Buenos Aires, April 2025 — In a solemn and intellectually charged ceremony held in Argentina’s capital, Spanish economist and professor Jesús Huerta de Soto was awarded the title of Doctor Honoris Causa by ESEADE (Escuela Superior de Economía y Administración de Empresas), a prominent academic institution known for its liberal orientation. The event was attended by none other than President Javier Milei, who delivered remarks prior to Huerta de Soto’s address, setting the tone for an evening steeped in libertarian thought and economic vision.
President Milei praised Huerta de Soto as one of the world’s most important defenders of economic freedom, crediting his ideas as instrumental in shaping a new global resistance against socialism and statism. His words echoed the broader philosophical battle that both figures have embraced: the struggle to liberate society from state overreach and restore the spontaneous order of the free market.
A Tribute to Freedom and the Austrian School
In his acceptance speech, Huerta de Soto offered a sweeping defense of Austrian economics and a passionate critique of the state’s coercive nature. He portrayed the science of economics as a revolutionary discovery that unveils the possibility of social order without centralized control, based on voluntary cooperation and entrepreneurial coordination.
“Economics,” he said, “is the only science that proves society can function, flourish, and evolve without a state. The market, not government, is the true engine of civilization.”
Drawing on centuries of intellectual tradition—from the Spanish Scholastics to modern Austrian thinkers—he championed the moral and practical superiority of liberty, property rights, and entrepreneurship. He argued that the state, throughout history, has been a parasitic institution built on coercion, and that modern economics must challenge its legitimacy at every level.
Unmasking the Pseudosciences of Statism
Huerta de Soto also launched a powerful critique against dominant schools of economic thought, which he labeled as pseudoscientific and complicit in the growth of the state. He targeted positivism, neoclassical equilibrium models, Keynesian macroeconomics, and even the lingering influence of Marxist thought, accusing them of perpetuating the myth that top-down control is necessary or effective.
“These doctrines,” he warned, “are not neutral or scientific. They are ideological tools designed to sustain the state’s monopoly on violence.”
He called on his fellow economists to reject these fallacies and embrace a renewed commitment to theoretical clarity, moral consistency, and intellectual independence—principles he sees best represented in the Austrian tradition.
A Salute to Milei and the Argentine Renaissance
Toward the close of his speech, Huerta de Soto directed heartfelt praise toward Argentina and President Milei, describing the country as “a lighthouse of liberty” in a world increasingly threatened by statist ideologies. He likened Milei’s presidency to a cultural and political renaissance for Argentina, one that could inspire similar awakenings around the globe.
In a symbolic gesture, Huerta de Soto presented Milei with a special gift representing Don Quixote, a literary emblem of idealism and courage—qualities he believes define Milei’s mission.
The Battle Ahead: Advancing the Libertarian Vision
Huerta de Soto concluded with a resolute call to action: for economists, academics, and citizens to fight against what he termed the “statist cultural counterrevolution” and to work tirelessly for the theoretical and practical realization of a free society.
“The prosperity of future generations,” he declared, “depends on whether we can dismantle the state’s coercive machinery and allow the market’s voluntary order to flourish unimpeded.”
The audience erupted in applause, recognizing both the historic significance of the moment and the bold intellectual vision it carried.
