Alumni Week: What if economic freedom is not as self-evident as we think?
Saturday 4 October | 16:00-17:00| Science Park C1.110
- Datum
- 4 oktober 2025
- Tijd
- 16:00 -17:00
- Locatie
- Science Park 904
- Ruimte
- C1.110
Please note: this session is in Dutch.
Drawing on examples from both history and the present day, Boot shows how inequality, power and freedom are intertwined. Think of the oligarchs in the post-Soviet era, of American tech giants, but also of our own pension system. His message: economic freedom is not an absolute right, but a shared good that requires balance, boundaries and, at times, even protection from ourselves.
Following his lecture, and under the moderation of Maurits Kruithof, we will discuss the question: What if economic freedom needs to be redefined? What if we were to view it not as an individual entitlement, but as something collective? And what if, in order to preserve it, we actually need to set limits to that freedom?
Speakers
Arnoud Boot is Professor of Corporate Finance and Financial Markets at the University of Amsterdam. He is co-founder of the Amsterdam Center for Law & Economics and is known for his sharp analyses at the intersection of economics, financial stability and social responsibility. Boot has also served as a Crown-appointed member of the Social and Economic Council and of the Scientific Council for Government Policy.
Maurits Kruithof is a financial economist. He graduated under the supervision of Professor Boot, is the founder of Room for Discussion, and now works at both the European Central Bank and De Nederlandsche Bank. His main responsibilities lie in the field of European banking supervision. Kruithof has a broad interest in social issues and regularly moderates public debates and in-depth discussions.
