Zack Sorenson

Can A Libertarian Society Provide National Defense?

by Zack Sorenson | Dec 27, 2017 | Blog, Libertarianism

A recent Tom Woods podcast featured a debate about whether the free market can provide for national defense. Arguing that libertarian society can offer defense "services", Bob Murphy relies on the idea of insurance paying the costs of defense. Arguing that a monopoly state should offer these services, Todd Lewis points out numerous historical examples in which government organized national defense is seemingly necessary. I dislike this kind of discussion in general. My feeling is that there shouldn't be such a thing as any kind of organized, politically driven, violence. The idea of...

Check Out My Libertarian Sci-Fi Adventure Novel; Tone: Mark Twain Meets The Right Stuff

by Zack Sorenson | Dec 18, 2017 | Blog

I recently finished writing a science-fiction novel. It has more than a few libertarian elements, and I thought you might be interested in checking it out. Actually, hey guys it's the Holidays don't ya know? How about buying Fool's Errand! And then, if you have money left over (or prefer fiction), check out my book! (click blog post heading for more details) https://www.amazon.com/Weep-Not-Columbia-Zachary-Sorenson/dp/0692994106/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1513656250&sr=8-1&keywords=weep+not+columbia (Available on Kindle and paperback; Kindle Unlimited until mid-February) My book...

The “Problematic” Nature of Star Wars: The Last Jedi

by Zack Sorenson | Dec 15, 2017 | Foreign Policy, Op Eds, Politics

This article will contain plot spoiler content for the new Star Wars movie. Also, the US Government is using your tax money to help kill thousands of innocents across the Earth. But, anyway, spoiler warning. I just saw the new Star Wars movie. The plot is a mess, but that's a discussion for another forum. What I find most interesting about the plot is how it tickles public perceptions about war. There are some serious problems here that need to be unravelled When George Lucas made the original Star Wars, he deliberately referenced many real world themes in his tale of cosmic conflict. ...

Why Was WWII Bad, Actually?

by Zack Sorenson | Dec 12, 2017 | Featured Articles, Foreign Policy

World War II: the great necessary war of our civilization. Because Hitler was evil incarnate, therefore he had to be physically defeated. The reality of Hitler means that the good guys - America and its allied subordinates - must maintain permanent military vigilance. No, moreover to prevent war and conflict, potential Hitlers must be dissuaded from even trying to fight. Thus, America must throw all moral considerations out the window so long as it does what is necessary to maintain a permanent militarily dominated, hegemonic world order. Why? According to Ivy League professors, and...

Capitalism And Backscratchers

by Zack Sorenson | Sep 26, 2017 | Blog

I'd like to relate a blog-appropriate anecdote concerning an epiphany I just experienced. The other day I saw a backscratcher for sale at the store. It was a metal hand, with a telescoping rod, connected to a plastic handle. The display rack containing these scratchers held a variety of color options. The whole thing made me think: "This wasteful culture we live in and its stupid junk. Can someone please explain why I would ever buy such a thing?" Just tonight, I was walking around my apartment, and suddenly my back really started itching. Without thinking, I tried to scratch it. ...

New Libertarian Politics 2 of 3: Political Organization Outside The State

by Zack Sorenson | Sep 23, 2017 | Libertarianism, Op Eds, Politics, Uncategorized

This article is the second in a series of three on new approaches to politics for libertarians. The three approaches can be thought of as a pyramid, where the third approach is the most common and the base, and the first approach is the narrowest and least common. Part one of the series discussed the narrow approach: pragmatic engagement in electoral politics. Part two will now deal with the question of political organization and activity outside of the apparatus of the state. Libertarians constantly stress over how to reduce the power of the state, and thereby increase individual...

New Libertarian Politics 1 of 3: The Importance of Pragmatism

by Zack Sorenson | Sep 18, 2017 | Libertarianism, Op Eds, Politics

Libertarianism has come to a point where it must embrace pragmatic solutions like never before. The stakes are high: the possibility of nuclear war, technology that could liberate the earth or otherwise lead to permanent tyranny, the cusp of a potentially unprecedented economic disaster and the resultant social chaos. These issues demand the sound guidance of libertarian wisdom for Earth to make it through the coming challenges successfully. Humanity needs libertarian wisdom, even if it refuses to agree with libertarians. If humanity rejects our ideology, it remains paramount that we...

Austrian Economics Could Better Explain Politics

by Zack Sorenson | Sep 16, 2017 | Economics, Libertarianism, Op Eds

In a previous article, I discussed a theory of conflict framed by economics. I suspect that my thoughts touch on Rothbard's elusive category of Praxeology: the "Theory of Hostile Action". I stumbled upon the idea that economic analysis can be applied to conflict after reading Jonathan Schell's The Unconquerable World, and also while trying to answer leftist complaints about how libertarians define property norms. Though scholars have applied economic reasoning to warfare and conflict, as far as I know none have done so systematically. Schell's application of economic reasoning to warfare...