U.S. History
Murray Rothbard and Jacksonian Banking
Rothbard saw at an early stage of his life as a graduate student that the Jacksonian period was a defining one in American history.
Secession: The First Wave
Throughout the 1850s, tensions over slavery continued to divide the Northern and Southern states. Finally, after the election of Abraham Lincoln, seven of the fifteen slave states broke away from the Union.
How the 1960’s Made Everything Worse
LBJ wanted to be remembered for his Great Society legacy. And he has his wish.
The Revenge Origins of the Sherman Antitrust Act
The origins of the Sherman Act provide an important reminder that politicians can be motivated by revenge, greed, hatred, jealously, and spite.
Why the President Said “No”
And yet I feel obliged to withhold my approval ... [for] the appropriation of public funds...
Why Businessmen Don’t Make Good Politicians
It is a common fallacy that if a person is successful in business, they will be a good politician. This is dangerously naive.
American Houses Keep Getting Bigger — And so Does American Debt
In spite of rising debt and worries about long term trends in affordability, new American houses and apartments are larger than they've ever been before.
The Election of 1860
Chris Calton discusses the political schisms exacerbated in the aftermath of John Brown’s raid on Harpers Ferry.
The Captured Economy: How the Powerful Enrich Themselves, Slow Economic Growth, and Increase Inequality
What should be done to end the Progressives influence over government and the economy and to promote the public good?