Social Justice. Crony Capitalism. Higher Education. Egalitarianism. Universal Basic Incomes. Populism. COVID. Classic Works of Political Economy. Economic Aspects of Great Works of Literature. The Future of the Economy.

The Independent Review has published timely symposiums on these subjects in recent years and invites undergraduates to write about these and other issues. 2023 Winners | 2024 Winners

• First Prize: $3,500
  Essay published in print in a future issue of The Independent Review
• Second Prize: $2,000
  Essay published as a web exclusive in a future issue of The Independent Review
• Third Prize: $1,500
  Essay published as a web exclusive in a future issue of The Independent Review

• $1,000 for each professor or instructor sponsoring the three student winners

• The deadline for submissions to the 2024 contest was May 15, 2024. Winners will be announced in Fall 2024.

• Applicants must be enrolled in an accredited college or university as an undergraduate in Spring 2024. Enrollment will be verified with the student’s college or university before any prizes are awarded.
• Applicants may be either part-time or full-time students.
• Applicants may be citizens or residents of any country.

• Paper Length: 2,500–5,000 words
• Essays must be written in English.
• Essays must be submitted using the webform below
• Essays must be in .doc or .docx format.
• Essays must have a cover page with the essay’s title and the name of the author. 
• Essays must be original works written by the submitter and must not have been previously published elsewhere. Plagiarism will not be tolerated and will be reported to the student’s school.

• The contest will be judged by the editors of The Independent Review and the winner will be published in a future issue of The Independent Review.
• Essays will be judged based on the clarity and coherence of their arguments, originality, relevance to the chosen topic, and command of evidence and research.

• Social Justice
  Explore and critically assess the concept of social justice—relating it to ongoing debates in economics, history, philosophy, politics, public policy, religion, and the broader culture.
  See the symposium on the topic of Social Justice in the Summer 2019 issue of The Independent Review.
  
  
• Crony Capitalism
  Respond to Michael Munger and Mario Villarreal-Diaz’s essay questions: Suppose it’s true that capitalism has a tendency—it’s not inevitable, or irreversible, but a tendency nonetheless—to devolve into crony capitalism.  Is laissez-faire simply the first step on a kind of road to serfdom, where giant corporate syndicates achieve a parallel kind of economic planning every bit as pernicious as that feared by F.A. Hayek? Is it possible that cronyism is intrinsic to, and not separable from, capitalism?
  See the symposium on the topic of Crony Capitalism in the Winter 2018/19 issue of The Independent Review.
  
  
• Future of Higher Education
  Critics say that American higher education has significant flaws and that these flaws will only worsen in coming decades. Others say that American higher education continues to improve and that it is the best in the world. What do you think? What are the key problems higher education will face over the next 30 years? Can they be fixed? Will they be fixed? How? What will be the biggest opportunities for higher education in the next three decades? How can it successfully grasp them? Bottom line: How will higher education change? How should it change?
  See the symposium on the topic of the Future of Higher Education in the Winter 2022/23 issue of The Independent Review.
  
  
• Egalitarianism
  Papers should explore and critically assess the concept of egalitarianism—relating it to on-going debates in philosophy, politics, history, law, and economics.
  See the symposium on the topic of the Egalitarianism in the Summer 2017 issue of The Independent Review.
  
  
• Universal Basic Income
  Is it time for the United States to adopt a universal basic income program? Why or why not?
  See the symposium on the topic of the Universal Basic Income in the Spring 2015 issue of The Independent Review.
  
  
• Populism, Self-Government, and Liberty
  Papers should explore the nature of populism (within the United States and/or around the globe) and both the challenges and the opportunities it poses to classical liberal ideas, the political system, civil society and the economy.
  See the symposium on the topic of the Populism, Self-Government, and Liberty in the Summer 2021 issue of The Independent Review.
  
  
• COVID Pandemic
  The COVID pandemic raises a host of issues for those concerned with the maintenance of a free society. What are the role and limits of entrepreneurship, civil society, and governments in preparing for and responding to health crises involving collective-action problems? What is the role, if any, of government regulation in matters of public health? Might regulations reduce well-being by stifling innovation and adaptations? And how do government responses to health crises empower Leviathan in ways that threaten individual freedom and liberty both in the immediate term and in the long term?
  See the symposium on the topic of the COVID Pandemic in the Spring 2021 issue of The Independent Review.
  
  
• Political Economy of Great Works of Literature
  Papers will examine great works of literature—either individual works or multiple works by one author—to consider potential lessons for how to arrange human affairs. The papers will not aim to use economic analysis to help explain plot elements or note that story lines demonstrate economic principles. Rather, the essays will grapple with what these thinkers can tell us about the political and economic arrangements that make for a flourishing society. The essays will wrestle with these authors' understandings of human nature and how it relates to the working of political and economic institutions and culture.
  See the symposium on the topic of the Political Economy of Great Works of Literature in the Winter 2020/21 issue of The Independent Review.
  
  
• Classic Works of Political Economy
  Read or reread a classic work of political economy, put it in context, assess whether its arguments work, and discuss its usefulness for today.
  See the symposium on the topic of the Classic Works of Political Economy in the Spring 2020 issue of The Independent Review.
  
  
• The Economic Future
  Forecast what the economy might look like 50 years from now—highlighting the most important trends that you foresee and the biggest challenges that will need to be faced by the U.S. or by the world. Essays are encouraged to take a broad view of “the economy" and to consider social, political, demographic, and cultural trends as well.
  See the symposium on the topic of the The Economic Future in the Winter 2015/16 issue of The Independent Review.
  
  
• Other Topics
  The Independent Review has published a wide-range of articles on topics at the intersection of economics, politics, philosophy, law, and public policy since 1996. Build on one or more of these articles to explore an important topic in political economy or critically examine a government policy.

For questions, please contact Robert Whaples.