Peter's Blog

Socialism Is Pure Inefficiency

Rather than being a radical antidote to the perceived errors of market capitalism, socialism is actually very similar to capitalism, but with some extra steps of inefficiency. Capitalism often consolidates the means of production through increasing returns to scale, and sorts people through the pice system into the roles where they would add the most […]

The Crisis of Ownership

In 1775 roughly 80% of Americans owned their own businesses. Most of these were farmers, and their responsibility to the nation became deeply intertwined with their own livelihoods as they owned a bit of earth and let their love of self turn into love of country. They planted the seeds of survival and reaped the […]

A Free-Market Blueprint for the 50 States

As Washington continues piling up debt, deficits, and monetary intervention, meaningful reform is increasingly unlikely to come from the federal level, pushing the real action down to the states. Florida offers an imperfect but instructive model of lower taxation, spending restraint, and sound money, including its move to recognize gold and silver as legal tender, […]

The Inherent Incentives Against Economic Localism

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

Why You Should Have Hope in 2026

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 […]

Schiff vs. Pompliano: Tariffs Don’t Help Consumers!

In a recent episode of Anthony Pompliano’s Pomp Podcast, Peter debates Anthony on a host of issues, ranging from the merits of Bitcoin to who pays the bills for tariffs. Throughout the debate, Peter’s incisive rhetoric cuts through the mainstream narratives on the dollar and protectionism, undercutting the White House’s and the Fed’s harmful policies.  […]

Welfare Must Be Cut for the Good of the Poor

The US government is frequently criticized for not reaching the EU’s levels of unhindered handouts and socialization of industries. Proponents of government control for the common good hold two contradictory principles at the same time without even recognizing the tension. They first believe that the highest role of any government is to promote the welfare […]

Why Equities Just Might not be the Same Anymore

While for decades, the historically high returns of the stock market have been used to justify putting more money into the stock market, some underlying factors have changed that make this constant growth story no longer as sure of a narrative. While total returns have been buoyed by several massive companies that manage to keep […]