Radical Perspectives: The American right historically focused on radical change rather than conservation, emphasizing freedom and self-determination. This view questioned the value of the state and justified rebellion against unjust laws, as illustrated by the American Revolution debates around natural law.
Historically, the American right was distinct from today's conservative movements. Writers like H. L. Mencken and Albert J. Knock advocated for radical changes instead of simply conserving existing traditions. They criticized liberalism and viewed the state as a damaging force. This perspective emphasized values of freedom and self-determination, suggesting that sometimes rebellion against authority is justified, as seen during the American Revolution where rebels debated their moral obligation to unjust laws versus a higher natural law.
Law vs. Morality: Laws can be unjust even if legal. A higher moral law should guide society, ensuring peace and order while addressing legitimate grievances without resorting to violence.
James Otis emphasized that even if laws are technically legal, they can still be wrong. He argued for a higher moral law that should guide society, rather than blindly following unjust laws. Respecting the rule of law is crucial for social peace and stability, which many conservatives support. Recent riots in the UK showcased this issue, as some Tories condemned the violence even while sympathizing with the underlying cause of opposition to mass immigration. They demanded law enforcement to respond firmly and maintain order, demonstrating that a balance between lawful conduct and moral principles is essential for a civilized society. Without this balance, society risks descending into chaos, making it vital to uphold public order and denounce violence while striving for justice.
Liberty and Rebellion: True liberty often arises from rebellion against tyranny. The old right exemplified this by opposing unjust systems, stressing the need for genuine resistance to current societal norms that erode freedoms and property rights.
Public order policing often fails to recognize that true liberty has historically been championed by rebels rather than establishment figures. While some rioters join causes without understanding them, others oppose tyranny based on principles. The old right in America sought to dismantle systems perceived as unjust, emphasizing a need for genuine opposition to current societal trends that may not actually defend individual freedoms or property rights.
Liberty Advocated: Rothbard champions the old right's anti-government ideals, advocating for an absolute defense of individual liberties and private property, while rejecting modern extremism that fosters disorder.
Rothbard emphasizes a return to the old right's anti-government stance, advocating for a repeal of institutions that he feels clash with true liberty. He honors the notion of individual freedom, including the rights tied to private property and self-expression, while rejecting the modern view of extremism linked with chaos. Instead, he cites a desire for a principled defense of basic freedoms, aligned with the original ideas of early American governance, promoting both individual rights and non-interventionism.
The Rebellious Old Right
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The Denarius and the Dollar: Price Controls Then and Now
The more things change, the more they remain the same. In our present age of inflation, we are reminded of how Diocletian and other Roman authorities ordered price controls and other measures to hold down prices. None of these edicts were successful in bringing down prices.
Original article: The Denarius and the Dollar: Price Controls Then and Now
An Economy So Strong It Requires Crisis-Level Fed Action
The Fed’s specialty is propaganda through data, with a long record of failure. This is by design. Their communication tools must work in overtime, particularly in the face of a decision like this, to avoid “spooking markets”, though this veneer is easy to see through.
Original article: An Economy So Strong It Requires Crisis-Level Fed Action
Understanding the Basics of Modern Banking
Banking systems around the world have huge effects on our lives, yet few people understand how banks work. Worse yet, even fewer understand the malign powers of central banks and how this system undermines economies. Thus, it is important to demystify these systems.
Original article: Understanding the Basics of Modern Banking
The Fed Hits the Panic Button and Slashes the Fed Funds Rate
The Fed is desperate for you to think that “this time is different.” Unfortunately, Powell can’t seem to come up with explanation of why that is the case.
Original article: The Fed Hits the Panic Button and Slashes the Fed Funds Rate
Tariffs, Protectionism, and Why Borders Matter
The political zeitgeist is to embrace protectionism, leading some who support free trade to embrace open borders. However, as Murray Rothbard explained, people and societies are complex entities and what may work for trade does not work for open immigration.
Original article: Tariffs, Protectionism, and Why Borders Matter
The Second Trump Shooter Believed Exactly What the Establishment Media Wanted Him to Believe
After Trump narrowly escaped another assassination attempt, the establishment seems uninterested in the motives of the would-be shooter. Perhaps that’s because he’s echoing the same simplistic narratives about the Ukraine war and Trump that they demand we all believe.
Original article: The Second Trump Shooter Believed Exactly What the Establishment Media Wanted Him to Believe
The Gradual Leftward Shift in US Politics and Economy
This year's presidential election is presented in stark terms of right and left, Trump on the right and Harris on the left. However, it is more realistic to say that both candidates are to the left of where electoral politics was located just a couple decades ago.
Original article: The Gradual Leftward Shift in US Politics and Economy
Yes, We Should Defend the Term “Capitalism”
Many proponents of free markets have tried to cast aside the name “capitalism” as a descriptor of the market system. They should take caution before doing so.
Original article: Yes, We Should Defend the Term “Capitalism”
Understanding the Real Costs of Slavery: It’s Not Cheap labor
The standard belief is that slavery was about obtaining “cheap labor,“ yet nothing could be further from the truth. Slavery comes with high opportunity costs, which is why American slave owners depended upon several government regulations to subsidize their “peculiar institution.”
Original article: Understanding the Real Costs of Slavery: It’s Not Cheap labor
New “Engels” on Marx
It is understood that Marx's theories stand entirely upon his Labor Theory of Value. If that theory is discredited, so is the scenario that leads to the inevitable triumph of communism. That fact, however, doesn't stop Marx's disciples from employing other fallacies.
Original article: New “Engels” on Marx