What is the Mises Institute?

The Mises Institute is a non-profit organization that exists to promote teaching and research in the Austrian School of economics, individual freedom, honest history, and international peace, in the tradition of Ludwig von Mises and Murray N. Rothbard. Non-political, non-partisan, and non-PC, we advocate a radical shift in the intellectual climate, away from statism and toward a private property order. We believe that our foundational ideas are of permanent value, and oppose all efforts at compromise, sellout, and amalgamation of these ideas with fashionable political, cultural, and social doctrines inimical to their spirit.

“As long as it is kept within certain limits, inflation is an excellent psychological support of an economic policy which lives on the consumption of capital.” (Ludwig von Mises, Socialism, pp. 448-9)What causes economic growth? Is it a reduction in tariffs? Is it a cut in tax rates? Is it cutting red tape and bureaucracy? While each might stimulate or encourage economic growth, none of these choices causes growth. Economic growth is the result of an entrepreneur employing a new method that reduces the cost of production. Costs can be reduced in several ways. Newly discovered resources will reduce costs. A new technique that saves time, labor, or resources also reduces costs. And, often overlooked, are the cost reductions, which come from resource allocation according to the law of

Of all the areas that economics students need to master, counterfactual reasoning is near the top of the list. Counterfactual reasoning is outlining and comparing the differences and similarities between two alternatives. While everyone uses counterfactual reasoning, such as choosing what to have for lunch, economists look at deeper and more remote consequences. A typical example that students are asked to examine is the effects of price controls — what happens when a price ceiling is imposed below the equilibrium price versus what happens in a free market? The most obvious answer is that shortages develop. People quickly buy as many items as possible while suppliers hesitate to restock.Shortages are politically unpopular. A cause of permanent shortages is the price ceiling. Price ceilings

What is the Mises Institute?

The Mises Institute is a non-profit organization that exists to promote teaching and research in the Austrian School of economics, individual freedom, honest history, and international peace, in the tradition of Ludwig von Mises and Murray N. Rothbard. Non-political, non-partisan, and non-PC, we advocate a radical shift in the intellectual climate, away from statism and toward a private property order. We believe that our foundational ideas are of permanent value, and oppose all efforts at compromise, sellout, and amalgamation of these ideas with fashionable political, cultural, and social doctrines inimical to their spirit.

Did someone recently flip a switch? It seems as though Wokeism, the Great Reset, ESG, DEI, and an assortment of other radical left-wing positions, have just taken over. It is in the movies, media, sports, finance, retail businesses, and even in the beer industry. Yet, it is not a uniquely American phenomenon. Wokeism is a part of the international Zeitgeist. For example, this past June, I inadvertently experienced a huge “Pride” parade (reported as having tens of thousands of participants) in Wroclaw, Poland. (Photos not included.) Yet although the Woke agenda seems to be dominating everything, the mask is slowly being peeled away and some are starting to recognize the truly authoritarian agenda that had been so carefully hidden.
Wokeism exploded into our lives because it took advantage of

We have been locked down for weeks. Classes have been canceled. Only essential activities are allowed. Although there is much to cover and analyze, I want to focus on the economics of the situation. To understate it, the situation today is simply not good. The COVID-19 crisis has caused the world to lock down the population, which essentially ceased most commerce.