"Bastiat Prize for Writers Who Defend the Institutions of the Free Society"

-- including the new $3,000 Online Journalism prize -- is now open. Full details at http://www.bastiatprize.org; the deadline for submissions is June 30. "Started in 2002, the Bastiat Prize was inspired by 19th-century French philosopher Frédéric Bastiat’s compelling defence of liberty and eloquent explanations of complex economic issues. Judges have included former UK Chancellor Lord Lawson, Pulitzer prize-winning author Anne Applebaum, former Bastiat Prize winner and best-selling author Amity Shlaes, Lady Thatcher and Nobel laureates James Buchanan and the late Milton Friedman."

"Last year’s competition" -- which didn't include an Online Journalism category -- "attracted over 250 entrants from more than 50 countries. The winner was Barton Hinkle, deputy op-ed editor and columnist for the Richmond Times-Dispatch. Second and third prizes went to Swaminathan Aiyar, Consulting Editor of the Economic Times and Times of India, and Fraser Nelson, Political Editor of The Spectator. Previous winners include Amit Varma of Mint (India), Robert Guest of The Economist and Brian Carney of The Wall Street Journal."