Private Property

Progressives argue that free markets stand in the way of economic and racial equality. In fact, free markets are the only vehicle that can help make people more equal. Original Article: Legacies of Injustice and Racial Inequality

Are NASA contracts propping up the private space industry? Or are Government regulations stifling the private space race? Dr. Eli Dourado, Senior Research Fellow with the Center for Growth and Opportunity at Utah State University, joins Bob to discuss the recent "successful failure" of the exploded SpaceX launch and the differences between government and privately funded space travel. Dr. Dourado on NASA contracting private companies to build their shuttles: Mises.org/HAP393a Dr. Dourado on the Artemis moon program: Mises.org/HAP393b

The federal government, along with pharmaceutical, alcohol, and tobacco companies have spent money trying to put the legalization genie back in the prohibition bottle, so any argument or propaganda will suit their purposes. Original Article: "Some Conservatives Still Pine for the Good Ol' Days of Cannabis Prohibition" This Audio Mises Wire is generously sponsored by Christopher Condon. Narrated by Michael Stack.

Many landlords just received a crash course about how irrelevant their property rights are in Washington. Original Article: "An End to the Bizarre CDC Rent Moratorium" This Audio Mises Wire is generously sponsored by Christopher Condon. Narrated by Michael Stack.

That gold was used as money in the past is merely a historical fact. But the fact that gold was a form of private money, and thus not easily manipulated for government schemes, made it a target of countless intellectual and governmental assaults. Original Article: "They Don't Hate Gold Because It's Gold. They Hate It Because It's Not Government Money." This Audio Mises Wire is generously sponsored by Christopher Condon. Narrated by Michael Stack.

Recently Tim Poole alluded to the so-called “shopping cart theory” of why self-governance is impossible. Specifically, because people can’t even bother to take back the shopping cart when this is clearly the socially right thing to do, we can’t hope to have a system relying on everyone’s good nature. Bob explains what’s wrong with this argument. Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: The blog post for the “Adventures in Pacifism: Louis CK edition” contest.Ben Powell on SomaliaBob’s book Chaos Theory, his article on libertarian law and military defense, his lecture on the market for security, and his lecture on military defenseThe Federalist No. 51 For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.

Lawyer and libertarian theorist Stephan Kinsella joins the show to discuss the middle chapters of Hoppe's Democracy, The God That Failed—in particular dealing with "desocialization" of collective property, immigration, and free trade. These are the most controversial and widely-discussed parts of the book, and Kinsella provides a fascinating analysis of property vs. wealth, the problems with public ownership and forced integration, and the concept of rule-setting for state property. And don't miss the final part of the show for his explanation of "Hoppephobia."    Kinsella's article on LewRockwell.com: "A Simple Libertarian Argument Against Unrestricted Immigration and Open Borders" Read Stephan Kinsella's Against Intellectual Property at Mises.org/KinsellaBook Use the code HAPOD for a discount on Democracy: The God That Failed from our bookstore: Mises.org/BuyHoppe

With an ugly presidential election just three weeks away, we dive into Hans Hoppe's classic Democracy: The God That Failed to puncture some of the myths surrounding democracy and voting. Jayant Bhandari joins the show to discuss Hoppe's controversial thesis concerning monarchy and democracy, time preference and its manifestation in the two systems, the forces constraining monarchs, and the terrible incentives created for democratic rulers. This is a must-listen show for anyone interested in Hoppe's most famous work and its application to the problems western states face today.  Find more from Jayant Bhandari on his website (JayantGhandari.com) and his Twitter account (@JayantBhandari5). Use the code HAPOD for a discount on Democracy: The God That Failed from our bookstore: Mises.org/BuyHoppe  

“Taking back the streets” ought to mean privatizing them and enabling property owners to defend their property. This would be the surest way to end the riots. This Audio Mises Wire is generously sponsored by Christopher Condon. Narrated by Michael Stack. Original Article: "How Government-Owned Streets Prevent Effective Law Enforcement".

Advocates for looting are now claiming that looting doesn't really hurt anybody but evil corporations. In truth, looting is a disaster for many families, business owners, and the neighborhoods themselves. This Audio Mises Wire is generously sponsored by Christopher Condon. Narrated by Millian Quinteros. Original Article: "It’s Not "Just Property": How Looting Destroys Lives and Low-Income Neighborhoods".

Homeowners believe their property rights extend far beyond their property lines. They want to dictate who lives near them, how much money their neighbors make, and what the houses in their neighborhood look like. This Audio Mises Wire is generously sponsored by Christopher Condon. Narrated by Millian Quinteros. Original Article: "Why Homeowners Hate Real Estate Developers"

The case for the privatization of roads has much to recommend it if only in terms of how it would affect the power of the police to detain us, search us, and seize our property. This Audio Mises Wire is generously sponsored by Christopher Condon. Narrated by Millian Quinteros. Original Article: "How Government Roads Expand Police Power in America".

Nationalism, globalism, cosmopolitanism, and immigration are heated topics today—but Mises systematically addressed them 100 years ago, in his seminal work Nation, State, and Economy. What is a nation, and what does the nationality principle mean for liberalism? Mises argues that nations arise spontaneously, predating governments. Liberal nations exist to the extent they respect self-determination, peace, and international trade. But illiberal nations produce war and privation, discriminate against minorities, and distort natural migration. So how do we deal with aggressive nationalism? Economist Ryan McMaken, editor of Mises.org, joins Jeff Deist to wrestle with this important and relevant book. Don't miss their great discussion of immigration toward the end of the podcast, referencing Professor Ben Powell's recent paper "Solving the Misesian Migration Conundrum". And use the code HAPOD for a discount on Nation, State, and Economy from our bookstore.

Bob talks with Stephan Kinsella about the basis of libertarian law, and how we could have justice without a coercive State. They then discuss Stephan’s pathbreaking work making the case that property must be in tangible things, rendering “intellectual property” an incoherent and dangerous concept. For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.

Our in-house economist and editor Ryan McMaken joins the Human Action Podcast for a deep dive into Mises's seminal 1927 book Liberalism. This is the definitive podcast on the definitive book on liberal society: its foundations, what it means for property, freedom, peace, economic policy, and immigration.  Readings Liberalism: In the Classical Tradition by Ludwig von Mises"Was Mises a Neoliberal?" by Jeff Deist"Immigration Roundtable: Ludwig von Mises" by Jeff Deist Subscribe and listen on iTunes, YouTube, Stitcher, Soundcloud, Google Play, Spotify, or via RSS.

Dr. Joe Salerno will address the annual Students for Liberty conference this week on the topic of his seminal article, "Mises on Nationalism, the Right of Self Determination, and the Problem of Immigration." While Mises had plenty to say about nation states and liberalism, he wrote relatively little about immigration per se. Dr. Salerno and Jeff Deist discuss Mises's conception of nation and state, breakaway movements, borders, and self-determination in polyglot societies. Nationalism and immigration are the most contentious political issues today, and Mises's perspectives remain remarkably fresh and relevant.

Much is often made of allowing "consenting adults" to exercise their freedoms unhindered by government regulation. Unfortunately, this presumption is often limited to the realm of activities like gambling and prostitution. But should not consenting adults also be allowed freedom in larger economic matters such as real estate? In this 1981 lecture, Walter Block discusses the importance of allowing private markets — and not government planners — to decide how land and housing is used by those who buy, sell, and rent it. Presented at the School of Law, Dalhousie University (Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada) on 29 January 1981. [1:30:56]

Whether racially motivated or not, land expropriation in South Africa is just another episode of state-forced wealth redistribution — with disastrous effects. Narrated by George Pickering. Read the original article.

Recorded at the Mises Institute in Auburn, Alabama, on July 20, 2018.

Dr. Hoppe's book The Economics and Ethics of Private Property is among the most important modern contributions to libertarian thought. Hoppe, like Rothbard, connects laissez-faire economics to normative libertarian theory with laserlike precision and inexorable logic. Property isn't just a social construct determined by legislative fiat, but rather a necessary component of self-ownership and the foundation of a free society. Hoppe details many of the arguments made in the book during a talk entitled "A World Without Theft", delivered at a Mises Institute event in 2006. This is a fantastic talk you won't want to miss.