Explore Freedom

Economic Ideas: Frédéric Bastiat on the Law of Liberty and Free Markets

by Richard M. Ebeling May 30, 2017

The defense of economic liberty has never been an easy task. Adam Smith expressed his own despair at this problem in The Wealth of Nations. After presenting his powerful criticisms of mercantilism—the eighteenth-century system of government regulation and planning—he despondently suggested that free trade in Great Britain was as unlikely as the establishment of a utopia. He said that two ... [click for more]

The Republic Has Fallen

by John W. Whitehead May 25, 2017

“You have such a fervent, passionate, evangelical faith in this country…why in the name of God don’t you have any faith in the system of government you’re so hell-bent to protect? You want to defend the United States of America, then defend it with the tools it supplies you with—its Constitution. You ask for a mandate, General, from a ... [click for more]

The Libertarian Angle: Libertarian Giants – Bastiat and Hazlitt

by Future of Freedom Foundation May 24, 2017

FFF president Jacob Hornberger and Richard Ebeling talk about the great economists and libertarians Frederic Bastiat and Henry Hazlitt. Go to the podcast. [click for more]

Politicians are in “Crisis,” Not the Ordinary American

by Richard M. Ebeling May 23, 2017

Reading or listening to the mass media, it would be easy to assume that America is gripped in a major national crisis due to the words and deeds of Donald Trump in the White House. Democrats stonewall Congressional legislation and dream of impeaching Trump out of the presidency. The Republicans are in panic mode that they will lose their ... [click for more]

Who Should Conduct Background Checks?

by Laurence M. Vance May 22, 2017

Taxi companies are not happy about having to compete with ride-share services such as Uber and Lyft. Taxi companies and taxi drivers are collectively “resisting an industry that they say threatens their livelihoods and the well-being of consumers.” In Los Angeles, the number of taxi trips arranged in advance has fallen by ... [click for more]

America’s Reign of Terror

by John W. Whitehead May 19, 2017

“The means of defense against foreign danger have been always the instruments of tyranny at home.” ― James Madison Who designed the malware worm that is now wreaking havoc on tens of thousands of computers internationally by hackers demanding a king’s ransom? The U.S. government. Who is the biggest black market buyer and ... [click for more]

The Libertarian Angle: Giants of Libertarianism – Ludwig von Mises

by Future of Freedom Foundation May 16, 2017

FFF president Jacob Hornberger and Richard Ebeling talk about the great economist and libertarian Ludwig von Mises. Go to the podcast. [click for more]

Trade Deficits Don’t Matter – Unless Caused by Government

by Richard M. Ebeling May 15, 2017

In 2016, the United States exported goods and services equal to $2.209 trillion, and imported goods and services with a market value of $2.712 trillion. The balance of trade deficit for 2016, therefore, came to $502.3 billion. The trade deficit represented a little over 10 percent of the over $4.92 trillion of total trade in goods and services between ... [click for more]

You Are the True Guardians of the Galaxy

by John W. Whitehead May 10, 2017

“When the rivers and air are polluted, when families and nations are at war, when homeless wanderers fill the highways, these are the traditional signs of a dark age.”— Pema Chodron, When Things Fall Apart Those coming of age today will face some of the greatest obstacles ever encountered by young people. They will find themselves overtaxed, burdened with excessive college ... [click for more]

The Libertarian Angle: How We Became Libertarians

by Future of Freedom Foundation May 9, 2017

FFF president Jacob Hornberger and Richard Ebeling discuss how they came to libertarianism. Go to the podcast. [click for more]

Political Planning versus Personal Planning by Everyone

by Richard M. Ebeling May 8, 2017

In politics everyone has a plan. A plan to "fix" the health care problem. A plan to "protect" the environment. A plan to "guarantee" everyone a "living wage." A plan to "control" immigration. A plan to have "sustainable" economic growth. A plan to . . . The list goes on almost endlessly. What's wrong with having a plan? We all ... [click for more]

Big Brother Is Still Watching You

by John W. Whitehead May 5, 2017

“You had to live—did live, from habit that became instinct—in the assumption that every sound you made was overheard, and, except in darkness, every movement scrutinized.”—George Orwell, 1984 Supposedly the National Security Administration is going to stop collecting certain internet communications that merely mention a foreign intelligence target. Privacy advocates are hailing it as a major victory for Americans whose ... [click for more]