January 28

Gustave de Molinari was born in Liège and studied political economy at the University of Liège. A leading figure in the liberal school of economic thought, he published essays advocating minimal government intervention and free trade. In 1849, he argued for the private production of security services, a concept that anticipated modern theories of privatization and anarcho-capitalism. De Molinari contributed to major economic journals and was influential in European intellectual circles. His bold critiques of state intervention left a lasting impact on classical liberalism before his death in 1912.

Born Tevfik Kolaylı in 1879 in Bodrum, Neyzen Tevfik mastered the ney, a traditional reed flute, and gained fame as a musician. His satirical poems critiqued social and political norms in the late Ottoman and early Republican eras. Tevfik’s philosophical writings blended Sufi mysticism with sharp wit and irreverent humor. He led a bohemian existence, performing in coffee houses and public gatherings across Turkey. His poetic and musical contributions remain influential in Turkish cultural history.