When governments find it impossible to continue raising taxes or borrowing funds, they have invariably turned to printing paper money to finance their growing expenditures. The political economy of the French Revolution is a tragic example of this.
Richard M. Ebeling
Dr. Richard M. Ebeling is the recently appointed BB&T Distinguished Professor of Ethics and Free Enterprise Leadership at The Citadel. He was formerly professor of Economics at Northwood University, president of The Foundation for Economic Education (2003–2008), was the Ludwig von Mises Professor of Economics at Hillsdale College (1988–2003) in Hillsdale, Michigan, and served as vice president of academic affairs for The Future of Freedom Foundation (1989–2003).
The French Physiocrats and the Case for Laissez-Faire: Economic Ideas
The best policy for government to follow is “laisser passer, laisser faire” — let goods pass and leave men alone to their own decisions.
Mercantilism as Monarchy’s Planned Economy: Economic Ideas
Mercantilism developed in the emerging nation-states under the kings, especially, in France and Spain and in Great Britain, as a set of economic tools to assist in bringing about the centralization of political power and control.
The Church, “Just Price” and Interest: The Institutions and Economics of the Middle Ages, Part 2
The Catholic Church had a set of fundamental beliefs and principles that set it apart from the Greek and Roman views that had preceded it, and which were to have importance in the future in terms of their economic impact.
Manorial and Guild Systems: The Institutions and Economics of the Middle Ages, Part 1
Political, social, and economic life in the Middle Ages revolved around two sets of institutions.
An Introduction to Austrian Economics (Part 9 of 9): Booms and Busts
An Introduction to Austrian Economics (Part 8 of 9): Government Intervention
The Ancient Romans: From Rule of Law to Price Controls
The area in which the Ancient Romans did leave a body of thought, and one that has had lasting influence and significance for future generations, especially in the West up until our own time was in the area of law and contract.
Video: An Introduction to Austrian Economics (Part 7 of 9): Everything Takes Time: Savings, Investment, and Prosperity
Video: An Introduction to Austrian Economics (Part 6 of 9): Why Socialism Was and Always Will Be “Impossible”
Aristotle and Economics
Political-Economic Ideas of The Greeks, Part 3
Plato: Father of the Totalitarian State
Political-Economic Ideas of The Greeks, Part 2
Video: An Introduction to Austrian Economics (Part 5 of 9): Economic Calculation, Profit and Loss
Austrian Economics is the most powerful explanation of why governments, no matter how well-intentioned, lack the knowledge, wisdom and ability to direct the lives of multitudes of people better than those people can do for themselves.
Video: An Introduction to Austrian Economics (Part 4 of 9): Entrepreneurs
Austrian Economics is the most powerful explanation of why governments, no matter how well-intentioned, lack the knowledge, wisdom and ability to direct the lives of multitudes of people better than those people can do for themselves.
Video: An Introduction to Austrian Economics (Part 3 of 9): The Market as a Process of Competitive Cooperation
Austrian Economics is the most powerful explanation of why governments, no matter how well-intentioned, lack the knowledge, wisdom and ability to direct the lives of multitudes of people better than those people can do for themselves.
Video: An Introduction to Austrian Economics (Part 2 of 9): Economics is Human Action
Austrian Economics is the most powerful explanation of why governments, no matter how well-intentioned, lack the knowledge, wisdom and ability to direct the lives of multitudes of people better than those people can do for themselves.
The Ancient Greeks and Political Freedom
Political-Economic Ideas of The Greeks, Part 1
Ludwig von Mises’s Majestic Magnum Opus, Human Action: A Treatise on Economics
Ludwig von Mises’s majestic magnum opus, Human Action: A Treatise on Economics, was published on September 14, 1949. In the nearly seven decades since its appearance, Human Action has come to be recognized as one of the truly great classics of modern economics.
Book Excerpt: Austrian Economics & Public Policy: Restoring Freedom and Prosperity by Richard Ebeling
Austrian Economics is the most powerful explanation of why governments, no matter how well-intentioned, lack the knowledge, wisdom and ability to direct the lives of multitudes of people better than those people can do for themselves if left sufficiently at liberty to do so.
John Locke, American Individualism and The Declaration of Independence
We owe to John Locke and those other thinkers complementary to his political philosophy of man, society and government all the freedom and prosperity that mankind has known and enjoyed over the last 300 years, beginning in Europe and North America and then spreading imperfectly to other parts of the world.
Video: An Introduction to Austrian Economics (Part 1 of 9): Menger, Mises and Hayek
Austrian Economics is the most powerful explanation of why governments, no matter how well-intentioned, lack the knowledge, wisdom and ability to direct the lives of multitudes of people better than those people can do for themselves.
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