Thomas Sowell (1930-) is a renowned economist, social philosopher and Senior Fellow at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution. With more than thirty published books and several academic papers, Sowell is considered to be one of the most influential figures in the modern “free markets and societies” movement. 

Sowell was born in Gastonia, North Carolina but his family moved to Harlem, New York when he was still a young boy. In 1951, Sowell enlisted in the Marine Corps to serve in the Korean War. After an honorable discharge, Sowell returned to the states to study at Howard College. His academic success allowed him to attend Harvard and Columbia University to further his education. 

Sowell is an expert in economics and public policy and his works range from the impact of economic decisions on the basis of race to social policy and the nature of justice. In his writings, Sowell advocates for free markets and opposes Marxian ideals. He has been openly critical of government institutions like the Federal Reserve, blaming it for economic depressions and increased inflation rates. 

Although much of Sowell’s work dives deeper into specific issues in American politics and society, many of his ideas stem from the notion that in order to thrive, societies and the individuals within them need to be free to express their agency. Large-scale government intervention often comes at the cost of individualism and government policy has often hindered in-need individuals more than benefitted them. 

Sowell is renowned for the clarity of his writing and extensive economic research used to support his ideas. His most famous works include, A Conflict of Visions (1987), The Quest for Cosmic Justice (1996) and Basic Economics (2000) amongst others. 

Sources:

Wikipedia entry

Thomas Sowell website

Hoover Institution