Thomas Sowell vs. the European Union: A Battle of Ideas for Europe’s Future

Author: William Moulod

Introduction: A Crossroads for European Thought

Europe today stands at a crossroads: deeply entangled in a web of bureaucratic regulation, ideological orthodoxy, and a growing sense of cultural and economic stagnation. Meanwhile, across the Atlantic, the works of Thomas Sowell offer a breath of intellectual fresh air—a sharp, uncompromising challenge to the assumptions that underpin much of modern European governance.

Sowell’s teachings on economics, culture, education, and freedom provide a powerful framework for untangling the generational propaganda and ideology that have seeped into the fabric of many European institutions. This post draws an unapologetic comparison between Sowell’s worldview and the current direction of the European Union, and it proposes a radical, yet principled path forward rooted in individual liberty, responsibility, and truth.

1. Economic Freedom vs. EU Regulation and Protectionism

Sowell’s View:

At the core of Sowell’s economic philosophy is the belief that free markets—not central planners—produce the most efficient outcomes. In Basic Economics, he argues that prices are information. When governments interfere with prices (through subsidies, regulation, price controls), they distort reality and reduce the flow of critical signals that help society allocate resources wisely.

EU Contrast:

The European Union is, by design, a centralized regulatory behemoth. Its Common Agricultural Policy subsidizes inefficient farms. Its “Green Deal” mandates reshape entire industries based more on ideology than market feedback. From GDPR to VAT harmonization, the EU tends to favor control over dynamism.

The Discrepancy:

Sowell would see the EU as a textbook case of economic planning gone too far—paralyzing innovation in the name of “fairness” or “sustainability.” The EU’s focus on harmonization often rewards the least competitive countries while punishing the most innovative.

2. The Welfare State and Dependency Culture

Sowell’s View:

Sowell’s critique of welfare is simple: it creates perverse incentives and robs people of agency. In The Vision of the Anointed, he argues that good intentions don’t equal good outcomes. Programs that were supposed to alleviate poverty instead entrenched it, turning temporary aid into a way of life.

EU Contrast:

Europe is the global home of the welfare state. From generous unemployment benefits in France to universal basic income pilots in the Netherlands and Spain, dependency is baked into the system. Incentives for entrepreneurship or mobility are often dulled by the comfort of state support.

The Discrepancy:

Where Sowell sees the dignity of earned success, the EU often promotes the morality of entitlements. Sowell’s harsh truth—that you cannot help people by making them dependent—clashes head-on with the EU’s identity as a caretaker.

3. Education and Ideological Capture

Sowell’s View:

Education, in Sowell’s eyes, has become a playground for ideologues. In Inside American Education, he outlines how schools and universities have shifted from teaching knowledge to pushing narratives. He warned about the long-term damage of turning institutions of learning into tools of indoctrination.

EU Contrast:

European education systems have leaned hard into social engineering—especially around climate change, gender ideology, and historical revisionism. The Bologna Process sought to standardize education, but has arguably fostered ideological monocultures across borders.

The Discrepancy:

Instead of fostering free inquiry and open debate, EU-aligned education often rewards conformity. Sowell’s emphasis on data, logic, and evidence over emotion stands in stark contrast to the soft, narrative-driven culture of modern European schools.

4. Race, Culture, and Identity Politics

Sowell’s View:

As a Black economist, Sowell refused to play the victim. He argued that cultural capital—habits, values, education—mattered more than skin color. In Black Rednecks and White Liberals, he demolished the idea that systemic racism is the primary driver of inequality, favoring instead a focus on family structure, work ethic, and education.

EU Contrast:

The EU’s approach to diversity has largely been built on identity politics. Migration policies, DEI frameworks, and anti-discrimination directives all operate on the assumption that systemic oppression is pervasive and must be corrected through top-down force.

The Discrepancy:

Sowell’s view that “equal treatment” should mean equal rules (not equal outcomes) stands in opposition to the EU’s push for equity. Where Sowell emphasizes cultural self-development, Europe often infantilizes migrant communities or minority groups in the name of “inclusion.”

5. Centralization vs. Individual Liberty

Sowell’s View:

Perhaps his most recurring theme: power should be decentralized. Central planning almost always produces worse outcomes than local, ground-up solutions. He warned that elites—“the anointed”—often believe they know what’s best, while remaining insulated from the consequences of their decisions.

EU Contrast:

The European Union is fundamentally a centralized political project. From the European Commission’s unelected bureaucracy to monetary policy controlled by the ECB, national sovereignty has eroded. The EU leans into technocracy, not subsidiarity.

The Discrepancy:

Sowell would argue that Brussels is full of “anointed” elites disconnected from the people they claim to serve. The pandemic response, digital ID proposals, and regulatory creep all point toward a growing concentration of power, justified by vague appeals to “European values.”

A Path Forward: Applying Sowell’s Principles in Europe

So, what does a Sowell-inspired Europe look like?

1. Dismantle Bureaucratic Overreach: Return decision-making power to nation-states and local governments. Shift from harmonization to competition.

2. Revamp Education for Truth-Seeking: Replace ideology with classical education focused on history, logic, economics, and real data analysis.

3. Reform Welfare with Work Incentives: Move from universal support to targeted, time-limited aid that encourages self-sufficiency.

4. Respect Cultural Realities Over Ideological Narratives: Address integration issues honestly—no more utopian multiculturalism without accountability.

5. Revive Entrepreneurial Spirit: Slash regulations, lower taxes for small businesses, and promote individual initiative over collectivist safety nets.

Conclusion: Sowell in the Age of the Eurocrat

Thomas Sowell’s writings are not just relevant—they’re urgently necessary for young Europeans seeking clarity in an age of confusion. His devotion to truth over narrative, trade-offs over utopias, and personal responsibility over entitlement offers a road map out of the ideological fog.

The European Union, while born from noble intentions, risks collapsing under its own intellectual weight unless it reembraces decentralization, humility, and the freedom of its people to think, act, and build on their own terms.

If we want to untangle the propaganda, escape the cycle of dependence, and reignite European vitality—we should start by reading Thomas Sowell.