What set in motion the explosive technological advance of the last 250 years was the world of ideas. Great thinkers began to understand the internal logic of the market economy and its potential for liberating mankind from poverty, dependency, and despotic rule.
While it is perfectly clear that an individual capitalist or speculator may make losses on the stock exchange, it is very doubtful whether "society" can make such losses. The question with which we are concerned here is whether an individual's losses from domestic stock exchange transactions represent a loss to the society to which that individual belongs.
My 7-year old daughter asked me the other day whether I was born before email. "Yes," I confessed. Then she quickly followed up: "Where you born before plastic?" "No," I said, "I was born after plastic but before email." Satisfied that she had placed me within the structure of the history of the world, she went back to her weekend play.
A federal judge rules: No drilling allowed. Tibor Machan explains why this is not a "victory for the California coast."
Wal-Mart, beloved by most all regular Americans, is the latest victim of the discrimination police. Thomas Woods decries the attack.
Manuel Asensio is better than the SEC when it comes to ferreting out stock scams—and, therefore, performs a fabulous market function by selling short. Christopher Mayer explains.
Wal-Mart has come under fire, even now, for selling gasoline at prices that some state legislators say are too low. William Anderson debunks the charge.
The teachings of Carl Menger and Ludwig von Mises offer the answer to those who say we should dismantle civilization to meet the supposed needs of nature. A very powerful speech by George Reisman.
Just as the antitrust suit seems to be burning itself out, the enemies of Microsoft have launched another sneak attack, writes Lew Rockwell.
Al Hunt of the Wall Street Journal is excited. The leftist columnist believes that he has found a wonderful "Third Way" example of using government to help poor people without the whole thing becoming yet another socialist giveaway. However, as with most government schemes that Hunt and his statist media colleagues like to tout, the latest example of "social entrepreneurship" is simply another fraud at worst and a misuse of resources at best.
