The Theory of Interventionism

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Tags: Interventionism

06/14/2025 Mark Thornton

On this episode of Minor Issues, Mark Thornton dives into Murray Rothbard’s theory of interventionism. Mark explores how Rothbard sharply delineates the line between voluntary action in the free market and coercive government intervention. He deconstructs Rothbard’s typology—autistic, binary, and triangular interventions—and explains why only free markets improve utility for everyone, while intervention creates winners and losers. It’s a wake-up call for anyone who still thinks regulation and taxation are harmless.

Additional Resources

“The Economics of Violent Intervention in the Market” by Murray N. Rothbard (Man, Economy, and State with Power and Market, Chapter 12): https://mises.org/MES

“The Greatness of Man, Economy, and State“ by Lew Rockwell: https://mises.org/MI_124_A

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