Socialism

Public Goods, National Defense, and Central Planning

by Richard M. Ebeling February 26, 2018

The competitive market economy is a powerful institutional mechanism for bringing human ingenuity, energy and creativity to bear to improve both the material and cultural circumstances of multitudes of people around the world. Wherever relatively free market capitalism is operating, it succeeds in ending human poverty and brings about rising standards of living for hundreds of millions, indeed, now ...

Why Not End Funding Now?

by Laurence M. Vance February 2, 2018

Donald Trump’s possible decision to end NASA’s funding of the International Space Station by 2025 brings up that age-old question of the proper role of government, although it is certainly not he who is bringing it up. The International Space Station (ISS) program is a joint operation between NASA and the space agencies of Russia, Japan, Canada, ...

Paul Leroy-Beaulieu: A Warning Voice About the Socialist Tragedy to Come

by Richard M. Ebeling January 29, 2018

The Russian Revolution of November 1917, now being marked by its centenary, ushered in a hundred years of political tyranny and terror, economic suffering, exploitation and corruption, along with unimaginable mass murder, among the tens of millions of people who came under the control and command of Marxist inspired socialist regimes around the world.  But before this tragic episode ...

Red-Green Delusions on Soviet-Bloc History

by James Bovard January 1, 2018

The New York Times is running a series of “Red Century” articles extolling some of the virtues of communism on the 100th anniversary of the Russian Revolution. Last August, the Times showcased a Yale University lecturer rhapsodizing about the Soviets’ environmental record in a piece headlined, “Lenin’s Eco-Warriors.” The piece hailed Lenin as “a longtime enthusiast for hiking and ...

Paycheck Plus Welfare

by Laurence M. Vance January 1, 2018

Just as a rose by any other name would still smell just as sweet, so welfare by any other name still reeks of dependency, taxation, wealth redistribution, fraud, redundancy, inefficiency, and income- transfer payments. Yet, pleas to maintain the welfare state never cease. And some even want to expand it. Like MDRC, “a nonprofit, nonpartisan education and social policy research ...

Exporting Roosevelt’s New Deal through Aid, Investment, and Threat of War

by Wendy McElroy January 1, 2018

The Marshall Plan is more than a historical event — it has become a modern myth. As such, it may be mostly true or mostly false, but it exercises a powerful hold over reality. And the perceived success of the Marshall Plan has influenced American policy since the late 1940s. — Tyler Cowen The European Recovery Program, known as the Marshall ...

The Libertarian Angle: America’s Santa Claus (video)

by Future of Freedom Foundation December 20, 2017

What happens when the national government starts handing out presents to everyone? FFF president Jacob Hornberger and Richard Ebeling discuss socialism in America. Go to the podcast.

Millions Paid for Not Working

by Laurence M. Vance November 15, 2017

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), part of the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), releases its monthly jobs report on the first Friday of every month. The jobs report is perceived as a gauge of the health of the economy. The BLS also issues a weekly report of unemployment insurance claims. According to a ...

Republicans for All

by Laurence M. Vance October 20, 2017

Last month, self-proclaimed socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) released his Medicare for All plan. Said Sanders, Health care must be recognized as a right, not a privilege. Every man, woman and child in our country should be able to access the health care they need regardless of their income. The only long-term solution to America’s health care crisis ...

Free Markets, Not Government, Improve Race Relations

by Richard M. Ebeling September 4, 2017

Politically we seem to be living in some trying times. The political polarization, as captured in the mainstream news media, appears to be intensifying with even acts of destructive violence on the streets and campuses of American cities. At the same time, pictures out of Houston during and following Hurricane Harvey show empathetic assistance and cooperation between people and ...

Free the Fire Stations!

by Laurence M. Vance August 1, 2017

Many boys, at one time or another when they are growing up, become enamored with firetrucks after taking a school field trip to their local fire station. Some of them will then insist that they want to be firemen when then grow up. They want such an occupation because of the excitement and the adventure they envision — and, ...

Why Planned Parenthood Should Be Defunded

by Laurence M. Vance July 21, 2017

For years now Republicans in Congress have expressed their intention to repeal Obamacare and defund Planned Parenthood. Although they failed to accomplish either goal individually, they came up with the bright idea of introducing a bill that would jointly achieve their objectives. If it passes. Because the Republicans had nearly absolute control of the government once Donald Trump was sworn into ...