Source: The UnPopulist
by Walter Olson
“What is distinctive about the Manhattan Statement is not that it calls for reforming universities; others regularly call for that. In fact, many of its reforms, considered at a vague and aspirational enough level of abstraction, are neither new nor even particularly controversial. What stands out is by whom and by what means the manifesto proposes to impose the changes: by dictation from the central government in Washington, employing force and ultimatum, devoid of any advance enactment of objective rules defining what universities’ obligations in fact are. If imposed, the result would be an utter centralization of peremptory power over academia — private colleges, state universities, religiously affiliated institutions — in the person of a single man.” (07/22/25)
https://www.theunpopulist.net/p/a-manhattan-institute-manifesto-would