John Ridpath, is formerly the Associate Professor of Economics and Intellectual History at York University in Toronto, Canada, writes and speaks on the history of ideas and their impact on social change. He has spoken at conferences about the central thinkers in Western history and the impact of their ideas on history, including the ideas influencing the Founding Fathers and early American history. Widely recognized for his lecturing skills, as well as for his public speaking and debating in defense of capitalism, he is a recipient of the prestigious award given by the Ontario Council of University Faculty Associations for outstanding contribution to university teaching.