By Juan Carlos Gastón
Historian and Program Manager
Centro CRECE
One of my favorite things to do is sit with my mother and listen to her stories about her childhood in the rural fields of Isabela, Puerto Rico. As she speaks, I pay close attention to her vivid descriptions of life some 70 years ago: coping with hurricanes inside a shack, cooking over open fires, walking long distances to get to school and. eventually, leaving school after the fifth grade because the next one was simply too far away. She reminisces from the comfort of her armchair in an air-conditioned living room with a 50-inches television in front of her. In many ways, she is enjoying , the best season of her life. Moments like these make me pause and reflect on how dramatically her life—and our family’s—has changed in just one generation. What made this transformation possible? How did it happen so quickly? These conversations always lead me back to a deeper question: What is progress—and what truly makes it possible?
Progress is the continuous pursuit of human flourishing, made possible by the opportunities for innovation that freedom provides. It is best understood as the ongoing search for more effective, efficient solutions to human challenges—solutions that improve the living conditions of societies. Progress can be broadly categorized into two forms: material progress ( technological, scientific, and economic advancements) and progress in capabilities (gains in intangible areas aspects such as education, health, and individual freedoms. History bears witness of periods of exceptionally rapid progress – like today’s Digital Age, which has been mostly driven by technology. Yet, the most significant transformations in human development have occurred during times of simultaneous innovation across multiple fields of human activity. This convergence could be described as comprehensive or integral progress.
While progress is a natural dynamic of human society, certain conditions can dramatically accelerate it. At its core, progress stems from human drive to overcome unmet needs. Innovation—defined as the process of finding faster, more efficient, more cost-effective, and easier ways to achieve outcomes—is the key response to that drive. However, for innovation to flourish, it must be nurtured in an environment of freedom. Progress accelerates when individuals are free to maximize their potential to create, and experiment with minimal coercive interference. Progress is only possible within a social structure that ensures equal freedom for all individuals to innovate, seize opportunities, and to own and enjoy private property. The greater the sense of freedom, the more willing people are to take risks. This is why the most dynamic centers of innovation are typically found in freer societies.
The acceleration of progress is highly dependent on the conditions under which it unfolds. When governments expand their control—as they inevitably tend to do—they often create environments that discourage the very activities that drive innovation and progress. Excessive government intervention, particularly through burdensome regulations and tax policies, can stifle creativity, disincentivize entrepreneurship, and slow the pace of progress. Equally critical is the protection of property rights. In societies where private property is secure, individuals are more motivated to innovate and improve their circumstances, knowing that they will be able to enjoy the benefits of their efforts. The assurance of ownership fosters invention, investment, and the pursuit of solutions that lead to lasting progress.
Progress—regardless of its form or impact—is the result of human initiative in response to unmet needs, resolved through innovation. At its core, freedom is the most accurate measure of a society’s capacity to progress. Throughout history, humanity has journeyed “between rivers”— from the early civilizations of Mesopotamia to the present—driven by the desire to improve life through innovation. Yet, history also shows that the most significant advancements, both material and intangible, have occurred in societies where individuals have enjoyed the greatest freedom to take risks, create, and benefit from their innovations.
