Rothbard on War, Peace, and the State

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05/18/2026 Ryan McMaken

Ryan McMaken takes a look at Rothbard’s seminal 1963 essay “War, Peace, and the State.” We find that Rothbard was no pacifist, but supported defensive violence against aggressors. Rothbard also maintains war must be limited by respect for neutrals, and avoidance of weapons that target innocent non-combatants.

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The Mises Institute is a non-profit organization that exists to promote teaching and research in the Austrian School of economics, individual freedom, honest history, and international peace, in the tradition of Ludwig von Mises and Murray N. Rothbard.

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