Reports Highlight Free Enterprise, Defense Industry, Federal Stakes

Americans continue to favor small business and free enterprise, even as positive views of capitalism have declined, raising questions about whether economic opportunity is broadly accessible. One analysis argues that free markets helped drive prosperity and depend on political institutions that protect economic opportunity, while another contends that America’s common good is best served by constitutional order and liberty rather than government defining citizens’ well-being. A Cato Institute dashboard tracks the Trump administration’s ownership interests and rights in private companies, bringing government involvement in business into focus. Together, the pieces highlight differing views of how government and institutions should shape economic life, alongside calls to make entrepreneurship and business ownership more accessible.