Category Archive: 6b) Austrian Economics

Energy Prices

While talk of high gas prices is no longer a headline issue, energy economics is still a vitally important aspect of understanding the economy, including the business cycle. Mark explains the basics, tells us where we now stand, and what the major implications are for the near future. Be sure to follow Minor Issues at Mises.org/MinorIssues.

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Coto Mixto: Anarchy in Galicia

A concrete example of an anarchic order existed within Spain, on the current border between Spain and Portugal, in the kingdoms of Castilla and Galicia. By “anarchy” I mean the abolition of centralized power, not the abolition of authority as leftists conceive it to be. One such regime was called Coto Mixto. It was a small territory located in the basin of the Salas River. Coto Mixto’s residents avoided the control of Spain and Portugal from...

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Property Rights, Civilization, and Their Enemies

[This article is adapted from a lecture delivered at the Reno Mises Circle in Reno, Nevada. on May 20, 2023.] It is not an exaggeration to say that property rights are a prerequisite for civilization. As Ludwig von Mises wrote in The Free and Prosperous Commonwealth: Private property creates for the individual a sphere in which he is free of the state. It sets limits to the operation of the authoritarian will. It allows other forces to arise side...

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The Whiskey Rebellion: A Model for Our Time?

The Free Market 12, no. 9 (September 1994) In recent years, Americans have been subjected to a concerted assault upon their national symbols, holidays, and anniversaries. Washington's Birthday has been forgotten, and Christopher Columbus has been denigrated as an evil Euro-White male, while new and obscure anniversary celebrations have been foisted upon us. New heroes have been manufactured to represent "oppressed groups" and paraded...

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Summer Fellowship 2024

Fellowships in Residence at the Mises Institute in Auburn, Alabama, are available to graduate students and post-docs interested in scientific research in the Austrian school and libertarian political economy. These Fellowships offer a unique opportunity for full-time research and writing in a particular area of specialization under the guidance of Institute faculty. The program targets students seeking careers as academic educators and researchers,...

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There’s No Place like Noam

Noam Chomsky's latest offering—a series of interviews—presents the best (and worst) of one of America's premier public intellectuals. Original Article: "There's No Place like Noam"

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Opposing Critical Race Theory Doesn’t Make You a “White Supremacist”

Kimberlé Crenshaw, one of the founders of critical race theory (CRT), recently decried what she called the “war on wokeness” (by which she seems to mean a war on CRT). According to her, this “war on wokeness” is “the road to an authoritarian state that’s paved through the history of white supremacy.” It’s true that the “war on wokeness” has taken on authoritarian overtones of late. Many Republicans are rejecting the ideas of pluralism and free...

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Do People Value Money Because They Need It to Pay Taxes?

Per Bylund joins Bob to discuss his new paper at the QJAE, which points out several flaws in the MMT claim that money is valued in order to pay taxes. Per's QJAE article: Mises.org/HAP398a Do People Value Money Because They Need It to Pay Taxes? Video of Do People Value Money Because They Need It to Pay Taxes?

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Edmund Phelps on Egalitarianism

The eminent economist Edmund Phelps is a “liberal” in the modern sense, not a libertarian, but in his recent book My Journeys in Economic Theory (Columbia University Press, 2023), he makes a number of points that those of us who are libertarians will find useful. Opponents of rights-based libertarianism like Andrew Koppelman in his book Burning Down the House say that without government welfare programs, the poor would perish. This outcome is fine...

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Biden Wants Sanctions for Uganda Because Its Government Passed Anti-LGBT Laws

In an excellent display of how US foreign policy can be used as a means of pandering to domestic interest groups, the Biden administration has threatened to impose sanctions on Uganda as punishment for that regime's adoption of new laws criminalizing some types of homosexual behavior.  While it is abundantly clear that this move from the Ugandan state presents absolutely no threat to any vital US interest, the Biden administration apparently...

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Banks Are Lending Less Money, and That’s a Formula for Recession

A new Fed survey shows that banks are cutting back on lending big time. Over the past thirty-five years, this almost always predicts recession. Our economy can't survive without endless new infusions of easy money.  Original Article: "Banks Are Lending Less Money, and That's a Formula for Recession"

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Is the US Banking Crisis Over? It Has Barely Begun

According to some commentators, the US banking crises is over, or at least can be easily managed by the Federal Reserve System. In addition, the Fed chairman has vouched for the health of the US banking sector. However, the banking crisis is likely in its early stages. What has started as the collapse of regional banks is likely to spread to national banks. The key reason for that is the decline in the pool of savings and continuation of fractional...

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The Attack on the Western Tradition

[This article is adapted from a lecture delivered at the Reno Mises Circle in Reno, Nevada. on May 20, 2023.] We are faced today with a concentrated attack on the great thinkers of the Western tradition, who are dismissed as “dead white European males.” Robert Nozick used to say that what offended him most in this phrase was the word “dead.” It’s not nice to beat up on people who can’t fight back because they are no longer here! But the attack I’m...

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Government Redistribution Is the REAL Trickle-Down Economics

President Biden recently claimed that "trickle-down economics" doesn't work but transferring wealth from taxpayers to politically connected people is the real trickle-down economics. Original Article: "Government Redistribution Is the REAL Trickle-Down Economics"

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A Rothbardian History of the United States

In this episode of Radio Rothbard, Ryan McMaken and Tho Bishop take a revisionist Rothbardian lens to American history. Was the American revolution a good thing? Was Andrew Jackson better than Thomas Jefferson? Does a historical narrative really matter? Tune in for this and more! [embedded content] New Radio Rothbard mugs are now available at the Mises Store. Get yours at Mises.org/RothMug  PROMO CODE: RothPod for 20% off

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The Real Costs of Government Spending

In this episode of Good Money, Tho Bishop is joined by Dr. Jonathan Newman to discuss the real costs of government spending. The end of the debt ceiling battle has resulted in the predictable outcome of normalizing the fiscal insanity of covid-era spending. Tho and Jonathan discuss how this was predictable to those familiar with the work of Dr. Robert Higgs, how mainstream GDP measures miss the true costs of government, and alternative approaches...

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The Republican Debt-Ceiling “Deal” Is Exactly What We Expected

After countless predictions of economic armaggeddon and panicky entreaties to raise the debt ceiling with no strings attached, the Biden White House and Congressional Republicans agreed on a new budget deal this week that does virtually nothing at all to change the status quo. The deal in no way returns federal spending to pre-covid levels. At best, the deal does "limit" spending by placing tentative caps on spending which—assuming they...

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Can We Understand AI? A Response to Jordan Peterson’s Podcast

Like snobby teenagers claim of themselves, many say that “nobody understands artificial intelligence (AI).” For example, in a recent interview between Jordan Peterson and Brian Roemmele about ChatGPT, Jordan Peterson claimed that “The system is too complex to model” and each AI system is not only incomprehensible but unique. He further claims that “some of these AI systems, they’ve [AI experts] managed to reduce what they do learn to something...

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The “Buy Black” Movement: Divisive or a Boon to Black Entrepreneurs?

Calls for black consumers to "Buy Black" can be interpreted as socially divisive, but they are also a way to encourage black entrepreneurs in a free market. Original Article: "The "Buy Black" Movement: Divisive or a Boon to Black Entrepreneurs?"

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Smarter Talk Is Smarter Action

Americans have long thought of themselves as people of action. As Leonard Read noted in his article “How to Gain Liberty,” the sentiment “I want less talk and more action” is (or at least once was) common among Americans. It even extends to situations when people recognize that their liberties are threatened. But then the question arises as to what sorts of action are appropriate in defense of our liberties: Thus speak Americans when they suddenly...

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