Bachmann to promote free market at Oxford

Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) is headed to the United Kingdom to speak at the Oxford Union, one of the world’s oldest debating societies. 

The outgoing congresswoman’s speech, to be given on Friday morning, is entitled “Seeds of Progress: The struggle between innovation and bureaucracy.”  According to her office, she will focus on how governments can check bureaucratic impulses that limit innovation and instead create a climate that promotes growth.

“It is a high honor to be invited to speak at the Oxford Union and share ideas with some of the brightest young minds in the world,” Bachmann said in a statement. “I believe that it is no coincidence that the greatest explosion of innovation in history accompanied our first experiments with political liberty and free enterprise. If we keep our societies open to innovation, we will continue to see breakthroughs that empower individuals to collaborate and transcend the bureaucracies that are thwarting progress.”

The Minnesota lawmaker was originally scheduled to speak on February 14, but the event was rescheduled to a month later.

Founded in 1823, Oxford Union is the debate society of Oxford, England, and primarily consists of students at Oxford University. The Union is one of the world’s most famous debating societies and has produced many of the United Kingdom’s leading politicians, including current mayor of London, Boris Johnson.

The Union is also known for attracting a wide array of prominent guest speakers. Past American speakers include former Presidents Richard Nixon, Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan, as well as recent Republican presidential contenders John McCain and Newt Gingrich.