Category Archive: 6b.) Mises.org
The Progressive Road to Socialism
There has been a radical change in the social and political landscape in this country, and any person who desires the victory of liberty and the defeat of Leviathan must adjust his strategy accordingly. New times require a rethinking of old and possibly obsolete strategies. —Murray N. Rothbard1
Murray Rothbard wrote the above words in 1994, shortly before his untimely passing. They sum up the main theme of a series of brilliant articles that he...
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Napoleon: Europe’s First Egalitarian Despot
With the release of Ridley Scott's new film Napoleon, viewers encounter a cinematic version of Napoleon caught up in a tumultuous romance against the backdrop of the upheavals of the Napoleonic wars.
This has revived interest in the French military commander and left many wondering what they are to make of the real, historical Napoleon. For many Americans in the audience—who, unlike Europeans, devote virtually no time to Napoleon in school—this...
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Hostage Extraction Needs to be Privatized
In the aftermath of Hamas's taking hostages in its conflict with Israel, the question arises: Who pays the ransom? State-financed payments lead to the worst outcomes and create moral hazards.
Original Article: Hostage Extraction Needs to be Privatized
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What “Just War Theory” Really Means
Ryan and Zachary discuss the basics of Just War Theory and whether a "moral war" is possible. They also discuss the theory's origins in natural law, and how the theory relates to pacifism, wealth, and war crimes.
Be sure to follow War, Economy, and State at Mises.org/WES.
Additional Resources
"Get the US Out of the Middle East" by Ryan McMaken: Mises.org/WES_15_A
"American History Is a Preview of the...
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Today Is the Best Day of the Year to Rob a Bank
Depression-era bank robber Willie Sutton, when asked why he robbed banks, replied, “Because that’s where the money is.” By “money,” he meant United States currency. He never indicated how he scheduled his robberies, but some days of the year may be more profitable for bank robberies than others.
Disclaimer: Neither I nor the Mises Wire in any way endorses bank robbery, which is a federal crime.
First, here are some facts about US “folding money,”...
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Liberty: Stifled by the Stockholm Syndrome
Governments regularly suppress freedom—yet few complain. One wonders if Stockholm syndrome is at work.
Original Article: Liberty: Stifled by the Stockholm Syndrome
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The United States Needs Its Own Javier Milei
On Sunday, the populist Austrolibertarian Javier Milei was elected president of Argentina. In the United States, the reaction ranged from concerned curiosity on the part of the political establishment to enthusiastic celebration across the populist Right—including, notably, some economic nationalists. Several renowned libertarians also brought attention to some of Milei’s many flaws, such as his views on geopolitics.
Milei’s libertarian skeptics...
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You’re Paying for the Israel War. You’ll Also Pay for the Refugees.
Resettling Gazans in America—at taxpayer expense—will be sold as a "humanitarian" effort, but anyone who sees through the propaganda will see that it's really all a cynical effort to please Israeli politicians.
Original Article: You're Paying for the Israel War. You'll Also Pay for the Refugees.
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Easy Money Undermines Social Mobility
Central banks around the world target a stable price inflation rate of 2 percent annually over the medium term. This is widely considered to be monetary policy’s most important contribution to the smooth functioning of a dynamic economy. This view is wrong on multiple grounds, but there is one problem with it that is commonly ignored. Inflation, even if it remains relatively moderate, can contribute to rising inequality and undermine social...
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Can Econometric Models Provide a Laboratory Setting for Economic Analysis?
Econometric model building attempts to produce a laboratory with controlled variables. By means of mathematical and statistical methods, an economist establishes functional relationships between various economic variables.
For example, personal consumer outlays are related to personal disposable income and interest rates, while fixed capital investments are explained by the past stock of capital, interest rates, and economic activity. A group of...
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Blaming the Free Market (Even Where It Doesn’t Exist)
Nobel Prize winner Angus Deaton claims that the free market cannot provide adequate medical care. Of course, he goes on to describe government failure but calls it a free market.
Original Article: Blaming the Free Market (Even Where It Doesn't Exist)
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Fear of Failure is Vital to the Success of a Free Market Economy
It has become popular, especially in certain fields and among certain crowds, to glorify failure. So-called entrepreneurs and social influencers often brag about their failures. Multinational corporations publish poems encouraging failure. Vapid mottos rejecting the fear of failure are ubiquitous on motivational posters and T-shirts.
These efforts are apparently meant to convey an enterprising spirit and a fearlessness about trying new things in an...
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Milei’s Long-Term Victory Depends on Him Winning in the Battle of Ideas
On Sunday, Javier Milei was elected president of Argentina by a comfortable margin, with 56 percent of the vote. He will be sworn in as president on December 10.
Over the past year, however, Milei has made a name for himself as an extremely vocal critic of socialism, central banks, and many types of government intervention in general. He has become memorable for fiery commentary condemning the Left's ideology and tactics while expressing an...
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American History Is a Preview of the Israel-Palestine End Game
How the Israel-Gaza war ends is easy to imagine because it's following a path that has been trod many times before. We've seen it many times during conflicts between settler populations and indigenous populations worldwide
Original Article: American History Is a Preview of the Israel-Palestine End Game
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Libertarianism and the Importance of Understanding Causality
Even though support for the free market has become stronger in the last decades, libertarianism can still only be considered a fringe movement. Most people still believe that many social problems are due to “market failure” and therefore require state intervention to be “solved.” Despite the obvious flaws of modern socialism—with its unlikely combination of a redistributive welfare state and globalist crony capitalism—and despite libertarianism’s...
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Preserving the Statist Quo: Creating a Generation of Welfare-ing, Libertine Narcissists
Regardless of one’s opinion on Israel and Palestine, people can agree that killing innocent civilians, wherever they’re from, is horrible, and whoever takes hostages for bargaining chips in negotiations is a horrific human being.
Such is the case of the ongoing siege of Gaza. One has to wonder why Hamas decided that the best course of action was to commit atrocities and kidnap civilians, only to elicit a response amounting to war crimes against...
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Coauthor of War College Journal Article Tries to Backtrack on Call for “Partial Conscription”
After an earlier article by Zachary Yost on a call by military “experts” to reinstate the military draft, the authors of the original paper are trying to back off on their original recommendation. But there is no doubt as to what they want the government to do.
Original Article: Coauthor of War College Journal Article Tries to Backtrack on Call for "Partial Conscription"
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Statism Is the Cause of the Israel-Hamas War
This latest Middle East conflict is ultimately little more than gang warfare. We oppose it as a matter of principle.
Original Article: Statism Is the Cause of the Israel-Hamas War
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Mohamed El-Erian’s New Views on the Fed
In this week's episode Mark reports on Pimco's former financial guru Mohamed El-Erian and his new views on the Fed. Mark also does some minor deconstruction of recent financial news to paint a clearer picture of imminent recession—something mainstream economists will be reluctant to call until 2025.
Be sure to follow Minor Issues at Mises.org/MinorIssues.
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