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 […]

Rothbard on War and Peace

The United States is embroiled once more in a Middle Eastern war, and warhawks are out in full force to defend the conflict from scrutiny. As with all wars, the latest clash with Iran is liable to distort and destroy American economic relations, culture, and civic life. The following article was originally published by the […]

Fiat Money, Empire, and the Illusion of Stability

With the dollar slipping and trade policy whiplash dominating the news cycle, it seems the American empire is under economic threat. It’s no wonder then that the Trump administration is so preoccupied with lowering interest rates; central banking, after all, is the key enabler of economic and military intervention, both at home and abroad. The […]

Why “Public” Education Can Never Be Neutral

The state of the American economy testifies to the dangers of central planning in monetary and fiscal policy. Yet, many overlook the exact same dangers in education, where state provision of educational services produces equally disastrous results. The following article was originally published by the Mises Institute. The opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those […]

The Economics of Affordability: Why Government Can’t Make Life Cheaper

Politicians on both sides have found a new mantra to address concerns about the economy: “affordability.” Economics shows us how these same politicians are responsible for inflation, taxation, and regulation– three forces that inevitably make goods and services less affordable. The following article was originally published by the Mises Institute. The opinions expressed do not […]

Money Supply Surges to 3-Year High as Fed Quietly Eases Policy

With the market betting on a rate cut at this week’s FOMC meeting, many are hoping for another few months of easy monetary policy. Money supply growth data, however, shows how monetary policy is already too free, and the money supply is already growing too much. The following article  was originally published by the Mises […]

Zohran Mamdani’s Socialism Fails the Economics 101 Test

Socialism seems to be on the rise, with jurisdictions like New York City electing avowed socialists to “fix the economy.” Whether it’s state control of the money supply or intervention in capital and labor markets, sound economics demonstrates that central planning never works. The following article was originally published by the Mises Institute. The opinions […]

Herbert Hoover: The Forgotten Architect of Economic Intervention

In the literature on the Great Depression, interventionists claim that it was President Herbert Hoover’s “free market” policies that contributed to and even caused the economic crash that characterized the 1930s. But, under even the least scrutiny, this pernicious myth falls apart completely. The following article was originally published by the Mises Institute. The opinions […]

Inflation and the Moral Decay of Civilization

With consumer sentiment abysmally low, it’s tempting to think of inflation as an exclusively economic phenomenon. When its nature as society-wide fraud is understood, however, it’s easy to see why inflation corrodes both cultural and economic institutions. The following article was originally published by the Mises Institute. The opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those […]

Public Enemies: Government Bureaucrats as Societal Parasites

In today’s interventionist economy, the Fed inflates away the dollar and congress and the presidency spend trillions on a whim. But according to Austrian economist Murray Rothbard, the modern bureaucracy– especially the civil service system– is arguably the greatest threat to American liberty. The following article was originally published by the Mises Institute. The opinions […]