarian experience,” with the implication being that the program is somehow designed to “convert” students to libertarianism. The program I participated in was not a “libertarian experience,” it was an opportunity to explore ideas and understand the views of others through reading great literature and discussion.
It is true that the program is led by people with views that lean libertarian, but that’s not the result of a conspiracy to indoctrinate. The program is led by economics professors, and classical economic theory tends to lean libertarian or classically liberal. It’s also unfair to claim that all of these professors have the same libertarian political views; some of the fiercest debates I witnessed in the program were between the professors themselves about concepts like the role of private property.
The previous article in the Statesman cites a former Koch Scholar that accuses that these professors shut down student’s viewpoints. In my experience this was not the case. The professors found it very interesting when someone had something controversial or new to say. I would often find myself disagreeing with libertarian orthodoxy and never felt threatened to share my opinion with the group. I never felt oppressed in the program. There’s a big difference between dissident views being actually suppressed and someone having fear to speak out of what one perceives to be the majority.
The previous article in the Statesman asserts that some Koch Scholars “describe their experience as an attempt at indoctrination of libertarian ideals,” yet this is not the view of the majority. Most of the people I know who have participated in this program really enjoyed it. It’s unfair to use the viewpoint of a few upset individuals to attack a program that is for the most part, beloved. My group consisted of 15 people, and besides the professors, I wouldn’t have labeled any of the participants orthodox libertarians.
The Koch Scholar Program a great academic opportunity that just happens to be run by libertarian economic professors. It is not a libertarian experience or attempt at indoctrination. In an age where free speech and discussion are being actively fought against, the Koch Scholar Program is a unique experience to have a conversation. I value my experience in the program very highly and it has been one of the most profound academic experiences I’ve had at Utah State University.
Kristian Fors is a student at Utah State University majoring in Economics and Philosophy and is an opinion columnist for the Utah Statesman. He can be reached at krfors@gmail.com.