[Originally published May 19, 2010.] There is something to Trotsky’s vision of man under communism. From all historical appearances, man under a totalitarian state functions differently than a man under liberty. And degrees of man exist as society slowly turns from liberty to slavery. The prevailing view is that man under socialized healthcare
The flame must have burned dull, since it burned unnoticed. Then without warning it brightened, revealing the face of a criminal. I called my children in close. “Let’s go home,” I said in a low voice. We withdrew from the parking lot, disappointed frowns marching homeward, while I turned to keep an eye fixed on the lonely car and its driver. The
In our world of interventionist laws and regulations, I have found a Rothbardian island, so to speak — a place where the ethics of liberty live. [1] My island is an online-auction site. Because this site is similar to myriad other auction sites, I will only provide a quick overview of the rules: Sellers offer items for sale or auction. The seller
Even two decades later, I still have vivid memories of my first job after college. I worked at the headquarters of a privately owned home-improvement company — a company that continues to operate stores throughout the United States. I was employed as a programmer, sitting at a small desk without privacy walls set inside a drab Quonset hut with
I live a short drive from work. Due to growth in the area, rush-hour traffic occasionally reduces my afternoon commute to a walking pace. And sometimes it gets even worse. At issue are a traffic light and the stretch of road leading up to it from the south. The sketch approximates the situation. The road has three lanes: a northbound lane, a
As a former competitive cyclist (not to be confused with world-class cyclist), I have opinions about other cyclists and on cycling in general. In particular, I have strong opinions of Lance Armstrong. Now I am not an Armstrong fan — far from it. My reasons are personal, related to how I feel Armstrong (someone I have never met) has treated those
In the absence of prices, could a central planner efficiently run an economy? Before you answer, I’ll drop the Hayekian proviso that the planner be vile. Instead, I’ll only ask you to consider a planner who is a soccer mom wanting to maximize happiness among all. Would you still answer in the negative? I live in a neighborhood that has an
If I were a business owner, must I sell to you? If you answer yes, you must balance that requirement with your obligation to buy from me. All trade is bilateral. Well, to be more exact, and since we live in a country where a nebby uncle named Sam interferes in many trades, it is better to state that all free trade is bilateral. In a modern
With the recent court decisions — and lack thereof — in the case involving Elaine and Jonathan Huguenin and their refusal to photograph the commitment ceremony of a lesbian couple, we find ourselves ever further down what appears to be a slippery slope to slavery. A cursory review of the decision of the New Mexico State Supreme Court suggests it
Some 27 years ago, I spent two weeks in Yugoslavia, the supposed workers’ paradise cobbled together by the strong arm of Marshal Tito. And, if my memory serves, the country was an overflowing candy store — a middle schooler’s sweet-toothed delight. Socialism as a candy store? Sure. But you have to consider the question and its answer in context.
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.