Daily Articles

Nationalism: Its Nature and Consequences

by Richard M. Ebeling June 1, 1994

In the 19th century, many classical liberals believed that the ideas of "national identity" and "nationalism" were false scents that were likely to lead the world away from liberty and towards a continuation of political tyranny and international conflict. For example, William E. H. Lecky, in his study Democracy and Liberty (1896), argued that "the idea and ...

Freedom, Virtue, and Responsibility, Part 3

by Jacob G. Hornberger June 1, 1994

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 Despite their good intentions, the proponents of the welfare-state, managed-economy way of life have ended up with results that are opposite from what they intended. The war on poverty was supposed to end poverty. It did not, and the situation is worse than when the war started some thirty years ...

The Right to Life Equals the Right to Possess Firearms

by Sheldon Richman June 1, 1994

In the opinion of the pundits, the tide has turned on the gun-control issue. After years of successful opposition to federal gun control by the National Rifle Association and others, the public is said to be ready for limits on gun ownership. The most recent evidence is passage of the federal Brady Bill, requiring a five-day waiting period for ...

Gun Control: A Historical Perspective, Part 1

by Benedict D. LaRosa June 1, 1994

Part 1 | Part 2 Gun control is an issue which never stands on its own. By this I mean that the motives behind it are rarely those expressed by its advocates. There is almost always a hidden agenda. On rare occasion, those proposing the confiscation of weapons are candid about ...

Real Independence Day: The Meaning of the Second Amendment

by Richard J. Davis D.D.S. June 1, 1994

There is no national holiday on April 19 (or April 18), though the Boston Marathon is run around this time. When I was in college in the East, this meant not only mid-spring but mid-term, and when exams were finished, the anniversary of Paul Revere's ride seemed a perfect excuse for ...

Book Review: Post-Communist Societies in Transition

by Richard M. Ebeling June 1, 1994

Post-Communist Societies in Transition: A Social Market Perspective by John Gray (London: Social Market Foundation, 1994) 45 pages; £8.00. In 1984, Oxford University philosopher John Gray published a book entitled Hayek on Liberty . After it appeared in a revised edition in 1986, I wrote a review of the book for the February 1988 issue of The Freeman ...

Freedom, Virtue, and Responsibility, Part 2

by Jacob G. Hornberger May 1, 1994

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 The welfare state and the managed economy do more than destroy individual self-esteem. They also destroy hopes of improving one's life. Now, we know that money cannot buy happiness, but certainly the hopes of improving one's own economic well-being provide a stimulus to happiness. That is to say, if a ...

National Conflicts, Market Liberalism and Social Peace

by Richard M. Ebeling May 1, 1994

For three years, civil war has caused massive death and destruction in the former Yugoslavia. Almost every day, the television evening news has broadcast pictures of devastating artillery bombardments, ruined towns and villages, and multitudes of killed and wounded men, women and children. Tens of thousands of people have been turned into refugees forced to leave their homes and belongings ...

Cooperation Between Capital-Rich and Labor-Rich Countries, Part 2

by Milton Friedman May 1, 1994

Part 1 | Part 2 The Common Market has an enormous opportunity. The Eastern European countries are a natural extension of the Common Market, and the Western European countries could benefit themselves and the Eastern European countries by opening their markets. We could do the same. We have talked for decades about trade, not aid. Yet we are now ...

The Disaster of Government Disaster Relief

by Sheldon Richman May 1, 1994

January's tragic earthquake around Los Angeles, like last year's Midwestern floods and Southern Californian wildfires, once again highlights the government's pernicious role both before and after the occurrence of natural disasters. As the government has become more involved in such matters, the losses from natural disasters have increased. That is no mere coincidence. The government's role has been responsible for ...

The Criminalization of Drug Use Is Criminal

by David A. Nichols May 1, 1994

Thank you, America. You have charged, tried, convicted and incarcerated me. You have sentenced me to 27 years in prison for non-violent, non-larcenous, consensual adult behavior — for a first-time offense. You are willing to spend up to $35,000 per year to keep me locked up; yet, the average American makes only $20,000 or so ...

Book Review: Reinventing Civil Society

by Richard M. Ebeling May 1, 1994

Reinventing Civil Society: The Rediscovery of Welfare Without Politics by David G. Green (London: Institute for Economic Affairs, 1993); 166 pages; £7.95. When President Clinton delivered his address to a joint session of Congress to outline his proposal for national health insurance, he compared his health plan with Franklin Roosevelt's introduction ...