Peter's Blog

Distributism is a recently resurgent form of social and political thought that attempts to create a free society ordered in a specific way through state intervention. This sounds like a paradox, because it is one. Distributists do not like to believe that they are proponents of larger forms of government, however their policies almost inevitably […]

Even when we know what is right, we consistently fail to do it. The human mind is incredibly prepared to diverge from responsibility. The ability to recognize the world as it is, and hold the conclusions that one must necessarily draw from it, while not acting on those conclusions is both comfortable and easy. Because […]

Modern institutions have embraced the belief that more data, more regulation, and more centralized coordination will always produce better outcomes, but that assumption is increasingly running into its own limits. As bureaucracies drown in information they cannot meaningfully interpret, the very mechanisms built to improve performance begin producing the opposite result, a phenomenon that undermines […]

One of the central ideas of Austrian economics is that local knowledge cannot be encapsulated and transported into a different situation; however, relevant information can be transported within the price system. This insight suggests that only individuals will have the best information regarding their lives, and that only towns will have the best information regarding […]

Life is infinitely divisible. It is impossible to break a situation down to its most fundamental level. The infinite complexity of the world means that we only run out of information when we stop asking questions. Physically, we proceed from molecules to atoms to quarks and particles, and finally to the intersection of energy and […]

Alexis de Tocqueville warned us of the dangers of paternalistic government in no uncertain terms. He visited America and was able to see the unique strengths and weaknesses of our Democratic system. He saw how much of our activity was controlled by the community, and the unique freedom that was possible in our country. While […]

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 […]

While constantly predicting the inevitable decline of the dollar and the governmentally-entwined systems of commerce that our society is centered around is not often a joyful job, there are still some things that should give you hope for the state of our country and the world. SchiffGold is so often focused on the negatives because […]

Trust in all forms of government has greatly dropped in the US and nationally, but it might actually be a much-needed reflection of reality rather than a sad decline of the state of our civilization. Trust makes all actions of the one trusted possible with far less energy and resources. Garnering support becomes much easier […]

Ever since Teddy Roosevelt’s “Great White Fleet” initiative, the United States has striven to hold onto some form of international dominance. The two World Wars gave us a perfect opportunity to rise quickly and re-order world affairs to our fancy. This form of relationship with other countries was a stark departure from the more isolationist […]