Toleration is the cornerstone of liberalism. Washington understood this and urged future generations to honor this commitment.
“Americans are so enamored of equality that they would rather be equal in slavery than unequal in freedom.” – Alexis de Tocqueville
The government is, at best, another tool societies can sometimes use to good effect. It is not a Deus ex machina that societies can rely upon to swoop in and bring about a happy ending.
Earlier this week, Americans celebrated one of their most meaningful holidays, their country’s Independence Day. It’s a day every American knows, a day spent with food, family, and fireworks. See Also: Why the American Revolution Was Really an Economic Revolution But, many Americans don’t know the real story that led to July 4, 1776. What […]
In 1954, Dwight D. Eisenhower authorized Operation Wetback, a project that rounded up hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants and deported them. Now policy leader Donald Trump is proposing that we do something similar—on a much larger scale. Think 11 million immigrants deported in two years. Now, many argue that if immigrants are coming to the […]
There is perhaps no public policy issue that has more misinformation around it than immigration. Because immigrants (except for naturalized citizens) can’t vote, they make for a favorite political scapegoat for a stagnant economy, meager job creation, and slow wage growth. Immigrants and Economic Growth In the new Learn Liberty video below, Texas Tech Professor […]
This week marks the Jewish holiday of Passover, which, at least in part, celebrates freedom from slavery. As we observe it, let’s not forget those who fought for freedom in our own country. For instance, this year’s Passover follows last week’s announcement from the U.S. Treasury that abolitionist Harriet Tubman will be featured on the […]
What if I told you that some people were better than others? I don’t mean better at tennis or better at singing or better at math. I mean a better breed of person, entitled by nature to exercise authority over you. I’m guessing you would reject that claim, possibly even find it insulting. I would join […]
You’ve heard the phrase but what exactly does it mean to be “libertarian” or “classical liberal”? Ah, the question of the sages, like Locke and Smith. (Not to mention newer sages like Hayek, Friedman, Rothbard and Nozick!) Now hear it best from one of Learn Liberty’s own classical liberal sages – Dr. Nigel Ashford. Join him in […]
“That, gentlemen, is freedom.”So spoke an esteemed friend and mentor to me, decades ago, on listening to clarinetist Edmund Hall play an effortlessly glorious solo on the Louis Armstrong record Ambassador Satch. “What could he mean?” I wondered. “What has making music to do with freedom?” He did not explain.I now believe what my friend […]
A lot of people – especially the kind of people who read blogs like this! – have very strong views about politics. This is especially true when our political views are based on moral views. If we think that universal health care is a good idea because we think it’s likely to result in more […]
Many a political commentator will make the argument that something is a right. But have you ever seriously considered what constitutes a right? This is an important philosophical, as well as political and economic question we must ask ourselves when determining the proper role of government in a free society. In this Learn Liberty video […]
Author Ayn Rand is one of the most divisive thinkers of the modern era, but does her work hint at themes that are common to most if not all of us? In honor of her birthday, take a moment to reflect on whether or not you would want to live in the world Rand created […]
Forbidden to wear a t-shirt featuring a plant leaf? Isn’t this the Land of the Free? A U.S. District Court in Iowa agrees. It recently upheld the First Amendment rights of a student group at Iowa State University after administrators tried to stop them from wearing t-shirts featuring images of marijuana leaves. School officials, according […]
Imagine being required to use the dry-cleaner in your neighborhood, even if you prefer the services, prices, and quality of the one across town. That’s the scenario that most American parents are in when it comes to sending their children to public school. For the most part, they are prisoners of their neighborhoods, required to […]
Learn Liberty: First, when did you join the Learn Liberty team and what is your role? Eric Andreasen: I joined the Learn Liberty team as a marketing intern in 2013. In addition to my duties as Marketing Coordinator, I manage the organization’s social media accounts. LL: How did you find your way to the philosophy […]
Today is Human Rights Day, a day when we commemorate the respect for individual rights, which are largely responsible for the human flourishing enjoyed in recent centuries. In the U.S., human rights are enshrined in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. They guarantee basic rights like freedom of expression, self-defense, and due process. Historically, […]
Mary Wollstonecraft was a prominent figure in the first wave American feminist movement and most famously known for her very libertarian text, “A Vindication of the Rights of Woman.” For a more in depth look into Wollstonecraft and her contemporaries be sure to check out our On Demand program on Feminism!
Do you agree with F.A. Harper’s assessment? Can you think of any historical examples?
Alexis de Tocqueville on the paradox of freedom. Freedom comes with risk but the risk is well worth the reward of owning yourself. What do you think about this quote? Tell us how you feel in the comments.
This excellent post by Bryan Caplan, professor of economics at George Mason University, was originally featured at OpenBorders in January of 2013. Below is an excerpt. I changed my mind about proper immigration policy in my senior year of high school. The impetus, as usual for me, was not first-hand experience, but abstract argument. After […]