The economic historian Professor Niall Ferguson presents the 2012 BBC Reith Lectures, titled The Rule of Law and Its Enemies. Across four programmes he explores the role of man-made institutions on global economic growth and democracy, referencing the global economic crisis and financial regulation, as well as the Arab Spring. The first programme will be available to download on Tuesday, 19 June 2012.
Episodes available:
Indefinitely 
Tue, 10 Jul 12
Duration:
58 mins
The decline of civil society in the Western world is the topic of Niall Ferguson's final Reith Lecture in which he argues that the greatest mistake of the past 50 years was to allow the state to encroach on civil life, assuming it could do a better job than the people themselves. Encouraging more local activism by citizens will not just garner better results than declining government institutions, but will also fuel a more positive impact on the community. The question is - where to start?
Tue, 3 Jul 12
Duration:
54 mins
Are we living through a time of creeping legal degeneration in the English-speaking world, asks the economic historian Niall Ferguson in the third of his 2012 Reith Lectures. Speaking at Gresham College in the heart of London's legal district, he examines the relationship between the nature of law and economic success, and asks just how credible the common law's claim to superiority over other systems really is.
Tue, 26 Jun 12
Duration:
53 mins
Is financial regulation the disease of which it purports to be the cure, asks economic historian Prof Niall Ferguson in his second Reith Lecture. He argues that overly complex financial regulation is to blame for the 2007 financial crisis - not deregulation, as many others claim. The solution to getting the banks to behave, he says, is not more regulation but scaled back, simplified regulation and, importantly, full enforcement of the law.
Tue, 19 Jun 12
Duration:
54 mins
Institutions determine the success or failure of nations and a society governed by abstract, impersonal rules will become richer than one ruled by personal relationships, says the economic historian Prof Niall Ferguson. But, he asks, are the institutions of the West now degenerating, as young people confront the fact that they must live with the huge financial debt generated by the baby boomers? And is there a way of restoring the compact between the different generations?
Wed, 23 May 12
Duration:
1 min
The 2012 BBC Reith Lectures will be presented by the economic historian Professor Niall Ferguson. Titled The Rule of Law and its Enemies, Professor Ferguson's lectures will explore the role man-made institutions have played in the development of global economic growth and democracy. The first programme will be available to download on Tuesday, 19 June 2012.
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Combative, provocative and engaging live debate examining the moral issues behind one of the week's news stories.
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