Archive for the Liberty Commentary Category
Communism Taking Its Time
Today, socialism (that is, communism taking its time) is all around us. We are immersed in it. Because we now have a proletariat. Millions who want what you have because you have it – and they don’t. And who will use any means available to take it from you. These people cannot be reasoned
They Pry Them from Our Cold Dead Fingers
by Sharon Harris, LRC Once upon a time, in a land not so far away… It’s a lively community forum. A nice young woman named Jan Smith from Freeland (a tiny country tucked away somewhere in Western Europe) is telling us about how Freeland has solved many of the problems our local politicians hav
Government Explained
An inquisitive alien visits the planet to check on our progress as a species, and gets into a conversation with the first person he meets. The alien discovers that we live under the rule of a thing called "government", and wants to understand more about what "government" is, what it does, and wh
Economics on One Foot
How quickly could you sum up the principles of economics? While standing on one foot, Prof. Art Carden discusses the following economic principles in just over two minutes: Individuals strive to achieve their goals in the best ways possible. Every action has a cost. Incentives matter.
The Tragedy of the Commons
People living together must find some way to preserve common resources. Unfortunately, there are strong incentives for people to exploit these resources when they are held in common by everyone. As Prof. Sean Mullholland at Stonehill College explains, the 'tragedy of the commons' occurs when ind
Should Government Regulate Monopolies?
LearnLiberty.org Before considering government regulation of monopolies, Prof. Lynne Kiesling encourages us to think about the regulation that markets naturally provide. In any market, in the absence of government interference, each business is constrained by the following: Consumer deman
Gun Rights vs. Voting Rights in America
In this election year, as many as five million eligible voters will lose their right to vote. It's the result of new nationwide campaigns to limit voting rights. Meanwhile, gun rights and the number of gun owners is growing.
A modest proposal to prevent “bad government”
by Kent McManigal I think that if there is to be any "governing" allowed to take place, it should take place only under the watchful eyes of angry armed observers standing not more than 6 feet away. No governing should ever be permitted to take place behind metal detectors, or with armed securi
Should the United Nations Have the Power to Impose Global Taxes?
by Dan Mitchell What’s the worst policy idea that would cause the most damage to society? I’m tempted to say the value-added tax since our hopes of restraining the federal government will be greatly undermined if we give the buffoons in Washington a new source of revenue. Indeed, this is
Left-Right Paradigm Is A Hoax
by Chuck Baldwin There may have been a time when the words “conservative” and “liberal” meant something, but that time is no more. Today, “conservatives” in government are doing as much to promote Big Government, as are “liberals.” In fact, if one were to honestly evaluate the twe
The Global Land Grab
by William N. Grigg In Vietnam, Peter Doan Van Vuon, a farmer who fought back when police came to confiscate his farm, is widely regarded as a hero. His neighbors have actually considered building a statue in his honor. In the United States, he would almost certainly be dead. The strike team
and Fire!
