Peter's Blog

Why Capitalism’s Real Alternatives Are Worse

As Trump’s crony capitalism and socialist inroads in the Democratic Party crowd out defenders of free markets, many assume the only choice is between capitalism and socialism. But a third danger lurks — the possibility that rejecting both leads not to liberty, but to feudalism or primitivism, systems where rights collapse and poverty reigns just […]

Both Parties Get “Tax the Rich” Wrong

The debate over taxing the rich has returned to the headlines, with progressives arguing that no one can legitimately earn a billion dollars and conservatives firing back that wealth at the top reflects risk-taking and value creation. Both sides, however, miss the deeper truth: a century of government intervention has so warped the economy that […]

Inflation Surges as War Spending and Deficits Grow

The latest inflation reports show price increases surging to multi-year highs across nearly every major category — driven not just by energy costs, but by the Federal Reserve’s continued easy-money policies and the compounding fiscal burden of new wars and runaway deficits. The following article was originally published by the Mises Institute. The opinions expressed […]

How Antitrust Policy Helped Kill Spirit Airlines

Most Americans are familiar with the frustrations of air travel, including high fares and limited options. Those less versed in the history of airline regulation may not realize that this oligopoly was built with government help from the very beginning, and that antitrust crusaders who claim to fight Big Business often end up strengthening the […]

War’s Lasting Cost to Liberty

War is often sold to the public as a noble necessity, but those not versed in its true history may not appreciate how reliably it serves as the greatest enemy of liberty, inevitably stripping citizens of rights, expanding state power, and destroying the futures of those who fight. The following article was originally published by […]

Why Transparent Monetary Policy Still Creates Instability

Some economists argue that the key to economic stability lies not in reforming the monetary system but simply in making the Fed more predictable and transparent in its policies. But as Austrian economists have long argued, it is not a lack of transparency that triggers boom-and-bust cycles. It is the Fed’s fundamental tampering with financial […]

How Regulation Protects Monopolies and Weakens Competition

Most Americans understand the visible harm that excessive regulation causes – higher costs and fewer choices in the marketplace. Those less familiar with Austrian economic theory may not appreciate that government regulations also actively create monopolies by shielding politically connected industries from the competitive pressures that drive innovation and spread knowledge. The following article was […]

Behind the Fed’s Curtain: What They Really Think

The Federal Reserve is upheld as a scientific and prestigious institution capable of reining in the excesses of an unregulated economy. In public, Fed officials project confidence and candor, but in private they sometimes acknowledge the problems with centrally planning money. The following article was originally published by the Mises Institute. The opinions expressed do […]

Inflation Is Noise in the Price Signal

Americans are well-acquainted with the primary effect of inflation– higher prices across the economy. Those not versed in Austrian Business Cycle Theory may not realize that inflation also disrupts and confuses economic calculation, the critical process by which capital is directed toward its best use. The following article was originally published by the Mises Institute. […]

War Will Be Funded by Inflation

With the prospect of peace on the horizon, free-market economists can rest easier knowing the worst of the Iran war may be over. Even if the war is really over, the state will still use it as a scapegoat for the Federal Reserve’s latest inflationary policies. The following article was originally published by the Mises […]