2026 Conference: Can Capitalism Be Popular?
April 16, 2026
- April 16, 2026
About the Conference
The Stigler Center's annual conference series has been at the forefront of shifting the debate on antitrust and economic concentration in the United States and beyond for years, with an unwavering commitment to providing a platform for voices from across the political and economic spectrum. The conference draws high-profile speakers such as Nobel Prize winners and FTC and DOJ leadership and receives regular coverage from major outlets including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, Bloomberg, and more.
In 2026, the Stigler Center is again undertaking a bold initiative: to explore whether capitalism can be popular in the United States in the 21st century. There is increasing consensus that capitalism, as materialized in the United States over the last 50 years, has not worked for most Americans. This conference will thus explore the possible intellectual foundations for a popular capitalism that meets the unique US challenges in the 21st century. More specifically: what is the intellectual and policy reform agenda that breaks the market dynamics enabling the extraction of economic rents—thus creating a fairer pre-distribution of economic resources—while at the same time encouraging long-term innovation, productivity growth, human flourishing, and the broader distribution of political power? From competition, labor, innovation, taxation and more, we will explore how popular capitalistic goals can be pursued across various policy areas and their potential for broad popular support.
This conference is by invitation only and is on the record, streamed, and recorded.
Agenda
Tentative and subject to change; all times listed are Chicago/Central time
| 8:00 AM – 8:30 AM | Breakfast |
| 8:30 AM – 8:35 AM | Welcome Remarks | , University of Chicago |
| 8:35 AM – 8:45 AM | Opening Remarks | , Georgetown University |
| 8:45 AM – 10:05 AM | Opening Panel: Is Capitalism Delivering for Most Americans? Moderator: Luigi Zingales, University of Chicago , American Compass , University of Chicago Udit Thakur, International Brotherhood of Teamsters , Columbia University |
| 10:05 AM – 10:20 AM | Break |
| 10:20 AM – 11:40 AM |
Labor Policy & Salaries Think tanks aligned with both the American Left and Right purportedly espouse pro-labor sentiment, and both political parties claim to represent worker interests. In the last 45 years, those workers have endured stagnant pay and an increasing disconnect from productivity growth. Why have most wages not kept up with productivity growth? What are the obstacles to social mobility? What does a popular labor policy that supports workers look like? Moderator: , Journalist & Author , Brown University , Boston University , U.S. Department of Energy , University of Chicago |
| 11:40 AM – 11:50 AM | Break |
| 11:50 AM – 1:10 PM | Healthcare, Life Expectancy, and Quality of Life The United States has experienced outsized economic growth compared to the EU, and yet the life expectancy at birth for Americans lags noticeably behind that of its peers. How does the shape of capitalism in the US contribute to inequality in health outcomes? To what extent has the US health system failed Americans? Can a popular capitalist reform agenda afford Americans not merely a greater pre-distribution of income, but also additional healthy years of life to enjoy it? Moderator: , The American Prospect , University of Chicago , Princeton University Matthew Notowidigdo, University of Chicago , HEALTH CARE un-covered |
| 1:10 PM – 1:20 PM | Break |
| 1:20 PM – 2:20 PM | Lunch | Debate The US tax code is a major determinant of the social distribution of income and wealth, along with a critical toolkit for policymakers to incentivize behavior. Through much of the 20th century, taxation held a progressive orientation, asking more from those with the most. Yet in the past forty years, taxes have become functionally optional for the ultrawealthy while the public shoulders the remaining burden. How would a popular capitalist reformer amend the tax code to encourage a fairer pre-distribution of resources? Further, how can tax reforms support popular capitalist goals in industrial, workforce, and innovation policies? Moderator: , ProPublica , Boston College , University of Chicago Eric Zwick, University of Chicago |
| 2:20 PM – 2:40 PM | Break |
| 2:40 PM – 4:00 PM | Competition Policy, Productivity, and Innovation One of the potential best metrics to measure the long-term success of a market economy is that it delivers long-term innovation and productivity growth that translates into better products, services and higher incomes. Under this vision, competition policy, industrial and innovation policy are all part of a major productivity and innovation ecosystem. On the one hand, US companies dominate many markets worldwide. On the other, corporate profits are reaching historic highs while productivity growth has been on a secular decline. Has US capitalism truly delivered over the past decades when compared to its peers? Or has it enabled the rise of corporate power at the expense of long-term economic development?   Moderator: , University of Chicago , CEPR – University College London , New York University , University College London , Vanderbilt University |
| 4:00 PM – 4:15 PM | Break |
| 4:15 PM – 5:45 PM | Economic & Political Power A wide majority of Americans believe that the excessive influence of money in politics puts the interests of major campaign donors and lobbyists ahead of the public’s concerns. What is the proper role of money in politics within a democratic society, and when does it foster corruption? Is money in politics truly a problem, or merely a legitimate tool for political expression? And are there alternatives to the current system that can enable capitalism to truly flourish? Moderator: , Stanford University , Harvard University , Open Markets Institute , Journalist & Author , Stanford University , Copenhagen Business School |
| 5:45 PM – 5:55 PM | Break |
| 5:55 PM – 6:45 PM | Reception |
| 6:45 PM – 7:45 PM | Dinner Keynote | Fireside Chat , Counter Hate , New York University In conversation with: Guy Rolnik, University of Chicago |
Conference Organizers
- Luigi Zingales, Robert C. McCormack Distinguished Service Professor of Entrepreneurship and Finance, University of 91³Ô¹ÏÍø School of Business
- Guy Rolnik, Clinical Professor of Strategic Management, University of 91³Ô¹ÏÍø School of Business
- , Associate Professor of Law, Georgetown University
Conference Venue:
Gleacher Center
450 Cityfront Plaza Dr, Chicago, IL 60611
For more information, contact: