Capitalism vs. Socialism: The Campus Debate of the Year
One of them is from Athens. The other fled a socialist country. Tim Denson (Democratic Socialist, former Athens mayoral candidate & school board commissioner) faces Dr. Daniel Di Martino in a head-to-head debate on capitalism vs. socialism at the University of Georgia.
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Dr. Daniel Di Martino is a fellow at the Manhattan Institute, where his research focuses on immigration, selection, assimilation, and highly skilled immigration. He has appeared on Fox News and CNN and written for USA Today, National Review, City Journal and New York Post. He sits on the Board of Advisors of Young America’s Foundation’s Center for Entrepreneurship & Free Enterprise. Di Martino was born and raised in Venezuela. He arrived in the U.S. in 2016 committed to explaining how socialism destroyed his homeland. Di Martino earned his PhD in economics from Columbia University.
Tim Denson is a democratic socialist, community organizer, and mental health professional who has been active in Athens-area politics for more than a decade. He served as a member of the Athens-Clarke County Commission from 2019 to 2022 and currently serves on the Clarke County Board of Education. In 2026, he ran for Mayor of Athens-Clarke County, campaigning on a progressive platform focused on housing affordability, public services, and economic equity. He is also a member of the Athens Area Democratic Socialists of America and has been a prominent voice for democratic socialist policies in local government.
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This speech is part of the Freedom at 250 Debate Series.
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