Political Theory
Review ofLiberty and Hard Cases by Tibor Machan
Governments always attempt to exploit a crisis, and disasters provide a natural (no pun intended) excuse for them to do so. Their proffered “solutions” to problems(which they often create) invariably worsen those problems.
Review of The Myth of the Rational Voter: Why Democracies Choose Bad Policies by Bryan Caplan
Caplan has thought much about his topic. However, redefining policy preferences that he and probably most economists disagree with as “irrationality” is dubious
Review of “The Structure of Liberty: Justice and the Rule of Law” by Randy E. Barnett
The Structure of Liberty is an important new work by one of libertarianism's most significant and thoughtful legal scholars. Its primary substantive deficiency is its over-reliance on the Hayekian knowledge paradigm
Book Review: When States Fail: Causes and Consequences by Robert I. Rotberg
Do weak governments around the globe merit assistance? The premise of When States Fail: Causes and Consequences is that without strong government, society devolves into chaos.
Review of Hayek’s Liberalism and Its Origins: His Idea of Spontaneous Order and the Scottish Enlightenment, by Christinia Petsoulas
Hayek points to the works of Bernard Mandeville, David Hume, and Adam Smith as the primary origins of his social theory of spontaneous order.
Valentin de Foronda: Liberty, Property, and Security
Foronda is remembered for his contributions and as one of the first to popularize the new economic ideas in Spain.
The Synergy Trap: How Companies Lose the Acquisition Game, by Mark L. Sirower
Mr. Sirower has done a great service in pointing out the anomaly concerning large-company mergers. He has provided good evidence for the Austrian theory that antitrust policy is harmful to the competitive process and stand of living in society.
Causation and Aggression
In the context of legal analysis, one important praxeological doctrine is the distinction between action and mere behavior. The difference between action and behavior boils down to intent.
If a Pure Market Economy Is So Good, Why Doesn’t It Exist? The Importance of Changing Preferences Versus Incentives in Social Change
Many economists argue that a pure market economy cannot come about because people will always have incentives to use coercion.