The United States is rapidly heading toward a future that will require a decision from political authorities and elites of all types. The choice will be between peaceful radical decentralization—possibly including secession—on the one hand. On the other hand will be a ratcheting up of coercion and enforced “unity” to ensure political centralization. 

When it comes to production, capitalism and socialism are often presented as constituting extremes of a spectrum of economic organization, where control over the means of production is either entirely in the hands of profit-seeking private owners (the capitalists) at one extreme or in the hands central planners (supposedly acting for the benefit of society according to socialists) at the other extreme.

[The Influence and Significance of Human Action After 75 Years edited by Joseph T. Salerno (Mises Institute, 2026; v +256 pp.)]

The Mises Institute held a conference in 2024 to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the publication of Human Action in 1949; and, in the present volume, the papers presented at that conference have been published. The contributors to the book reflect the vast scope of the book about which they have written. 

The news, bloggers, social media, everyone is talking about the looming interest rate and bond crisis. They mention the war in Iran, price inflation, oil shocks, and even mystery sellers who are allegedly dumping U.S. Treasuries. While they’re not wrong, since these influence rates, there is a massive component completely missing from the mainstream narrative. Let’s unmask this using our causal-realist approach.

This year in the United States, we recognize the 250th anniversary of the final presentation of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. To the informed readers of the Declaration—mainly penned by Thomas Jefferson, but with the help of others—it is evident that Jefferson borrowed concepts and language from John Locke in terms of rights, the role of government, and consent.