Christmas and the Desacralization of the State
In about the year 9 BC, a group of Greco-Romans in Asia Minor issued a proclamation—now known from the Priene Calendar Inscription—commemorating the birth of the Roman emperor Caesar Augustus. The text of the inscription declared the coming of the "savior" Caesar
The Merchant of Death: Basil Zaharoff
If the Lord God Jehovah had not created Basil Zaharoff, some novelist sooner or later would certainly have got around to the job. Indeed, it is by no means certain that Zaharoff, as we have him, is not the joint
Nationalism: Good and Bad
The historian Allen C. Guelzo in the epilogue to his rather hostile Robert E. Lee: A Life (Knopf, 2021) raises important questions about the value of nationalism that I’d like to discuss in this week’s column. Guelzo has favorable things
Western Economies Are Self-Destructing with Inflation, Debt, and Taxes
Although reluctantly, current central bank governors and respected economists have ramped up their warnings that inflation is here to stay. However, while it took officials a considerable period of time to admit the inflationary threat, despite the signs and warnings, they are failing
The State versus Liberty
The Nature of the State So far in this book, we have developed a theory of liberty and property rights, and have outlined the legal code that would be necessary to defend those rights. What of government, the State? What is
How Much Control Does the Central Bank Have over Interest Rates?
It is a commonly accepted view these days that the central bank is a key factor in the determination of interest rates. By this way of thinking, the Fed determines the entire interest rate structure by influencing the short-term interest rates. The
The West Must Stop Trying To Expand NATO into Ukraine
The US and NATO must do as little as possible to contribute to the conflict in Ukraine. This especially includes continuing to arm Ukraine and insisting that it has a future in NATO. Original Article: "The West Must Stop Trying To
A Slave-Based Economy Is Nothing Like a Dynamic Capitalist One
The "new history of capitalism" has reprised the debate on the economic viability of slavery by rebranding it as an institution with a propensity for innovation and long-term growth. This group of scholars attempts to recast slavery as an institution
Life Expectancy in 2020 Fell 2.3 Percent to 77 Years. Does This Justify the Covid Panic?
According to a new report released Wednesday by the Centers for Disease Control, the life expectancy at birth in the United States fell to 77.0 iyears n 2020, falling from 2019’s life expectancy of 78.8 years. The report also noted
The Fed’s Dovish “Tapering” and the ECB
This week, the Federal Reserve gave the most dovish “hawkish” statement ever, an apparent aggressive tapering that, in reality, means maintaining very low rates and massive repurchases for longer. Inflation has skyrocketed and aggressive monetary policy is the key factor in understanding it.