Northwood University is hosting economist and historian Lawrence W. Reed, President Emeritus of the Foundation for Economic Education (FEE), for a Sept. 30 Freedom Seminar lecture about modern parallels to the fall of Rome in Griswold Lecture Hall.
Reed, a longtime champion of liberty and former Northwood economics professor, will explore the causes of Ancient Rome’s decline and how they shed light on the challenges facing America today.
“Larry Reed has a remarkable gift for bringing history to life in ways that illuminate timeless truths about liberty, prosperity, and responsibility,” said Northwood Economics Chair Dr. Dale Matcheck. “His analysis of Rome’s decline is not just about the past — it is a powerful warning for the present and future.”
Reed served as president of FEE for 11 years before retiring to his emeritus role in 2019. Previously, he was founding president of the Midland-based Mackinac Center for Public Policy for 21 years and taught economics at Northwood University for seven years. Over his career, Reed has lectured in all 50 states and more than 90 countries, authored over 2,000 articles, and written seven books, including Was Jesus a Socialist? and Real Heroes: Inspiring True Stories of Courage, Character and Conviction.
In 2023, the President of Poland awarded him the Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland, the highest honor that nation bestows on a foreigner. Past recipients include President Ronald Reagan.
“Northwood students are privileged to hear from a scholar who has influenced the global conversation on economics and liberty for decades,” stated Dean of Undergraduate Studies Dr. Stacey Tetloff. “His teaching connects directly with our mission of preparing students for lives of purpose grounded in the values of free enterprise.”
This year’s Freedom Seminar is themed “The Road to Freedom” and examines the ideas and policies that safeguard liberty in contrast with those that erode it.
“Rome’s collapse reminds us that even great civilizations can squander freedom when they abandon fiscal responsibility, personal virtue, and limited government,” said Dr. Alexander Tokarev, Northwood economics professor and program lead for the 2025 Freedom Seminar. “Larry Reed’s message could not be more relevant to America’s crossroads today.”
Reed’s lecture, which is free and open to the public, begins at 6 p.m. Sept. 30 in Griswold Lecture Hall.
Other national speakers that will be featured during this year’s Northwood University Freedom Seminar include:
- Nov. 6 — Wilfred M. McClay, Hillsdale College professor and award-winning author, on America’s 250-year experiment in liberty and self-government.
- Dec. 2 — Art Carden, Samford University economics professor and coauthor of Leave Me Alone and I’ll Make You Rich (Fall 2025 Omniquest selection), on how the “Bourgeois Deal” transformed living standards and human character.
For more information, including links to watch lectures virtually, visit www.northwood.edu/freedom-seminar.
