The Human Action Podcast

Dr. Joseph Salerno, speaking at our 35th Anniversary Gala in New York last weekend, makes the case for Murray Rothbard as the preeminent modern Austrian economist—and the rightful heir to Ludwig von Mises. This great talk will change your perspective on Rothbard the economist, especially when Joe reveals what Hayek had to say about Murray's place in the Austrian school.

Daniel Lacalle, a Spanish economist and libertarian who runs Mises Hispano, joins Jeff Deist for an in-depth discussion of the facts behind the Catalan independence vote. Daniel makes the case against secession, based on economics, history, constitutionalism, anti-socialism, and his strong view that independence would result in less freedom for Catalans. Jeff disagrees, arguing for self-determination as a fundamental libertarian political principle that contemplates freedom to choose even bad political arrangements. Don't miss this show if you want to understand what is happening in Catalonia beyond the headlines.

Professor Thornbury is president of a very different kind of school, The King's College in Manhattan. He joins Jeff Deist to discuss everything wrong—and everything that could be right—with universities today. Dr. Thornbury's prescriptions are radical: make education a la carte, offering a mix of degrees, certificates, and micro-certificates. Tailor programs to teach specific skills, and shorten the time undergraduates spend in school dramatically. Insist that all graduates have rigorous writing and public speaking skills. End the publishing model for academics, and replace it with a focus on classroom skills and open inquiry. Finally, make sure students still learn enough about history, philosophy, ethics, classics, languages, and rhetoric to navigate life beyond the digital world.

Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen announced the bank would begin selling assets it has relentlessly bought since the Crash of '08. The financial press, including the Wall Street Journal, dutifully praised Yellen for her steady hand. But our guest Dr. Mark Thornton has a different take on what it all means for stock markets, investors, and the US economy. Can quantitative easing—a roundabout form of monetizing debt—actually work? Can monetary policy make us rich? Or, are Fed officials just groping in the dark, putting off a day of reckoning? Jeff Deist and Mark Thornton unwind the narrative.

Jake Lindsey is a brilliant young Harvard grad who majored in economics. His favorite thinkers? Ludwig von Mises and Murray Rothbard. But unlike most young fans of the Mises Institute, Jake was a dominant linebacker for the Harvard Crimson who attracted the attention of scouts from the Buffalo Bills. He's fresh off a pre-season tryout and looking to start a career in the NFL. Jake joins Jeff for a candid interview about his two passions, football and Austrian economics.

Our guest Scott Horton just released an important new book—'Fools Errand: Time to End the War in Afghanistan' (Mises.org/HortonBook). This is the definitive treatment of the war itself, the history and factions involved, and the disturbing policy mindset that keeps this deeply unpopular conflict churning. Don't miss this interview with one of the leading antiwar libertarians of our time.

The culture wars have infected every aspect of American life. It's not just Red vs. Blue anymore, or urban vs. rural, it's Antifa vs. the alt-Right—sometimes literally in the streets. Have libertarians lost the narrative in the midst of all this? Are they mired in the same Left/Right divisions that plague society generally?

Our good friend Dave Smith, a comedian and a frequent guest on Fox News, joins Jeff Deist to discuss.

Daniel McAdams from the Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity joins Jeff to discuss Trumpian foreign policy in light of the president's recent speech on Afghanistan.

The costs of our wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria—human and economic—keep piling up. How do such deeply unpopular wars go on so long? Why do sensible notions of peace and non-intervention fail to gain a foothold in Congress or the White House? How does the War Party in DC plays both sides? And, how do they silence anti-war voices like Tulsi Gabbard? This is a no-holds-barred discussion of the grim realities behind US foreign policy.

For this week's Mises Weekends, we're excited to share the first episode of a new Mises Institute podcast, Historical Controversies. Hosted by Chris Calton, a Mises Fellow, Historical Controversies is a series that applies a Rothbardian revisionist look at important sagas in American history. The first season covers the War on Drugs, highlighting the role of the US government in fanning the flames of America's drug epidemic.

As Murray Rothbard said, "History necessarily means narrative, discussion of real persons as well as their abstract theories, and includes triumphs, tragedies, and conflicts, conflicts which are often moral as well as purely theoretical."

Along these lines, Chris interweaves personal stories alongside facts and anecdotes that you will never find in a government approved curriculum. The result is a show that will both entertain and enlighten. We hope you will enjoy the first episode of Historical Controversies, and will subscribe for a new episode every Wednesday.

This week's episode features Tom Woods' opening lecture at Mises University 2017. Tom shares his experiences meeting Murray Rothbard, how Murray shaped Tom's intellectual development, plus some valuable lessons for us all.