Learn Liberty Blog
Featured Learn Liberty Blog Posts
Education
What drives change: preaching or living?
What’s more important: preaching or living capitalism? By capitalism, I refer specifically to a free-market, laissez-faire version. I’ll explore this question through a story. The story of two friends Nika is my closest friend from Students For Liberty. We met during LibertyCon 2024 in Washington, D.C. In many ways, we share similar views, values, and understandings. However, we differ in one crucial aspect. Nika is more of an extrovert — he enjoys meeting new people, engaging in conversations, taking initiatives, and actively solving problems. He embodies an entrepreneurial spirit. I,
Civil Liberties
“King Lincoln”: When Abraham Suspended Habeas Corpus
The date was September 24, 1862, and Abraham Lincoln issued a proclamation. (Not the one you’re thinking; the Emancipation Proclamation would come a
History
Debunking Putin’s Alternative “History”
On February 24, 2022, Vladimir Putin commenced a brutal, full-scale invasion of neighboring Ukraine. Two years on from this calamity, let’s examine
All Learn Liberty Blog Posts
Uncategorized
Value is Subjective: The Copernican Revolution in Economics
What makes something valuable? Today, we know that value is in the eye of the beholder—that is, value is subjective. But for many years, people subscribed to the theory that the value of goods came from the amount of work that went into creating them: the “labor theory of value”. Professor Steven Horwitz explains it […]
Education
Freedom of Speech on Campus: Help from FIRE
Freedom of speech on college campuses is getting a lot of attention lately. With the recent student protests at Mizzou, people are concerned about freedom of speech not only for students, but also for professors and even journalists on campus. While student protests are one way of effecting change on campus, did you know that […]
Uncategorized
Social Cooperation: Why Thieves Hate Free Markets
In this video Professor Aeon Skoble explains how market competition and spontaneous order result in the emergence of a civil order that discourages stealing and other harmful behaviors. This concept is often overlooked or ignored or just plainly misunderstood by critics of free markets. Can you think of other areas where competitive markets results in […]
Liberty
Quote of the Day: Mill's Harm Principle
In this bite sized quote, J.S. Mill perfectly encapsulates his Harm Principle put forth in his political treatise, “On Liberty.” The state, acting as an institution with the legal monopoly on the use of coercion, should only use force to prevent harm done to others. What would the world look like today if the government […]
Uncategorized
Steampunk Political Thought, Anyone?
In The God of the Machine, journalist Isabel Paterson (January 22, 1886, – January 10, 1961) offers an original theory of history based on the metaphor of the machine, with humanity as the dynamo. That’s right: one might venture to call this “steampunk political theory.” As one of the “big three” publications of feminist-individualist thought […]
War on Drugs
Featured On Demand Program of the Week: The War on Drugs Part 2
Can you believe that drugs in the US were initially banned partly because of fears of miscegenation (interracial relationships)? But that’s not the only reason. Other reasons included alarmist films like Reefer Madness (see program image!), fear of conspiracies, and the notion that government has a right to determine the productivity of its citizens. If […]
Uncategorized
Discussion Question of the Week: On Social Contracts
Does a ‘social contract’ between the people and their government truly exist? If so, what is contained in the social contract, and does it justify the size and scope of our current government?. If not, what is the best justification for government, and does it apply to our current government?
Uncategorized
Libertarian Movies You Don't Want to Miss This Fall
Check out the whole post at Rare. Looking for a list of fall movies that are actually worth your time? Look no further. These four flicks—two true stories, one historical fiction, and one a Bill Murray comedy—are the cream of fall 2015’s crop, each offering a unique liberty-friendly message. First up is Suffragette, giving the […]
Uncategorized
That Time Ludwig von Mises Called Milton Friedman a Socialist…Really.
Did you know that one time in a meeting of economists in 1947 Mises shouted at Milton Friedman, among others, that they were socialists? Check it out in the clip below. What do you think? Tell us in the comments. Be sure to check out “Commanding Heights”, the documentary this clip is excerpted from.
Uncategorized
Fight for $15 Needs More Brain Less Brawn
This week, another round of fast food protests occurred in major cities nationwide. The protests are part of the broader “Fight for $15” movement that seeks to more than double the existing federal minimum wage to $15 an hour. While such a policy sounds like it could help low-wage employees, it would actually end up […]
Education
Trans Talks Part Two
Part one introduced professor Deirdre McCloskey, a transgender University of Illinois economics professor, who explains her gender transition and highlights the educational aspects of the transitional experience. Part two below explores how best to reduce (often state sanctioned) violence against and secure the rights of the transgender community. McCloskey explains that while better laws and […]
Uncategorized
Save the Date: International Students For Liberty Conference 2016
Every year, thousands of student leaders from around the world descend on Washington, D.C. to discuss and debate strategies for creating a freer future. This year ISFLC2016 is the weekend of February 26th. Mark your calendars! This is a great opportunity for students passionate about the ideas of liberty. Whether you’re a student looking to […]
Uncategorized
Bernie Sanders and the Fixed Pie Fallacy
Senator Bernie Sanders isn’t the only one saying it—today you can’t go very long without hearing about how “the rich are getting richer while the poor are getting poorer.” But is that really true? Chelsea German over at HumanProgress.org says “no”: “Senator Sanders is half right: the rich are getting richer. However, his assertion that […]
Uncategorized
Equality and Respect: How You Are Equal to Hugh Jackman
Being equal in the eyes of the law is something most if not all can agree on, but do you think governments should strive to assure at least a minimum level of equality in certain aspects of life? For example, everyone should have free drinking water, basic health care or some other necessity? Professor Aeon […]
Uncategorized
Quote of the Day
For more from Hayek on what he and fellow Austrian economists referred to as the knowledge problem be sure to check out Hayek’s seminal essay, “The Use of Knowledge in Society.”
War on Drugs
Featured On Demand Program of the Week: The War on Drugs Part One
Can you imagine which country would imprison more of its citizens than China or Russia? If you’re an American, you’re living in it. In fact, more people are in prisons in the United States than in all other developed countries combined. In this program, we’ll show you how the criminal justice system is becoming an […]
Uncategorized
On Artificial Intelligence, the Knowledge Problem, and Consumerism
Learn Liberty recently released a video titled “What if There Were No Prices? Railroad Thought Experiment” with Professor Howard Baetjer of Towson University. The video argues that market prices communicate the value of goods and services in the economy so that those goods and services are allocated to their most productive (and value generating!) uses. […]
Environmentalism
Hydraulic Fracturing and the Ultimate Resource
One of the most valuable economic insights is that human creativity is The Ultimate Resource. (The great economist Julian Simon wrote a book by that name.) It follows that as long as we are free to use our creativity, we don’t have to worry about running out of resources. Truly, human creativity makes resources of […]
Uncategorized
Libertarians Can’t Believe in Closed Borders
This piece by Christopher Freiman originally appeared in Bleeding Heart Libertarians on October 28th, 2015. Read an excerpt below but be sure to head over to BHL to read the whole thing. Patrick Lynch wrote an interesting and provocative piece the other day arguing that immigration restrictions are consistent with libertarianism. An earlier post of […]
Uncategorized
Trivia: What's in a name?
Did you know Frederick Douglass took his name from the hero of Sir Walter Scott’s epic poem, The Lady of the Lake, the leader of the Scottish clan Douglas? Born Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey, Frederick changed his last name to Johnson to avoid being discovered and returned to slavery, then later changed his last name […]
Education
Trans Freedom
With Caitlyn Jenner dominating headlines and actress Laverne Cox’s pivotal rise, now is the perfect time to address gender freedom and its role in a free society. With that in mind, Learn Liberty is introducing a new three-part video series called Trans Talks, which explores transgender rights and features University of Illinois professor and transgender […]
Uncategorized
How to Truly Honor Veterans on Veterans Day
Today is Veterans Day, which honors all who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces and the sacrifices they have made. But one aspect of Veterans Day that is often overlooked is its celebration of nonviolence. According to the text of the 1938 Congressional Act making the day a legal holiday, it is “a day […]
Uncategorized
How Bitcoin Can Help Get Money to Refugees in Need
This post by Kevin Boyd originally appeared on R Street on October 19th, 2015. Below is an excerpt. Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies have grown in influence and usage the past few years. People looking for an alternative to government-issued fiat currencies, or who simply don’t trust having their spending tracked by banks, have flocked to them. Bitcoin […]
Uncategorized
IHS events are coming to a campus near you.
Our parent organization, the Institute for Humane Studies, brings the ideas of liberty to students in more ways than just online education like on Learn Liberty. They also provide funding, career advice, and more to help educate students about the principles of a free society. And now, IHS is coming to your neighborhood with On-Campus events! […]