Nock’s Enemy, the State
There are two ways in which people in a community can coexist. One is by peaceful cooperation, and the other is by taking what others have produced.
There are two ways in which people in a community can coexist. One is by peaceful cooperation, and the other is by taking what others have produced.
It is a benefit of sound economic theory that it proves very useful in the refutation of popular fallacies and misconceptions about the workings of the market economy.
Congress recently passed a “continuing resolution” to avoid a government shutdown. We are good to go now.
Another national election has come and gone, and like many of our readers, I think the less awful candidate won. After all, a victory for Kamala Harris was likely to be interpreted as an endorsement of the status quo and a “mandate” for more of the same.
The watchword among progressives this election season is: “Nothing less than our democracy is at stake.” In truth, democracy itself is not in danger, but one can accurately say that “democracy,” as practiced in the US, endangers our lives.
The Washington political establishment is alarmed that President-elect Trump wants to appoint Kash Patel as FBI director, claiming that Trump's choice will “politicize” the FBI. However, the FBI has always acted as secret police for the established political class.
Using state power to enforce social orthodoxy is always a recipe for disaster. Radical Republican governments in the post-war South attempted to do just that, sowing seeds of hatred and discord in the process.
While it is tempting to think of state power as being maintained by sheer force, it still needs a “theological” justification, be it secular or religious. The US state is no exception.
Contrary to anti-freedom myths, "greedy" business owners don't decide what prices will be for goods and services.
Capitalism is characterized by the private ownership of capital, coming from Lockean homesteading principles, and not from state coercion and force.