This article is the foreword to The World at War by Ralph Raico, edited and annotated by Edward Fuller. Buy the book at the Mises store. 

The twentieth century was a century of war, which means it was also a century of tragedy. The full extent of this tragedy, however, is often hidden by the popular narratives of the world wars that continue to be pushed in the West, especially among Americans. 

In late November, the seemingly dormant civil war in Syria reignited and Syrian rebel groups began a new drive across western Syria. At first, the rebels captured Aleppo and Hama, and then moved on to the capital Damascus, finally toppling the Assad regime. 

The fall of the Assad regime—the last secular Arab regime—represents a victory for Islamist, terrorist insurgents and their allies. These terrorists’ allies, most especially the US and the State of Israel. 

Many economists wrongly assume economic activity is accurately presented as a circular flow of money. Spending by one individual becomes part of the earnings of another individual; spending by another individual becomes part of the first individual’s earnings. Assuming this, recessions are because individuals—for whatever psychological reasons—have decided to cut down on their expenditure and raise their savings.

Israelis and their lickspittles pitch a fit when the language of the Nazi Holocaust is applied to the genocide Israel is perpetrating upon the Palestinians. So here goes:

On April 1, 2024 California bill AB 1228 went into effect, raising the minimum wage to $20 an hour for fast food restaurant workers. The media pundits largely celebrated the bill’s boldness.