Find partners
Biz & Tech Podcasts — Collaboration Platform
Menu
Submit Podcast
Capital Idea™ with Michael Williams

Capital Idea™ with Michael Williams

Hosted by Michael Williams

BusinessEducationNewsCommentaryInterviews guests
WebsiteRSS feed

Episodes

73

Latest episode

Aug 2026

Language

EN

About the show

Mike Williams’ CAPITAL IDEA™ podcast series explores the economic, historical, empirical, and moral case for laissez faire capitalism. CAPITAL IDEA is an intelligent, sometimes capricious, often irreverent discussion for honest people of all political persuasions who want to better understand the only moral economic system. Let’s face it, our day-to-day activity IS economics—they call it microeconomics but where’s the connection to the broader issues? CAPITAL IDEA is here to help you chew on these ideas including how YOUR economy relates to the bigger picture. Flying solo, Mike Williams integrates his experience both as a capitalist and as a teacher/facilitator of the Defenders of Capitalism Project™. Mike’s frequent guests add insight and perspective as they probe diverse topics—with a common thread: ideas that will broaden your understanding of why defending, sustaining, and advancing capitalism are crucial to the survivability of freedom and human flourishing in America and the world.

Listen to episodes

60 recent
August 6, 2026Episode 7939 min

The World's Oldest Hero Meets Christopher Nolan: From Individualism to... What?

Mike Williams and his daughter Solana review Christopher Nolan’s adaptation of The Odyssey, discussing its stunning visuals, questionable editing, uneven writing, and departures from Homer’s themes. They compare the film’s portrayal of Odysseus to the original epic and critique choices that undermine the hero’s clarity and ingenuity. They also connect the story to capitalism, arguing that Homer’s Odysseus exemplifies entrepreneurial virtues—individual judgment, persistence, and problem-solving—and that audiences’ choices in the marketplace determine which art succeeds and what cultural values are promoted.

June 24, 2026Episode 7846 min

Of Gods, Sand, and the Free Market

In this episode, Mitch and Mike discuss Mitch's article, “Of Gods and Sand,” and the timeless danger of mistaking political power for moral authority. From ancient pharaohs to modern strongmen, history is littered with rulers who wanted not merely obedience, but adoration. The American Founders rejected that premise. They were Enlightenment thinkers who built a system around reason, individual rights, checks and balances, and the idea that no man—not a king, not a president, not a “savior”—stands above the law. We connect Mitch’s article to Trump’s deeply anti-American instinct for personal glorification, and why that impulse is not merely a political problem, but a philosophical one. America was not founded on submission to God-kings. It was founded on the sovereignty of the individual. And that same principle is the moral and political foundation of capitalism: free people, using reason, producing, trading, building, and pursuing their own happiness without permission from a ruler.

May 18, 2026Episode 7724 min

Mind Your Business: The Forgotten Motto of America's First Coin

You’ve seen “In God We Trust.” But have you ever heard what America’s first coin actually said? Hint: it wasn’t about belief. The founders weren’t preaching what you should believe - it was about action. In this episode, we explore Benjamin Franklin's 1787 Fugio coin and uncover its message “Mind Your Business” and what it reveals about freedom, responsibility, and the roots of capitalism. We contrast that founding-era philosophy with later shifts in U.S. currency and culture — including the adoption of "In God We Trust" and the move toward fiat money — and invite listeners to read the related newsletter article and reflect on the role of money, individualism, and civic virtue.

May 1, 2026Episode 7614 min

May Day for the Mind

May Day has become a rallying point for anti-capitalist protest: “No Work, No School, No Shopping." But what if the deeper crisis is not exploitation, but confusion? In this short solo episode, Mike revisits his “Mayday for the Mind” theme (a speech he gave at Ben-Gurion University in Israel a few years ago) and argues that the real emergency is our failure to understand production, the role of the mind, the morality of work, and the difference between peaceful protest and real intellectual change. With sympathy for many Americans who feel squeezed or unheard, Mike argues that anger aimed at capitalism (freedom and rights protection) is tragically misplaced. From Occupy Wall Street to the Tea Party, from No Kings to May Day Strong, too many citizens protest with passion but without a clear understanding of the principles involved. As the nation approaches its 250th birthday, this episode calls for recovering the meaning of productive work, individual rights and the moral importance of the human mind.

April 16, 2026Episode 7543 min

Sue Moore: Inside the Scorecard Keeping CO Lawmakers Accountable

What does civic engagement have to do with capitalism? More than most people think. In this episode, Mike Williams interviews Sue Moore of Liberty Scorecard Colorado about why free markets depend on informed citizens, accountable lawmakers, and a culture that takes liberty seriously. They also explore a tougher question: are people on the Right as consistent about free markets and individual rights as they claim? Liberty Scorecard Colorado is a volunteer-run, principles-based tracking system that evaluates legislation and lawmakers by how they affect individual rights, limited government, property rights, and free markets. The episode explains the scorecard’s methodology, how volunteers analyze bills, its role in educating legislators and citizens, and why consistent oversight matters to protect liberty and hold public officials accountable.

February 20, 2026Episode 7423 min

Tariffs, Taxes, and Trump's Emergency Play: Who Really Pays?

In this episode of Capital Idea, Mike and Mitch discuss recent tariff actions by the Trump administration, why tariffs function as taxes on American consumers, and how emergency powers have been used to impose them. They examine Congress’s constitutional role in taxation, recent House votes to challenge tariffs, and the economic impact on families and free trade principles.

February 13, 2026Episode 7355 min

TerryJosiah Sharpe: A Musician’s Journey from Doubt to Purpose

Mike Williams interviews TerryJosiah Sharpe about his journey from skepticism about capitalism to embracing it as a tool for freedom, and how the Leadership Program of the Rockies helped shape that understanding. TerryJosiah shares how he founded Anthem Music Enterprises to use music and entertainment to address mental health, scale community programs for youth, and create career opportunities for artists. He recounts the impact of the program, the loss of a student whose recorded voice lives on, and his decision to step down as CEO to reclaim creative time while continuing to pursue projects that promote freedom and healing.

February 13, 2026Episode 721 hr 9 min

Dr. Steve Crews: Science, Freedom, and Capitalism

Mike Williams interviews Dr. Steve Crews, the 2025 Defenders of Capitalism Award winner, about his journey from a small farming town to West Point, a PhD in robotics, and leadership in the Leadership Program of the Rockies. Cruz explains how a commitment to reason and individual rights forms the moral foundation for capitalism. The conversation covers science vs. faith, education and accreditation, the promise and risks of AI, and the “free market of ideas.” Cruz shares practical advice for using AI responsibly and making principled, persuasive cases for freedom and opportunity.

October 15, 2025Episode 691 hr 6 min

Nadine Strossen: Capitalism & the Importance of Free Speech

Mike Williams interviews Nadine Strossen, former ACLU president, Senior FIRE Fellow, and free‑speech expert, about the vital link between free expression, capitalism, and a free society. They discuss campus censorship, government pressure on institutions and platforms, self‑censorship, and legal battles that protect viewpoint neutrality. Strossen explains why free speech underpins individual liberty and economic freedom, and matters not only for the one speaking, but also the one listening. She shares examples from her experiences at ACLU and FIRE, and urges education and civic courage to preserve the marketplace of ideas.

October 1, 2025Episode 681 hr 6 min

Bob Schaffer: Liberty, Leadership, and Education in America

In this episode of Defenders of Capitalism, Michael Williams and Mitch Whitus sit down with Bob Schaffer, former U.S. Congressman, Chairman of the Leadership Program of the Rockies, and the acclaimed headmaster of Liberty Common School. They have a wide-ranging conversation on liberty, leadership, and the future of education in America. Schaffer reflects on the values that shaped him, the battles he fought in Washington, and why he ultimately turned to education as the most powerful lever for preserving a free society. The conversation dives into the tensions between public institutions and individual responsibility, the cultural headwinds facing capitalism, and what it really takes to cultivate independent thinkers in today's world.

Is this your show?

Claim this listing to keep it up to date, reach guests who want to pitch you, and manage bookings with Guestify.

Claim this listing

More Business podcasts

One moment, please...

BusinessInvesting

One moment, please...

Business

Swallow Your Pride Podcast

BusinessCareersInterviews guests

One moment, please...

Business

One moment, please...

Business
MACRA

MACRA

MACRA Website

Business