In popular writings on Austrian economics, the terms “praxeology” and “economics” are sometimes used interchangeably, although economics is only one branch of the broader logic of human action. However, in The Ultimate Foundation of Economic Science (1962), Mises did observe that economics is the best developed branch of praxeology, and this has
A few months ago, Carmen Dorobăţ and I wrote an article discussing Venezuela’s rapidly deteriorating economic situation. Since then, conditions in Venezuela have worsened, and in the last week political unrest has escalated quickly, with large protests of the Maduro government taking place in Caracas and elsewhere around the country. Maduro and
The centenary of the First World War is drawing to a close, but if there is any justice in the world, the conflict will live in infamy for many centuries to come. Few events have captured as perfectly the death of peace and liberty and the triumph of militarism and statism as the Great War. It not only sent millions to the slaughter and
Although students of Austrian economics are familiar with Mises, Hayek, and the other major figures of the school, there are many economists who worked in and around the Austrian tradition—and made crucial contributions to it—whose writings are today neglected. One of the most significant of these is the American Frank A. Fetter , the “ forgotten
The global controversy over video game loot boxes is now over a year old, and shows no signs of abating. In fact, quite the opposite: consumer outrage continues to grow, and governments around the world are increasingly interested in regulating the use of loot boxes and other microtransactions. Several US states have proposed legislation to
Last year, British entrepreneur Mike Watts made headlines when he opened England’s first private toll road in more than a hundred years. The road has now been closed, but its brief history provides a sad (and all-too-typical) example of how government sabotages entrepreneurs and hurts their customers. The basic story is as follows: after a local
That’s what John Mueller argues in the latest issue of the Quarterly Journal of Austrian Economics . The issue features a symposium on Mueller’s work—inspired by his Lou Church Memorial Lecture at the Austrian Economics Research Conference —that includes an essay by Mueller along with replies by Michael Watson ( here ) and me ( here ). This is
Valiant Hearts is the rare game that combines engaging gameplay with a compelling narrative and a strongly anti-war message. I highly encourage readers to give it a try, even if you’re not usually interested in gaming. It’s available for all the major platforms, some of which are now offering the first chapter free, so if you want, you can try it
Eugenics has haunted the social sciences for the better part of two centuries. Historically, as a social movement, its most ardent advocates were the progressives, while in economics its most famous champion was John Maynard Keynes . Recently, the history of the eugenics movement has been studied in detail in Thomas Leonard’s masterpiece,
What is the Mises Institute?
The Mises Institute is a non-profit organization that exists to promote teaching and research in the Austrian School of economics, individual freedom, honest history, and international peace, in the tradition of Ludwig von Mises and Murray N. Rothbard.
Non-political, non-partisan, and non-PC, we advocate a radical shift in the intellectual climate, away from statism and toward a private property order. We believe that our foundational ideas are of permanent value, and oppose all efforts at compromise, sellout, and amalgamation of these ideas with fashionable political, cultural, and social doctrines inimical to their spirit.