Most societies, at least in this century, handle the problem of national defense by having a large, well-armed, permanent military force, run by a centralized government, funded by taxation, and often (though not always) manned by conscription. Is this a solution that a free nation can or should follow?
Tag: business
Join Stupid Gangs, Win Stupid Prizes
You took a “job” violating people–you try to call it “protecting freedom”, haha–in exchange for stolen money, doing sometimes dangerous/foolish things. Then you want everyone to pretend it’s a tragedy when the chickens come home to roost? Sorry.
Don’t Be Afraid of Hard Work
It’s easy for people to make the fallacious leap from “hard work isn’t everything” to “hard work isn’t anything.” We may very well be a culture guilty of working too much, but that doesn’t mean we should abandon the idea that there’s such a thing as working too little.
Only One Ethical Course of Action
What if a friend asks you to keep all his secrets, and you agree, never suspecting you’ll find out he’s a serial rapist? Are you wrong to report him when you discover this particular secret? Should you be punished for breaking your promise? Should his crimes be excused because you broke a promise you made? Only in a world where justice is meaningless.
Negative Balance of Trade? So What?
Although the topic may appear daunting, the essence of the matter is utterly simple. As a fair approximation, each international transaction, whether it be buying, selling, borrowing, or lending across a national border involves a willing party on each side—importers want to purchase goods from sellers abroad, lenders want to lend to borrowers abroad, and so forth. Each party to the transactions expects to benefit by entering into it. In a sane and just world, that would be the end of the matter.
Things to Keep in Mind During the Health Care Debate
Politicians, of course, can declare a right to medical care, but those are mere words. What counts is what happens after the declaration. Since a system in which everyone could have, on demand, all the medical care they wanted at no cost would be unsustainable, the so-called right to medical care necessarily translates into the power of politicians and bureaucrats to set the terms under which medical services and products may be provided and received.
What Does It Mean To Be Pro-Choice?
On March 7th, 2017, the U.S. Libertarian Party asked the public to vote, via donation, for the theme of the 2018 Libertarian National Convention. Among them is one that is causing quite a commotion in the party. “Pro Choice on Everything!”
Political Power-Lust Thrives in a Democracy
Under democracy, politicians are less candid about their motives; they need us to like them, and power-hunger is not likeable. But given its ubiquity throughout most of political history, can we really believe that the motive of power-hunger is no longer paramount? One of my favorite political insiders privately calls politicians of both parties “psychopaths”–and he’s on to something. Rising high on the pyramid of power is hard unless the love of power fuels your ascent.
Anarchy in the United States
What was the Wild West outside of the tourist traps we see now and the stupid reenactments by second rate actors? Was it actually endless gunfights and hangings, or was it more than this? The truth is often over shadowed by that which allows us the most flexibility in discussions and interpretation.
Episode 065 – Skyler Interviewed on the Peaceful Anarchism Podcast (1h10m)
Episode 065 features an interview of Skyler by Peaceful Anarchism host Danilo Cuellar. The conversation is wide-ranging and covers such topics as Skyler’s books, voluntaryism, peaceful parenting, unschooling, Frederic Bastiat, voluntary communism, Democracy, property rights, spanking, kindness, addiction, and more.