E26: The Toa of Liberty, 20 million lives saved in Africa, Argentina's progress, giving up on “defeatists” and more:
Tony Morley, May 4th, 2026
“Argentina’s rapid transformation from nearly a century of socialism to free market capitalism continues to prove the superiority of the latter. It is rare that we get to witness such a radical experiment in real time. It is no surprise, however, that it’s working.” — Editorial Board, Washington Post
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2026 Simon Abundance Index
The 2026 Simon Abundance Index is out, and like years past, the data shows we're getting more, and more for less. Each year, the team at Human Progress puts together the Index, providing a valuable insight into the relationship between time prices and abundance.
“Earth was 536.4 percent more abundant in 2025 than it was in 1980. For every one percent increase in population, global resource abundance increased by 6.31 percent.”
Marian L Tupy and Gale Pooley
The Tao of Liberty
Wayne Hoffman's new book Tao of Liberty opens with a compelling argument; the government is working on a fantasy, but it's not yours, and it's not mine. Wayne Hoffman suggests in the teachings of Lao Tzu is, simply, the world's oldest written case for limited government.
“Almost everything government does is an attempt to wish a fantasy into existence and then punish reality for refusing to obey.”
Katrina Gulliver
“Whose fantasy? Not yours. Not mine. The politician who wakes up convinced nature itself is wrong and reaches for the only tools he knows: more laws, more taxes, more subsidies, more permits, more prisons, more war. Enough words in enough binders, he believes, and the universe will kneel.”
I Give Up on These Defeatists
“Late capitalism, postcapitalism, “America is in decline” pronouncers, partisan professors, socialist mayors,” “I’m tired of those rooting against us.” — Too many Americans are fighting progress. Andy Kessler for WJS
“If you haven’t figured it out, the main export of the U.S. is our standard of living. It isn’t in decline but the envy of the world, hence the rush to our borders.”
https://www.wsj.com/opinion/i-give-up-on-these-defeatists-3d7752c9
A little progress is worth a trillion dollars
In his op-ed, "A little progress is worth a trillion dollars," economist Matt Clancy argues that even marginal, one-time improvements in the rate of technological and scientific progress yield astronomical economic and social returns.
The core of Clancy’s argument is that progress is cumulative. When we speed up innovation, we don't just get a temporary boost; we move the entire future trajectory of human welfare to a higher baseline.
Matt Clancy
“If we take the conclusions of this post seriously, then we should be willing to put a lot of effort into raising the rate of progress. And I see that as precisely what we, and the broader abundance and progress studies movements, are trying to do.”
New data from Argentina shows the real answer to poverty
“The national poverty rate peaked at 53 percent in the first half of 2024, but it’s been plunging since.” By the end of 2025, the share of Argentines living in poverty was 28 percent.”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2026/04/03/poverty-milei-argentina-markets-socialism/
“Argentina’s rapid transformation from nearly a century of socialism to free market capitalism continues to prove the superiority of the latter. It is rare that we get to witness such a radical experiment in real time. It is no surprise, however, that it’s working.”
Socialist Promises, Walter E. Williams
In a 2019 op-ed, prior to his death, Walter E. Williams put forward one of the most important quotes on capitalism this century.
“Prior to capitalism, the way individuals amassed great wealth was by looting, plundering and enslaving their fellow man. With the rise of capitalism, it became possible to amass great wealth by serving and pleasing your fellow man.” — Walter E. Williams
The homepage of George Mason University.
Don't Bite the Hand That Feeds You
Kimberlee Josephson argues the frivolous litigation of "courtroom consumerism" isn't just an annoying waste of time; it undermines the market's ability to provide the very abundance and low prices that consumers enjoy. She's not wrong.
“There is a peculiar irony in modern American consumer culture: we celebrate abundance, low prices, and convenience—until we decide to sue the businesses that make those things possible.”
Kimberlee Josephson
The Free World's Competitive Edge
In this op-ed for the Hoover Institution, McMaster argues that the defining struggle of the 21st century is the competition between free, open societies and closed, authoritarian systems—specifically the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
The central thesis is that while the West has been hindered by "strategic narcissism" (the belief that the triumph of democracy was inevitable), it can reclaim its competitive edge by leveraging its core values of openness, innovation, and entrepreneurship.
H.R. McMaster
“Support for free markets and democratic institutions, as well as the unalienable rights that should be afforded to all peoples, is not just an exercise in altruism.”
Freedom and the health of nations
“Freedom” “Its presence makes a positive difference in the lives of individuals and the health of nations, and its absence shackles individuals and corrodes the nations in which they live—which is why freedom needs defenders and advocates.”
“democracies are being harmed from within by illiberal forces” aiming “to corrupt and shatter” the very institutions that keep the free world, well, free.”
https://www.fraserinstitute.org/commentary/freedom-and-health-nations-0
Nearly 20 million lives saved in Africa through measles vaccinations
Measles vaccination campaigns across Africa have been a tremendous public health breakthrough, saving tens of millions of lives and preventing infection and suffering in tens of millions of young African children.
“The analysis, by World Health Organization (WHO) in the African region, and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, also found that alongside the 19.5 million measles deaths averted, more than 500 million children in Africa have been protected through routine immunization between 2000 and 2024.”
A whole new way to prevent death from sepsis shows promise
Researchers may have developed a practical method that can remove a protein that significantly contributes to the risk of mortality from sepsis and septic shock.
“People with severe sepsis could one day be treated by having their blood filtered to remove a crucial protein that seems to drive the life-threatening reaction. The approach has shown promise in animal models, with aims for a trial in people next year.”
Michael Marshall
One woman, three autoimmune diseases: CAR-T therapy vanquishes ultra-rare disease trio
In a groundbreaking and successful medical first, engineered immune cells provided a "last chance" cure for a patient with a deadly combination of three autoimmune disorders. The proof of concept is further evidence that CAR-T therapy holds significant untapped promise.
“A woman with an ultra-rare combination of three autoimmune diseases has had no symptoms since receiving a single dose of engineered immune cells,”
“Fourteen months after treatment with engineered immune cells, the recipient has no symptoms and doesn’t need to take medication.”
Edward Chen
Growth, jobs, and poverty reduction: Lessons from Paraguay
Infrastructure that delivers reliable energy, and simplified business regulations for small and medium businesses have helped lift labor productivity in Paraguay, and in doing so, have helped drive down poverty, and provide greater opportunity and higher living standards for the country’s people.
“Paraguay’s experience is worth studying. Sustained poverty reduction through rising labor incomes and job creation does not follow any single policy. It is built up from the foundations: infrastructure, a business-friendly regulatory environment, and support to the private sector to scale”
Susana Cordeiro Guerra and Pablo Saavedra
“An end to cervical cancer is possible,”
Cervical cancer rates have plummeted dramatically, the driver is a safe and effective human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine that prevents the infection that causes nearly all cases of cervical cancer. The continued rollout of HPV vaccination campaigns “could see tens of millions of lives saved in the coming decades, and an end to one of the most common cancer types.”
“This reduction in risk of developing cervical cancer was at least 80%.”
Hannah Ritchie
“I don’t think I quite internalised that this single vaccine could essentially stop me from getting an extremely common type of cancer later in life.”
Fertility rates above or below replacement levels
Fertility rates have plummeted across the West, and thus far, few practical or effective solutions have been successfully implemented. Falling population in highly developed countries will undoubtedly strain social cohesion, living standards and prosperity. It's a risk worth working on.
“Fertility rates — which measure the average number of children per woman — have been falling worldwide. Since 1950, global fertility rates have halved, from almost 5 children per woman to 2.2.”
Hannah Ritchie and Pablo ArriagadaHey team, Tony here. Can you help support The Up Wing mission? 80% of our readers are currently free subscribers; please consider supporting our mission and newsletter here: Support The Up Wing, or help support the project by liking and sharing our Edition 26 post on X/Twitter.
