Decentralization and Secession

Millions of Americans have no conception of economics, and simply don’t believe tradeoffs exist.

Political decentralization in modern times has shown itself to be the most potent intellectual restraint on the growth of Leviathan. The Constitution is not enough.

For the libertarian, the way forward is not joining in left-right political boxing matches, but secession. The success of libertarianism is independence from the state’s influence.

Often, when the “smash the state” position is invoked—especially among those less familiar with the state as an institution—further investigation reveals a dangerous lack of precision about what exactly the state is.

The present Trudeau administration has continued straining economic relations with the western provinces. And the government’s tough lockdowns have heightened polarization in Canadian politics,

Jörg Guido Hülsmann examines the economics of guerrilla warfare and how secessionist movements can succeed against a larger state. 

Presented at Mises University 2021.

For the libertarian, the way forward is not joining in left-right political boxing matches, but secession. The success of libertarianism is independence from the state’s influence.

The United States has long supported the idea of secession and "self-determination" for some faraway colonies. But the US regime is careful to define self-determination so as to deny any chance of secession closer to home.

In June 2021, Missouri passed a new law stating it would not assist in the enforcement of federal gun laws. Tho and Ryan discuss how states can use strategies like this to resist federal laws within the states.