Douglas Bruce Rogers

December 13, 1984 - January 30, 2011
B.A. Economics, West Virginia University
PhD Economics, George Mason University
The Douglas B. Rogers Doctoral Fellowship - Mercatus Center

"'Tis a gift to be simple. 'Tis a gift to be free. 'Tis a gift to come down where we ought to be.
'Tis a gift to love and have that love returned. 'Tis a gift to be taught and richer gift to learn."
. . . Simple gifts, an enduring part of Doug's Legacy

The Douglas B. Rogers Essay Competition, in partnership with the American Institute for Economic Research, announces its 2024 contest launch. The contest is open to all full-time undergraduate students currently enrolled at the time of essay submission in any field of study at a college or university in North America. This annual program invites aspiring students to submit essays which are prompted by a provocative quotation from one of Doug's favorite Economists, Political Theorists, or Philosophers.

2024 Quote:

"If, however, the collectivity is empowered to enforce individual rights, how is it to be prevented from going beyond these limits? What are the "rights" of the enforcing agent itself, the state? .... How can Leviathan be chained? This problem has worried political philosophers of all ages, but no fully satisfactory answer has been advanced, either as an ideal to be approached or as a practical program to be experience."
-- James M. Buchanan

Prompt:

Discussions about the role of the state and how and when its powers should be limited remain a point of discussion and disagreement today. How would you respond to Buchanan's question either in the ideal or in the practical?

Timeline for 2024 Competition: Submissions: Open July 1, 2024 Submissions Due: September 25, 2024	Guidelines for Competition: Essays should be original work and no longer than 4,000 words, follow all conventions about proper citation, and engage the reader.	Prizes: Cash Prizes will be awarded to the top three submissions as judged by a panel of experts. First Prize $2,000 Second Prize $1,000 Third Prize $500
Challenge yourself and hone your writing skills. Good Luck!