By Daniel Pedrero Understanding what freedom means is key part of preserving it, and Antonio Escohotado understood liberty as well as anyone. For a while now, the Republican Party has been identified as the party of freedom by their own voters, while the Democratic Party has been identified as the party of the people. According to The Washington Post, Democratic Party … [Read more...] about Antonio Escohotado: 12 Quotes on Liberty and Freedom From the Late Spanish Philosopher
Philosophy
The Moral Law versus Tyranny
By Gary Galles It struck me recently just how frequently we use the word “law” in our conversations. I read or hear, “That’s against the law” when someone wants someone else not to do something, and “There ought to be a law” when someone wants to further restrict others. I read arguments about what it really means to say that the Constitution is the highest law of the … [Read more...] about The Moral Law versus Tyranny
F.A. Hayek on “the Supreme Rule” That Separates Collectivism From Individualism
By Lawrence W. Reed Born in Vienna on this date (May 8) in 1899, Austrian economist and political philosopher Friedrich August von Hayek lived to see almost the entirety of the 20th Century. He won a Nobel Prize for Economics in 1974 and died in 1992 at the age of 92. The 20th was perhaps the most collectivist century since the Incan Empire of the 16th—a tragic irony … [Read more...] about F.A. Hayek on “the Supreme Rule” That Separates Collectivism From Individualism
James Corbett Interview – Victor Koman is Saving the Agorist Archives
By The Corbett Report Award-winning novelist and agorist publisher Victor Koman joins us today to discuss his work in saving the notes, records, correspondence and manuscripts of Samuel Edward Konkin III, the progenitor of the agorist philosophy. We discuss Koman’s relationship with Konkin, his work keeping Konkin’s archives in print, and his new project to digitize the … [Read more...] about James Corbett Interview – Victor Koman is Saving the Agorist Archives
Ayn Rand Quotes on Capitalism, Government, Philosophy, and More
By Alex Horsman Who is Ayn Rand? Born to a middle-class Russian-Jewish family in 1905, Rand was treated to a front-row seat to the wonders of communism in action. Rand fled with her family to the Crimea following the “liberation” of her father’s pharmacy but ultimately returned to Saint Petersburg where she could attend university when she wasn’t busy starving. Due to her … [Read more...] about Ayn Rand Quotes on Capitalism, Government, Philosophy, and More
Cryptocurrency Is Agorism in Action
By Wendy McElroy The book New Libertarian Manifesto (NLM) by libertarian-anarchist Samuel E. Konkin III (SEK3) launched a movement that has grown amazingly over the last few decades: Agorism. This is the movement of peaceful revolution through counter-economics. Counter-economics is “the study or practice of all peaceful human action which is forbidden by the State.” … [Read more...] about Cryptocurrency Is Agorism in Action
Violence, Homesteading, and the Origins of Private Property
By David Gordon Those who us who accept self-ownership and a Lockean account of property acquisition must face an important objection. In this account, self-owners occupy land and other natural resources, in that way acquiring exclusive rights to the land or resources. Once they done so, they may transfer their titles to the property they have acquired through exchange or … [Read more...] about Violence, Homesteading, and the Origins of Private Property
4 Great Tools for Teaching Kids Economics and Liberty
By Kerry McDonald Whenever my children express an interest in economics or are curious about the ideals of freedom and responsibility, I can barely contain my excitement. It wasn’t until college that I discovered, and fell in love with, economics, and it wasn’t until much later that I understood liberty as a life philosophy. Fortunately, I can avoid stifling their … [Read more...] about 4 Great Tools for Teaching Kids Economics and Liberty
Bitcoin and Voluntaryism – Where Libertarian Philosophy Meets Crypto
By Graham Smith For the uninitiated, voluntaryism is a philosophy based on consent. In the simplest terms it says: “If it’s not voluntary, it’s not moral.” This basic statement is often countered with “Yes, but not everyone agrees on that, some people use violence to get what they want.” This is 100% true. And this is why voluntaryists are not pacifists, but believe in and … [Read more...] about Bitcoin and Voluntaryism – Where Libertarian Philosophy Meets Crypto
How Healthy Pessimism Can Lead to Personal Freedom
By David Evans We all want to be happy, but we’re not terribly good at it. As a result, for centuries philosophers have wrestled with how to attain happiness. Few, though, have offered as novel an answer as Marcus Aurelius, one of Rome’s greatest emperors. Ready for it? There might be a deeper problem with how we’re pursuing happiness: We’re not focusing on the negatives … [Read more...] about How Healthy Pessimism Can Lead to Personal Freedom
The Golden Rule Is as Golden as Ever
By Lawrence W. Reed For three hours, the famous “standoff at the schoolhouse door” riveted the country’s attention. Alabama Governor George Wallace physically blocked the entrance to Foster Auditorium at the University of Alabama in Birmingham. His intent was to prevent two students from registering for classes. Why? It had nothing to do with the content of their … [Read more...] about The Golden Rule Is as Golden as Ever
What Does “Voluntary” Actually Mean?
By Michael Munger What limits should be placed on the ability of individuals to enter into negotiable agreements? It’s tempting to say, “none.” But there are some “agreements” — those reached under duress or in restraint of trade or other rights of third parties — that the state may decline to enforce, or outlaw completely. Presumably, if an exchange is truly voluntary, … [Read more...] about What Does “Voluntary” Actually Mean?