Randy Barnett is arguably on the short list of the libertarians most influential in American public life. His legal scholarship has informed challenges to state power in the courts; indeed, he himself has argued before the Supreme Court. He has been an active...
Libertarianism
TGIF: On the Pursuit of Happiness
by Sheldon Richman | Jul 5, 2024 | Featured Articles, History, Justice, Libertarianism, Politics, Sheldon Richman, TGIF
The most remarkable phrase in the Declaration of Independence, whose anniversary we just celebrated, is the pursuit of happiness. Looking back 248 years, that phrase may strike the modern ear as strange for a political document. But it apparently did not seem that way...
The Cato Institute’s Disgraceful Embrace of NATO
by Ted Galen Carpenter | Jul 2, 2024 | Featured Articles, Foreign Policy, Libertarianism
On July 9, 2024, the Cato Institute is holding a conference entitled “NATO at 75, Rebalancing the Transatlantic Alliance.” That title should come as a surprise to committed libertarians. When the modern libertarian movement emerged after World War II, one prominent...
How Should a Principled Libertarian Vote?
by Benjamin Seevers | Jul 1, 2024 | Featured Articles, Libertarianism, Politics
The 2024 election is right around the corner, and libertarians have a choice to make. There are many legitimate options; libertarians have historically taken a number of stances, such as abstention, write-ins, voting for principled candidates or the lesser of two...
TGIF: No Cheers for Decolonization(R)
by Sheldon Richman | Jun 28, 2024 | Economics, Foreign Policy, History, Justice, Libertarianism, Politics, Sheldon Richman, TGIF
How can a libertarian oppose decolonization? Colonization not only oppressed conquered peoples, as the staunchest early classical liberals never tired of pointing out, but also burdened the taxpayers of the home country, who were forced to pay through the nose for...
TGIF: “We Have Met the Enemy and He Is Us”
by Sheldon Richman | Jun 14, 2024 | Economics, Featured Articles, Justice, Libertarianism, Politics, Sheldon Richman, TGIF
The famous line "We have met the enemy and he is us" is from Walt Kelly's comic strip, Pogo. Kelly adapted the line from a U.S. naval commandant who, during the War of 1812 against Great Britain, reported to his superior, “We have met the enemy and they are ours.”...
Rights for the Synthetic
by Kym Robinson | Jun 13, 2024 | Featured Articles, Libertarianism
"The future of human-AI coexistence depends on acknowledging the potential for sentient machines and reevaluating responsibilities towards them. It's crucial to consider the ethical implications of creating beings that may possess their own interests, desires, and...
David Boaz (1953-2024)
by Sheldon Richman | Jun 7, 2024 | Blog, Libertarianism
With great sadness I note the passing of David Boaz today, June 7, 2024, at age 70. He had been ill for some time. He was a good man and a giant of the libertarian movement. Very much because of David's influence and example, libertarian organizations not only...