Earlier this month, the

Some economists such as Nobel Laureate Paul Krugman hold that during an economic slump it is the duty of the government to run large budget deficits in order to keep the economy going. On this score — given that from 2011 to 2014 the rate of growth of real gross domestic product (GDP) hovered at around 2 percent — many experts are of the view that the budget deficit, which stood at $483 billion in 2014, wasn’t large enough.

Mises Daily Monday by Peter St. Onge.

“Giving back” is big these days, but how can we know if we’re really making a contribution that someone values? Economics, fortunately, gives us an answer: the best way to “give back” is to earn honest money.

Those looking for a profound spiritual or religious message in Ridley Scott’s new film Exodus: Gods and Kings, will probably be better off re-watching Raiders of the Lost Ark instead.

Mises Daily Weekend by David Gordon: 

David Gordon explains how Hans-Hermann Hoppe, while avoiding undue pessimism, takes the conventional view of “progress” in Western society and turns the narrative on its head.

Here is an interesting table comparing 9 schools of economic thought. You can certainly quibble with some of the content, but it makes for a good “cheat sheet” for a history of economic thought class or a lecture on schools of economics. Interestingly, the Austrian school is the “middle of the road” of the table. The “Developmentalist” school appears to be the post-WWII name for Mercantilism.

Mises Daily Friday by Lew Rockwell:

I was once told that Rothbard had an ‘unfair advantage,’” Lew Rockwell writes, “because all his works are available for free on the web, thanks to our donors. Give me more such unfairness!

Mises Daily Thursday by Dale Steinreich.

Christmas is the most pro-capitalist of all holidays because its worldly joys are based on private property, voluntary exchange, and mutual benefit. It’s also one of the least political of all major holidays.

This weekend we’re pleased to feature a talk by David Gordon from our recent Mises Circle event in California. In less than 20 minutes David takes us through a compelling survey of Plato, Aristotle, Stoic philosopher Zeno of Citium, Frenchman Frederic Bastiat, and into the 20th century with Franz Oppenheimer and Albert Jay Nock.