Defending Freedom, Combating Collectivism

Against collectivist impulses, the defense of freedom, personal responsibility, and the moral, political, legal, and economic foundations of a free society is ever necessary. Protecting the American experiment in ordered liberty is a debt that we owe to the past, and a challenge to pursue in the future. We examine the following issues in this area: the case for free trade vs. protectionism, individualism vs. the new collectivists (DEI/Critical Theory/Marxism/Social Democracy/Economic Nationalism/etc.), shareholder capitalism vs. ESG and stakeholder capitalism, foreign policy for a free society, and the foundations and first principles of freedom and free markets.

Articles

The Industrial Revolution Was Not a Wash!

Vincent Geloso May 14, 2021

“The findings of these recent articles are incredible for anyone seeking to bridge the divide between scholarly knowledge and the popular imagination. They show that even the worst-case scenario implies that the Industrial Revolution constituted a momentous and positive development in terms of the quality of life of the poorest.” ~ Vincent Geloso

Liberals Turning Against the Lockdown Left

Michael Fumento May 14, 2021

“The left, including the U.S. mainstream media, has always pushed a hysterical approach to both Covid spread and severity. But chinks in the armor are now appearing as it becomes clear that many want a permanent Covidocracy – lockdown forever and ever, amen.” ~ Michael Fumento

The Many Errors of the Dred Scott Decision

Clifford Thies May 13, 2021

“The Dred Scott Decision reworked the history of the country to fit a narrative. It was factually wrong in stating that the country was founded on racism. The country was founded on the ideals of freedom and equality, and the continuation of slavery in half of the country was a contradiction of those ideals. Most of the Founders hoped for a peaceful resolution of that contradiction; but, as we know, slavery was only ended by a civil war.” ~ Clifford F. Thies

Big Brother Depends on Little Brothers

Barry Brownstein May 12, 2021

“Resistance starts gently by recognizing our own mental processes that make us vulnerable to the current of conformist thought. With mental alertness we attune ourselves to spiritual strength. With self-study, we prepare for peaceful exchange of ideas with those currently choosing to be little brothers. There is still enough freedom in America that without the support of little brothers, Big Brother will find it has no power of its own.” ~ Barry Brownstein

Hayek’s Still Relevant Response to Today’s Paternalist Planners

Richard M. Ebeling May 11, 2021

“Majorities can be as intolerant and tyrannical as the worst absolute monarchs of the past, if not even more so. What has failed, in Hayek’s view, has not been the idea of democracy as such, but the particular form of democracy that developed over the last two hundred years, under which fewer and fewer corners of individual life are safe from what coalitions of special interest groups that form majorities on Election Day can impose on the rest of society.” ~ Richard M. Ebeling

Focused Protection Would Have Been the Right Pandemic Response

Ethan Yang May 11, 2021

“As the United States nears the hopeful end of its public health crisis, the mounting evidence domestically and abroad seems to suggest that harsh lockdown policies were not only overkill, they were counterproductive. In light of this information, it is increasingly apparent that a strategy of focused protection which respects the voluntary functions of society while taking reasonable steps to accommodate vulnerable populations would have been the most optimal pandemic response.” ~ Ethan Yang