Understanding the “Private” in “Private Security”
Recently in the pages of the Mises Wire, Jason Morgan argued that private security isn’t enough in terms of ensuring personal security and that America needs militias. While I agree with much of the spirit of Dr. Morgan’s essay, there
Governments Are Failing at Their Most Basic Duties—While Promising Free Stuff
Three city blocks were systematically burned to the ground as hundreds of the local police stood by and viewed the violence. They were obeying orders not to harm the arsonists. The National Guard was called, adding more armed watchers. A
Why Big Business Ends up Supporting the Regime
Policymakers know they hold immense power to regulate and punish firms that don’t play ball. Industry leaders know this too. So it’s likely both sides will indeed end up “playing ball." The Democrats in Congress want comprehensive regulation of social media
People Change Their Minds. That Doesn’t Make Them Irrational.
According to a relatively new field of economics called behavioral economics (BE), emotions play an important role in an individual’s decision-making process. On this the Nobel laureate Vernon Smith writes, People like to believe that good decision making is a consequence
They Don’t Hate Gold Because It’s Gold. They Hate It Because It’s Not Government Money.
That gold was used as money in the past is merely a historical fact. But the fact that gold was a form of private money, and thus not easily manipulated for government schemes, made it a target of countless intellectual
Thanks to Federal Megaspending, the Trade Deficit Has Only Gotten Worse
President Trump’s protectionist trade measures against China and other external partners have not caused a reduction of the total US trade deficit. The latter actually grew further as China’s exports found indirect ways into the US and massive domestic spending schemes
In Defense of Debt Collection
You know hypocrisy, as when the pot calls the kettle black? Well, this news report gives new meaning to the idea: The rise in American consumer debt has been accompanied by a sharp increase in complaints about aggressive and sometimes unscrupulous
This Is What Could Trigger Big Growth in CPI Inflation
Many episodes of monetary inflation, some even long and virulent, do not feature a denouement in a sustained high CPI inflation over many years. Instead, these episodes have the common characteristics of asset inflation and the monetary authority levying tax
Andrew Frazier on Running Your Business
There’s a middle class of businesses that are the backbone of the economy. Professor Saras Sarasvathy coined that term, and we’re pleased to adopt it. These businesses sit between the big corporations of the major stock indexes and the VC-funded gazelles
Why Stimulus Does Not Stimulate
Congress is hard at work on a stimulus bill. Doubtless their efforts will pay off. Does anyone stop to ask what it is about stimulus that stimulates? And what, exactly, does it stimulate? Start by spending a lot of money that