The Remnant
Robert Higgs is an incredible economist. His theories of the ratchet effect and regime uncertainty stand on their own two feet as defining the reality of economies controlled by governments today – and that is to say nothing for nearly single-handedly forcing mainstream economists worldwide to reconsider that supposed “fact” that WWII “got us out of the Depression.” Starting as a Republican, moving toward libertarian minarchism, and finally landing in the anarchism camp after seeing the problems Clinton’s executive branch caused in the markets during the 90s, Higgs does an excellent job seeing through the facade of the terms that politicians use to make war sound like peace, freedom like slavery, and ignorance strength. No exception here:
Where the government does X, it is called Y…
X = extortion; Y = taxation
X = robbery; Y = taxation
X = unjust (and often pointless or destructive) compulsion of innocent persons; Y = regulation
X = kidnapping; Y = imprisonment of persons convicted of [victimless] crimes
X = torture; Y = enhanced interrogation techniques
X = imperialism; Y = global peacekeeping operations
X = spying on citizens without cause; Y = homeland security operations
X = sexually assaulting and battering airline passengers – men, women, and children alike; Y = airline security operations
X = herding, stripping, and irradiating airline passengers – men, women, and children alike; Y = airline security operations
X = accepting bribes; Y = accepting campaign contributions
X = propagandizing the general public; Y = holding official press conferences
X = indoctrination in servility and loyalty to the state; Y = public education
X = savage, pointless massacre of foreigners; Y = national defense
X = unjust enrichment of private individuals and corporations; Y = subsidies
X = beating, tasing, and shooting innocuous persons; Y = making arrests
X = debasement of the currency; Y = quantitative easing
X = fostering systemic economic booms and busts; Y = monetary policy
X = fostering systemic economic booms and busts; Y = fiscal policy
X = wasting and destroying natural resources; Y = implementing conservation policies
X = suppressing liberties on unjust and baseless grounds; Y = implementing environmental policies
X = serving the interests of the Israeli state; Y = carrying out Middle East policies
X = maintaining a police state; Y = maintaining law and order, public health, and national security
X = lying about everything of consequence; Y = keeping the public informed
X = robbing productive Peter to pay unproductive Paul; Y = maintaining the safety net
X = murderous, blundering, destructive global intervention; Y = U.S. foreign policy
X = suffering blowback; Y = being attacked because foreigners hate us for our freedoms
X = unjustly enriching Goldman Sachs et alia; Y = preventing another Great Depression
X = deferring and worsening the inevitable day of reckoning; Y = stabilizing financial and housing markets
X = rigging the game to ensue the reelection of incumbent members of Congress; Y = democracy in action
X = bribing or intimidating foreign governments to assist big multinational corporations; Y = U.S. foreign policy
X = gratifying one’s megalomania and feathering one’s nest at public expense; Y = public service
X = war; Y = peace
X = slavery; Y = freedom
X = ignorance; Y = strength