In 1896, Brooks Adams wrote a book called The Law of Civilization and Decay . Like most late-19th-century commentators, he believed that his country was nearing a watershed in its history. But unless America rallied around a strong leader, the center of world power, which he thought might be about to shift from England to the United States, would
[Foreword to Liberalism by Ludwig von Mises] Any political philosophy must address itself to a central question: under what conditions is the initiation of violence to be considered legitimate? One philosophy may endorse such violence on behalf of the interests of a majority racial group, as with the National Socialists of Germany. Another may
The Smithsonian’s exhibition label explains: “What kind of industry does the man holding the levers control in Paul Kelpe’s painting Machinery ? There are no hints; the smokestacks emit no smoke and no product piles up on the factory floor. In fact, Kelpe’s mechanism manufactures nothing.” Discussions of the economy, especially during times of
Having just finished a course on the New Deal for the Mises Academy, I’m now offering one on state nullification , the subject of my most recent book . I thought my New Deal course covered issues and sources left out of the typical classroom, but in that respect this course has that one beat. Nullification is the Jeffersonian idea that the states
As many readers doubtless already know, David Nolan, a founder of the Libertarian Party, died yesterday in Tucson, Arizona. He was on the side of the angels, so to speak, on the issues so many of us care about. He was also a model of civility: he could disagree with others without purging or smearing them — a vanishing quality in our world. I’ve
As Lew Rockwell mentions in his article today, the wonderful new Instituto Mises Brasil sponsored the first-ever conference on Austrian economics this week. Hundreds were there, with most of them under 25. It was a thrill and an honor to speak and take part. I also had a chance to speak at the huge Forum da Liberdade , for which an incredible 5500
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.