Events at CERGE-EI

As part of the Distinguished Speakers Series, and on the occasion of CERGE-EI’s 35th anniversary, we are honored to welcome Nobel laureate Philippe Aghion (Collège de France, INSEAD, London School of Economics and Political Science) for a lecture on the transformative power of creative destruction.

Please register here to reserve your place if you would like to attend the lecture in person, as capacity is limited. The lecture will be streamed live on the CERGE-EI Youtube channel (no registration needed).

The Power of Creative Destruction: Rethinking Capitalism

In this lecture, Professor Philippe Aghion revisits Joseph Schumpeter’s idea of “creative destruction” to explain how innovation drives long-term economic growth by constantly replacing older technologies, firms, and business models. He presents growth as a cumulative process built on entrepreneurial activity, where new ideas generate prosperity but also disrupt existing industries and social structures.

The talk also examines the tensions that come with innovation, including inequality, market concentration, and the risk that successful firms may try to block future competitors. Aghion connects these questions to the future of capitalism and to the promises and dangers of artificial intelligence, arguing that innovation can benefit society only when supported by strong public policies in areas such as competition, education, and social protection.

The lecture was supported by Nadace CERGE-EI.