In 1850, French economist Frédéric Bastiat published an essay that is misunderstood, or more often, unread, titled, “ That Which is Seen, and That Which is Not Seen .” Bastiat brilliantly illustrated, through the parable of the broken window, the destructive effects of unintended consequences that result from government intervention in the
Since Nixon severed the final link to gold in 1971, the US dollar has lost more than 80% of its purchasing power, wreaking havoc on ordinary savers, conservative investors, and households on fixed incomes. Today, inflationary monetary policy continues to be a foundational tenet of all presidential administrations as politicians and central bankers
The Dunning-Kruger effect is the idea that low-ability people tend to suffer from illusory superiority. The phenomenon, first studied by David Dunning and Justin Kruger, says that people who know the least tend to overvalue their own competence, and tend to believe that they are experiencing some sort of upper-echelon level of thinking. While
Competition is a good thing. It brings out the best in athletes. It brings out the best in students. It brings out the best in companies. Since monopolies remove the positive effects of competition, however, it makes sense to reexamine one of the most detrimental monopolies that ever existed. Most folks would probably agree that government-run
Gold clause contracts provide an avenue for states to promote the use and acceptance of gold and silver, and undermine the Fed’s monopoly on money. What Are Gold-Clause Contracts? Assuming you had the money, would you loan $10,000 to be paid back over 30 years plus 3 percent interest? What if price inflation skyrocketed? That would benefit the
Recognizing that the departure from gold and silver backing to our money has led to crushing debt and great financial instability, a few freedom-minded state legislatures have begun to consider how to defend themselves and their citizens. In particular, Utah has charted a path towards a widespread acceptance of gold and silver, declaring any gold
I grew up a block away from the 7-train, where I’d take a short ride from the 90th Street station to the Willets Point–Shea Stadium station to watch my favorite team, the New York Mets. Sitting in the stands as a young child, I learned quickly that there were a number of ways to obtain and interpret information. I could watch the umpire and
Two weeks ago, during a March 17 address to the nation in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, President Donald Trump asked that Americans work from home, postpone unnecessary travel, and limit social gatherings to no more than 10 people. And last week, on March 27, Trump signed a stimulus package of over $2 trillion dollars to provide relief to an
Alabama Governor Kay Ivey signed a bill on May 17 that removes all income taxes on capital gains from the sale of gold and silver, enabling the state to take an important step forward in reinforcing sound money principles. With this move, Alabama joins a growing number of states prioritizing the protection of citizens against the deleterious
(Frankfort, Kentucky) -- In a high-stakes showdown with Gov. Andy Beshear over a gold and silver sales tax exemption, the Kentucky legislature has deemed his attempted line-item veto as an illegal act -- and directed the Secretary of State to enroll the exemption into law. This action makes the Bluegrass State the 45th state in the nation to enact
What is the Mises Institute?
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.
Non-political, non-partisan, and non-PC, we advocate a radical shift in the intellectual climate, away from statism and toward a private property order. We believe that our foundational ideas are of permanent value, and oppose all efforts at compromise, sellout, and amalgamation of these ideas with fashionable political, cultural, and social doctrines inimical to their spirit.