Culture & the Libertarian Heritage

The Libertarian Legacy of R.C. Hoiles, Part 2

by Wendy McElroy July 1, 2010

Part 1 | Part 2 Hoiles began his newspaper career by working for the Alliance Review (Ohio), a daily owned by his brother Frank. In 1919, he and Frank bought the Lorain Times Herald, (Ohio), of which R.C. owned two-thirds. In 1921, they each purchased a one-third share in the Mansfield News (Ohio), ...

Serving the Empire, Killing for Lies

by Sheldon Richman June 3, 2010

We made it through another Memorial Day. Thankfully, most people think of it as just the start of summer. They don’t seem to use it as America’s political leaders have long wanted: as a day of reverence for America’s world domination. In his radio address this past Saturday President Obama urged all Americans to “serve” the members of the armed ...

Leading Humanity out of the Darkness, Part 1

by Jacob G. Hornberger June 1, 2010

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 The ancient Chinese symbol for “crisis” perfectly depicts the situation currently facing the American people. That symbol was actually composed of two separate symbols. One was the symbol for “danger” and the other was the symbol for “opportunity.” The danger we face as Americans comes in the ...

Unnatural Law, Natural Tyranny, Part 3

by William L. Anderson June 1, 2010

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 It is not surprising that the viewpoints discussed in Part 2 also would transform criminal law. Americans had inherited from Great Britain the common law, in which the criminal portion was based on the doctrine of malum in se. That meant that criminal acts, such as murder, robbery, and other ...

The Libertarian Legacy of R.C. Hoiles, Part 1

by Wendy McElroy June 1, 2010

Part 1 | Part 2 The libertarian publishing giant Raymond Cyrus Hoiles created the newspaper and media chain known as Freedom Communications. He was an immensely successful businessman who opposed all governmental privileges for business. As a self-made man, he deeply respected the “working man” and willingly did the “grunt work” involved in ...

Capitalism and the Free Market, Part 1

by Sheldon Richman May 1, 2010

Part 1 | Part 2 Writing in the Guardian last January under the headline “Caribbean Communism v. Capitalism,” respected journalist Stephen Kinzer began his article like this (https://tinyurl.com/y8wfrxb): Visiting unhappy Cuba is especially thought-provoking for anyone familiar with its unhappy neighbours. Cubans live difficult lives and have much to complain about. So do Jamaicans, Dominicans, Haitians, Guatemalans, Hondurans, Salvadorans, and ...

Unnatural Law, Natural Tyranny, Part 2

by William L. Anderson May 1, 2010

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 While the founding of the United States (and its legal system based on the English common law) was carried out by people who believed strongly in natural law, nonetheless the seeds of dissent were already being sown in England. Jeremy Bentham, a philosopher who also had a strong effect on ...

Why Do Daily Kos and Alternet Support a Racist Program?

by Jacob G. Hornberger April 28, 2010

With the possible exception of the war on drugs and public (i.e., government) schools, it would be difficult to find a government program that is more damaging to inner-city poor people, especially blacks, than the minimum wage. Yet, liberals, who have longed claimed to love the poor, needy, and disadvantaged, especially racial minorities, continue to steadfastly support this vicious ...

Is a Real Anti-Government Movement Forming?

by Sheldon Richman April 23, 2010

Finally some good news. From the Associated Press: “Public confidence in government is at one of the lowest points in a half century, according to a survey from the Pew Research Center. Nearly 8 in 10 Americans say they don't trust the federal government and have little faith it can solve America's ills, the survey found.... About half say they ...

Economic Ignorance and Liberal Hypocrisy at Dailykos.com

by Jacob G. Hornberger April 19, 2010

A liberal named John Sumner, who goes by the pseudonym Devilstower, has weighed into the debate originally inspired by my article “Liberal Delusions about Freedom.” Sumner’s article, “What Conservatives Mean When They Say ‘Libertarian’,” which appeared yesterday on the liberal website Dailykos.com, reveals a lot about the liberal mindset as well as the ...

The New Road to Serfdom and the Continuing Relevance of Austrian Economics (video)

by Richard M. Ebeling April 10, 2010

On April 5, 2010, Richard Ebeling gave the following speech at The Future of Freedom Foundations Economic Liberty Lecture Series. The speech can viewed below in its entirety.

Unnatural Law, Natural Tyranny, Part 1

by William L. Anderson April 1, 2010

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 A typical federal courtroom scene has the trappings of ages gone by. The judge wears a black robe, everyone stands when he enters, the bailiff utters the “Oyez” sayings, and much of the language is the same as what might have been said two centuries ago in an American or ...