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This summary of Lew Rockwell’s contributions to the liberty movement will show that Lew has done more to spread libertarian ideas than anyone else not named Ron Paul. Lew was born in Boston in 1944. His father was an “Old Right” Republican who gave Lew a copy of Henry Hazlitt’s classic Economics in One Lesson for for his twelfth birthday! Lew would later edit Hazlitt while working as an editor for the conservative publisher Arlington House. Lew also edited Ludwig von Mises.

In 1979, Lew went to Capitol Hill to work as Ron Paul’s Chief of Staff. Dr. Paul and Lew have been close friends and collaborators ever since. In 1981, Lew left Dr. Paul’s office to start the Ludwig Von Mises Institute, which he named after the great Austrian economist. Lew started the Institute at his kitchen table and grew it into the leading center for scholarship in Austrian Economics and libertarian thought. Lew had help from great libertarian leaders like Burt Blumert, a longtime coin dealer, close friend, and patron of Murray Rothbard, Henry Hazlitt, Mises’s widow Margaret, and, of course, Ron Paul and Murray Rothbard.

Rothbard, Mises’s heir and the dean of Austrian economics and founder of the modern libertarian movement, served as the Institute’s Vice-President for Academic Affairs from the Institute’s founding until his passing in 1995.

Thanks to Lew’s vision and hard work in building the Mises Institute, Rothbard’s influence is greater than ever and growing. Hans-Hermann Hoppe, Joesph Salerno, Tom DiLorenzo, and Tom Woods are among other scholars who were able to reach larger audiences thanks to Lew Rockwell’s Institute.

In 1986 the Institute launched Mises University. For almost forty years, Mises University has provided an opportunity for students to listen to and interact with top Austrian-libertarian scholars. Mises also offers yearly Rothbard Seminars for graduate students. The Mises Institute also provides financial assistance to students—which has helped more than 10,000 students with grants ranging from one year book projects to multi-year PHD fellowships. Mises also has a summer fellowship program where graduate and post-doc students can conduct research using the Institute’s resources under the direction of the Institutes faculty.

In 2020, Mises began offering an online Master’s degree program in Austrian Economics. The Institute also makes the works of Mises, Rothbard, and other luminaries of the Austrian school available for free download at Mises.org. You can get a better education in economics, philosophy, and history from Mises.org than you can at an ivy-league university. Another highlight of Mises.org is the daily Mises Wire—where one can find reprints of classic articles as well as fresh commentary on the economic and political news of the day from an Austrian-Libertarian perspective. Lew also runs the popular site LewRockwell,com. For over twenty-five years, his site has provided readers a daily dose of news and opinions questioning the “official”narrative on the economy, foreign policy, and every other topic of interest to libertarians.

While generally avoiding involvement in electoral politics, Lew did work on Ron Paul’s 1988 Libertarian Party oresidential campaign. Of course, Lew was an enthusiastic promoter of Dr. Paul’s 2008 and 2012 Republican campaigns. Lew was thrilled to see multitudes of young people Dr. Paul inspired to learn about the ideas of liberty flock to Mises University and make Mises.org their “go to” site. As a friend of mine put it, “Dr. Paul inspired young people to explore the ideas of liberty—and when they did they found Lew Rockwell and his wonderful Mises Institute.” Lew is also one of the best communicators in the liberty movement. His writing is fueled by his passion for liberty, his disdain for the state and all its deeds, and a willingness to expose not just the evils of statism—but the special interests who manipulate the political process for their own gain.

I first became acquainted with Lew in the early 1990s when I wrote to him about opportunities in the libertarian movement. Lew hired me to do research—and then became a trusted friend and mentor who was more than generous with his time. When I told him I wanted to go to Texas to work on Dr. Paul’s 1996 congressional campaign, Lew spoke to Ron and arranged for me to work on opposition research. This lead to Dr. Paul hiring me to work in his congressional staff.

Lew has continued his legacy work with Dr. Paul by serving as a board member of the Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity. Lew has done more than add his name to the Institute. He has been a source of advice to Daniel McAdams, my fellow Ron Paul congressional staff alumni and the Ron Paul Institute’s executive director. Daniel and myself are just two of the many to have benefited from Lew Rockwell’s wisdom, kindness, and mentorship. This piece hardly does justice to the impact Lew had on not just the libertarian movement but the lives of those in it. There is more I could say about Lew Rockwell and his influence on the liberty movement—but for now I’ll just say, on behalf of everyone who has benefited from Lew Rockwell’s tireless work for liberty: Thank you Lew.

This originally appeared on The Libertarian Institute and was reprinted with the author’s permission.

The post Who Is Lew Rockwell? appeared first on LewRockwell.

Interview with Godfrey Bloom

I recently had the great pleasure of being interviewed by my good friend Godfrey Bloom, whose point of view and sharp assessment skills of economic and political events I have consistently found illuminating throughout the years.

It’s always extremely refreshing talking to Godfrey, because his questions cut through the noise and concentrate on what is actually important. I find his views and arguments are also deeply thought provoking, which is why every time we have the chance to chat, I come away with a lot to mentally chew on. This time was no different and I think you’ll agree with me once you watch the full interview here.

We talked about Switzerland and whether it still deserves its reputation as the last defender of property rights, and drew a clear distinction between the risks in the banking system, which are significant (not just in Switzerland, but globally too), and the privacy and security that physical gold and silver investors can still rely on when they deal with private metals dealers and storage providers in the country.

I also made sure to remind all investors to check the small print, as I try to do at every opportunity, and to do their own research before entrusting anyone with their metals or before they invest in any vehicle claiming to be backed by gold. Nobody wants to be in the position of finding out they’re actually holding paper gold in the middle of a harsh crisis scenario. That’s why you absolutely must “trust but verify”. The devil is always in the details.

Speaking of devilish things, we also discussed the State, Globalism and the current economic and geopolitical state of affairs. I shared my outlook for this year and the ones to come, anticipating government overreach and State propaganda to become even more extreme and divisive and to escalate the tensions between citizens, as politicians the world over seem to have no other tricks up their sleeves to escape the consequences of their own actions, apart from the good ol’ “divide and conquer” strategy. Godfrey is one of the few people who went into politics with honorable intentions and with the aim to defend citizens’ liberties, so he knows first hand how corrupt the system really is, not just in his own country, but in virtually every other so-called “democracy” too, or as Godfrey more precisely called them “Neo-socialist economies”.

While both of us clearly see the dire dangers that lie ahead, we also see the silver linings (no pun intended) and we both prefer to concentrate on practical solutions to the practical problems we all face. That’s why we recognize and highlight the need for individuals to do all they can to protect themselves, their hard-earned savings and their financial sovereignty.

Physical precious metals, securely stored in a stable and reliable jurisdiction with a solid track record of respecting private property, like Switzerland, is certainly one of the most robust ways that investors and ordinary savers can achieve this. Technology also offers solid “ways out” too, as I mentioned in the interview. Swissgrams, a solution I’m currently involved in, will offer digital tokens backed 100% by physical gold, stored in Swiss vaults, and governed by Swiss law, opening up access to gold investments to everyone.

Reprinted with the author’s permission.

The post ‘Does The West Have Any Hope? What Can We All Do?’ appeared first on LewRockwell.

Was Marguerite Oswald merely a grieving mother, or did she hold the key to one of history’s greatest mysteries? In this episode of America’s Untold Stories, Mark Groubert and Eric Hunley investigate the life of Marguerite Oswald—the mother of Lee Harvey Oswald, the alleged assassin of President John F. Kennedy.

Marguerite was no ordinary woman. Fiercely outspoken, she spent years defending her son, claiming he was an intelligence asset rather than a cold-blooded killer. Was she seeking justice, or was she blinded by denial? Through archival footage, personal letters, and historical analysis, we examine her relationships, struggles, and relentless pursuit of the truth.

Join us as we explore the complex legacy of a mother caught between tragedy and conspiracy. Don’t miss this gripping deep dive into the untold side of history.

The post Discover the Fascinating Backstory Concerning Marguerite Oswald: The Mother of Lee Harvey Oswald appeared first on LewRockwell.

Writes Gail Appel:

When Bernie Sanders opposed illegal immigration, over staying workers visas, guest worker programs,importing unskilled laborers, NAFTA, multilateral unfair trade , outsourcing , amnesty and  Medicare For All, which would “ bankrupt America”.

Yet so many believe Bernie’s “ the real thing” and has “ always stood by his principles”.

See here.

The post What Bernie Sanders told Lou Dobbs in 2007 about why he opposed the Kennedy-McCain immigration bill appeared first on LewRockwell.

Thanks Chris Sullivan.

Kill Anything That Moves, Nick Turse, Picador, 2013

“With long experience at covering up war crimes. They knew just how to evade the burden of responsibility that the Oslo commission so unambiguously placed on them. Drag out all investigations as long as possible, intimidate witnesses, obstruct courts-martial, and hope that the public would eventually lose interest; throughout the early 1970s, this would be the military’s steadfast approach.”

The post Russia-US Deal: Putin & Trump Plan Economic Development Deals, Putin Suggests Joint Minerals Mining appeared first on LewRockwell.

Writes Gail Appel:

Hahahahaha! So much for Zelenskyy being a “ Jewish Churchill “

Rat bastard Nazi !

The post Give credit where credit’s due appeared first on LewRockwell.

Writes Gail Appell:

And call it “ Democracy”.  Why do citizens put up with it? Unlike most of the contributors to Lew’s blog, I support Israel over the Palestinians because I’ve been there. Regardless, I want to see an end to the war. I want an end to the Russia/Ukraine conflict.  But more so, I want it exposed that the U.S. provoked and orchestrated both. Neither would have otherwise occurred had Trump been in office. Of all Trump’s boasting.,  he’s absolutely correct on this issue.

Nobody asks or appears remotely curious as to why we invaded Libya or what was behind the Benghazi travesty. Why did we overthrow Egypt’s Mubarak, a more secular pluralist who honored the 25 year Peace Treaty with Israel and install a radical Islamist terror entity , the Muslim Brotherhood, banned in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, UAE, Morocco, Jordan etc. post 9-11? Why did we oust Assad, only to replace him with ISIS/Al-Qaeda/Al-Nusra? Why are we funding the Taliban,Hamas,Hezbollah,Houthis,Boko Haram,Iran,Qatar,Niger,Nigeria,S.Africa,CCP,Cuba,Venezuela,Brazil,Haiti,Pakistan,Ukraine,EU,Soros, the UN, WEF,WHO CAIR ,Trilats,CFR,Atlantic Council and why did we just coup the moderate Bangladeshi President and install a corrupt Marxist Islamist?

How does this make for a “ better world”?  It doesn’t.

See here.

The post Elites Pursue War and React With Outrage When Peace is at Hand appeared first on LewRockwell.

The post Thomas Massie Vindicated On COVID ‘Stimulus’ Spending appeared first on LewRockwell.

Writes Dennis Brislen:

Hi Lew,

Your column on getting out of NATO reminded me of the wisdom from Robert Taft when he voted against it. Though Taft was hardly perfect he was infinitely better than his counterparts. Then and now.

His speech in opposition holds up pretty well.

The post NATO appeared first on LewRockwell.

Thanks, Tim McGraw:

Bidenflation Torpedoed Biden-Harris: James Bovard

“When Kamala Harris signaled that she would likely continue Biden’s policies across the board, voters recognized that she had learned nothing from Biden’s debacles. The Harris campaign believed that perpetually championing the right to abortion would guarantee them more than enough votes from women. But it turned out that “women buy milk and eggs more often than they get abortions.” ”  James Bovard

…

And then Biden killed all the chickens, so we can’t even get eggs now. Whole Foods rarely has eggs. It’s very frustrating. The head of the USDA (US Dept. of Agriculture) under Biden was called “The Chicken Lady” because she killed all the chickens. When DOGE came calling to fire her, she barricaded herself in her office. I hope she sleeps with the chickens.

The post Bidenflation Torpedoed Biden-Harris: James Bovard appeared first on LewRockwell.

Writes Gail Appel:

Where is “ there”? Who knows. The UN doled out 500 million U.S. taxpayer dollars to “ build homes” in Haiti.

Six were built. 2.5 billion USAID dollars taxpayer dollars unaccounted for.

Who cashed out?

The post 2 billion USAID dollars was allotted to Haiti. 2% got there appeared first on LewRockwell.

Click Here:

Ben Bartee

The post UNREAL Nursing Home Techno-Slop Exposed appeared first on LewRockwell.

Thanks, Rick Rozoff.

The post Glenn RIPS APART Dan Crenshaw’s Ukraine Lies on Piers Morgan appeared first on LewRockwell.

Thanks, John Frahm.

Asia Times

The post The neocons lost Ukraine and want to blame it on Trump appeared first on LewRockwell.

Thanks, David Martin.

The post Max Blumenthal “Ahead of the Game” appeared first on LewRockwell.

Thanks, John Frahm. 

Infowars

The post Millions of Voters Betrayed by Merz’s 24-Hour Migration U-Turn appeared first on LewRockwell.

Jerome Barber writes:

Lew-

This is a battle.  Let us not underestimate the resolve and cunning of the enemy.  While I despise these people I do respect what they have been able to do on a global scale without firing a shot for the most part.  War has only been a tool to move history along to meet their ultimate objective:  Global Government and Total Control.  The observable outcomes tell the real story.

The genius, cunning, subterfuge and deception are almost more than I can wrap my mind around.  

Jerome

Sun Tzu:

The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting. If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat.

The post The Supreme Art of War appeared first on LewRockwell.

The great William Graham Sumner on Protectionism. 

The post The Ism Which Teaches that Waste Makes Wealth appeared first on LewRockwell.

Il manoscritto fornisce un grimaldello al lettore, una chiave di lettura semplificata, del mondo finanziario e non che sembra essere andato "fuori controllo" negli ultimi quattro anni in particolare. Questa è una storia di cartelli, a livello sovrastatale e sovranazionale, la cui pianificazione centrale ha raggiunto un punto in cui deve essere riformata radicalmente e questa riforma radicale non può avvenire senza una dose di dolore economico che potrebbe mettere a repentaglio la loro autorità. Da qui la risposta al Grande Default attraverso il Grande Reset. Questa è la storia di un coyote, che quando non riesce a sfamarsi all'esterno ricorre all'autofagocitazione. Lo stesso è accaduto ai membri del G7, dove i sei membri restanti hanno iniziato a fagocitare il settimo: gli Stati Uniti.

____________________________________________________________________________________

(Versione audio della traduzione disponibile qui: https://open.substack.com/pub/fsimoncelli/p/la-cricca-di-davos-cerca-di-limitare)

Sebbene possiate esservi persi il promemoria, anche quest'anno i leader di tutto il mondo si sono riuniti a Davos, in Svizzera, per la conferenza annuale del World Economic Forum (WEF). Questa conferenza è stata un punto focale per promuovere la politica ESG globalista in tutto il mondo. I temi delle conferenze hanno incluso “Salvaguardare il pianeta” e “Ricostruire la fiducia”. Indipendentemente dal problema, i partecipanti si sono assunti la responsabilità di salvare il mondo da sé stesso.

Ma mentre il WEF e la comunità di Davos affermano di “unire governo, aziende e società civile per migliorare lo stato del mondo”, tendono a concentrarsi sull’esercizio del potere politico per implementare le loro strategie, come il “Grande Reset”. Ma la cricca di Davos è chiaramente sulla difensiva quest’anno nel tentativo di limitare i danni.

La loro agenda sul clima è crollata. Le alleanze globali per le emissioni zero (Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero) inaugurate nel 2021 si sono disintegrate. La Net-Zero Insurance Alliance globale è crollata l'anno scorso. La Net Zero Asset Managers Initiative ha sospeso le sue attività all'inizio di questo mese dopo che il suo membro più grande, Blackrock, si è ritirato. E la Net Zero Banking Alliance ha visto la maggior parte delle principali banche statunitensi ritirarsi nell'ultimo mese, con quattro banche canadesi che hanno seguito l'esempio la scorsa settimana.

Anche il movimento globale per il cambiamento climatico ha sofferto di un destino simile negli ultimi due anni. La COP28 a Dubai è stata controversa a causa dell'attenzione della regione ai combustibili fossili. La speranza era di convincere i maggiori produttori di combustibili fossili a partecipare alla transizione verso l'energia verde. La COP29 in Azerbaigian ha rivelato quanto questo stratagemma sia fallito. Il presidente della conferenza ha rimproverato le élite europee per aver dettato le priorità ad altri Paesi e ha definito i combustibili fossili un dono di Dio. La presenza di migliaia di partecipanti provenienti da aziende e interessi dei combustibili fossili ha ulteriormente smentito la speranza degli attivisti per il clima di ridurne l'uso e la creazione di emissioni di gas serra.

La conferenza di Davos stessa ha subito un duro colpo l'anno scorso nella sua volontà di “ricostruire la fiducia”. Uno scambio infuocato tra il presidente della Heritage Foundation e il presidente argentino Javier Milei ha messo in imbarazzo l'elitarismo e la pianificazione politica di Davos. Questi colloqui erano sintomatici di cambiamenti politici più ampi in tutto il mondo. I partiti di centro-destra e “conservatori” hanno fatto enormi progressi in Francia e Germania. In Canada Justin Trudeau di sinistra si è dimesso a causa di una serie di pressioni legate ai risultati delle elezioni statunitensi. E naturalmente gli Stati Uniti hanno appena inaugurato il presidente Trump per un secondo mandato, con una rinnovata attenzione allo sviluppo nazionale dei combustibili fossili e nessuna propensione per i sogni dell'élite globale di una “transizione verde”.

Le élite di Davos stanno perdendo il dibattito sulle emissioni zero, un'economia circolare e un Grande Reset. Hanno perso molto terreno tra i miliardari della tecnologia e gli imprenditori della Silicon Valley che hanno un appetito insaziabile per l'energia a basso costo per alimentare i loro data center. Allo stesso modo non sono riusciti a riconoscere e fare appello agli interessi geopolitici nazionali. L'Europa ha sopportato il peso della loro “pianificazione” negli ultimi vent'anni e ne ha sofferto.

La crescita delle maggiori economie in Europa ha rallentato fino a strisciare negli ultimi quindici anni. L'economia della Germania era solo del 22,9% più grande rispetto al 2009. L'economia della Francia era solo del 19,9% più grande rispetto al 2009. Anche il Regno Unito ha visto la sua economia crescere solo del 25,6% (Grafico 1). Confrontate tutto questo con gli Stati Uniti, la cui economia è cresciuta del 43,6%. E non si tratta di un'aberrazione. La crescita sin dal 1995 è stata del 42,1% per la Germania, del 55,6% per la Francia e del 71,9% per il Regno Unito. Gli Stati Uniti, dall'altro lato, sono cresciuti del 106,7% sin dal 1995 in termini reali.

La guerra tra Russia e Ucraina ha scosso l'Europa e ne ha cambiato le priorità. La rivalità tra Stati Uniti e Cina continua a scaldarsi, con una rabbia verso le élite di Davos per quello che è un doppio standard a favore della Cina. La cricca di Davos ha spinto per costosi e dispendiosi sussidi e mandati per le energie rinnovabili in Europa e negli Stati Uniti, mentre la Cina costruisce centrali elettriche a carbone come se non ci fosse un domani. Altri Paesi produttori di petrolio hanno solo finto interesse per una transizione verde. Rimangono attivi come sempre nell'estrarre petrolio dal sottosuolo e venderlo ovunque possono.

Di conseguenza il World Economic Forum e la sua rete di Davos hanno iniziato ad allontanarsi dalle loro impopolari posizioni su clima ed energia per parlare di più di intelligenza artificiale, tecnologia e business. Ma la domanda che dovremmo porci è: “Quale nuovo schema folle cercherà di imporre al mondo l'élite di Davos?”

Qualunque cosa sia, incontrerà un'accoglienza molto meno amichevole rispetto agli anni scorsi.

[*] traduzione di Francesco Simoncelli: https://www.francescosimoncelli.com/

Supporta Francesco Simoncelli's Freedonia lasciando una “mancia” in satoshi di bitcoin scannerizzando il QR seguente.

Last Sunday, 60 Minutes featured tyrannical German prosecutors boasting about persecuting private citizens who made comments that officialdom disapproved. Three prosecutors explained how the government was entitled to launch pre-dawn raids and lock up individuals who criticized politicians, complained about immigrant crime waves, or otherwise crossed the latest revised boundary lines of acceptable thoughts.

In a craven slant that would have cheered any mid-twentieth century European dictator, 60 Minutes glorified the crackdown: “Germany is trying to bring some civility to the world wide web by policing it in a way most Americans could never imagine in an effort to protect discourse.” Nothing “protects discourse” like a jackboot kick aside the head of someone who insulted a German politician on Facebook, right? Mocking German leaders is punished like heresy was punished 500 years ago—though no one has been publicly torched yet.

Do the priggish German prosecutors realize that they are the latest incarnation of nineteenth-century German philosopher G. W. F. Hegel? Hegel declared: “Men are as foolish as to forget, in their enthusiasm for liberty of conscience and political freedom, the truth which lies in power.” Hegel bluntly equated government and truth: “For Truth is the Unity of the universal and subjective Will; and the Universal is to be found in the State, in its laws, its universal and rational arrangements.” Hegel probably did more to propel modern totalitarianism than perhaps any other philosopher.

Unfortunately, many Americans favor the US government becoming a Ministry of Truth like the German government. Fifty-five percent of American adults support government suppression of “false information,” according to a 2023 poll. But other polls show that only 20 percent trust the government to do the right thing most of the time. So why would people trust dishonest officials to forcibly eradicate “false information”? Did some people skip logic class, or what? A September 2023 poll revealed that almost half of Democrats believed that free speech should be legal “only under certain circumstances”—perhaps only when a rascally Republican is president?

Hegelian notions of “Government = Truth” propelled censorship here in recent years. Three years ago, Americans learned they lived under a Disinformation Governance Board with a ditzy Disinformation Czar who boasted of graduating from Bryn Mawr University. A public backlash led to the board’s termination but federal censors quickly and secretly resumed their sway over the internet.

Though American censors rarely invoke Hegel, their schemes tacitly presume that political power is divine, if not in origin, at least in its effect. The Cybersecurity Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), created in 2018, has relied on “censorship by surrogate,” subcontracting the destruction of freedom. CISA partnered with federal grantees to form the Election Integrity Partnership a hundred days before the 2020 presidential election. That project, along with the efforts of other federal agencies, created an “unrelenting pressure” with “the intended result of suppressing millions of protected free speech postings by American citizens,” according to a 2023 ruling by Federal Judge Terry Doughty.

What standard did CISA use to determine whether Americans should be muzzled? CISA settled controversies by contacting government employees and “apparently always assumed the government official was a reliable source,” Judge Doughty noted. Any assertion by officialdom could suffice to justify suppression of comments or posts by private citizens. But when did government I.D. badges become the Oracle of Delphi?

During the 2020 presidential election campaign, CISA established a “Rumor Control” webpage to deal with threats to the election—including rumors that the feds were censoring Americans. CISA targeted for suppression assertions by Americans such as “mail-in voting is insecure”—despite the long history of absentee ballot fraud. Biden won the presidency in part thanks to Democrats exploiting the covid pandemic to open the floodgates to unverified mail-in ballots. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) declared, “Twitter was basically an FBI subsidiary before Elon Musk took it over.”

Censors act as if truth and lies are both self-evident. But as an investigative journalist hounding federal agencies, I have seen how government minimizes disclosures of its outrageous conduct. On April 19, 1993, 80 people died in a massive fire during an FBI tank assault on the home of the Branch Davidians. On that day, the FBI was adamant that they had nothing to do with the fire and also claimed to possess audiotapes proving the Davidians intentionally committed mass suicide. They never disclosed that proof. But anyone who suggested that the FBI was connected to the fatal fire was derided as an anti-government nut case, if not a public menace. A Los Angeles Times book reviewer practically blamed my criticism of the feds on Waco and other cases for the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing. But year by year, the FBI’s Waco storyline fell apart. Six years after the fire, a private investigator found proof that the FBI fired pyrotechnic grenades at the Davidians’ home before the fire, obliterating the FBI cover-up.

The same pattern of delayed disclosures or leaks annihilated the US government’s credibility on the epidemic of Gulf War syndrome cases in the 1990s, the invasion of Iraq in 2003, and the glorious triumph for democracy and women’s rights after the US invaded Afghanistan. The “trickle down” version of truth was also stark in the notorious Duke Lacrosse case. With his persistent, savvy analysis and investigations, Mises editor Bill Anderson heroically helped vanquish a media and prosecutorial lynch mob.

Unfortunately, in Germany, and at least sporadically in the United States, “truth” is whatever the government proclaims. “Disinformation” is whatever contradicts the latest government pronouncements. It is irrelevant how many false statements politicians or bureaucrats make. Government retains a monopoly on truth and on the right to deceive.

Recent censorship schemes vivify how democracy is being turned into a parody: voters choose politicians who then dictate what citizens are permitted to think and say. Censors destroy freedom of thought as well as freedom of speech. Censorship seeks to force each person to live in mental isolation, with no sparks for their thoughts from fellow citizens. Shortly before Hegel’s rise to prominence, German philosopher Immanuel Kant wrote, “The external power that deprives man of the freedom to communicate his thoughts publicly, deprives him at the same time of his freedom to think.” By barricading individuals from each other, censors create millions of intellectual Robinson Crusoes, stranded on islands and trying to figure out everything for themselves. Prohibiting citizens from sharing facts of government abuses spawns a bastardized form of sovereign immunity. It minimizes opposition to political power grabs—often until it is too late to resist.

Other European nations are as bad or worse than Germany. Britain is notorious for raiding the homes and arresting anyone who makes allegations about immigrants and crime. According to Irish Senator Pauline O’Reilly, government must “restrict freedoms for the common good” when “a person’s views on other people’s identities” makes them “insecure.” Can I demand that government censor anyone who makes me insecure about my identity by mocking my vintage railroad engineer cap? By vastly expanding the definition of “hate speech,” politicians justify suppressing any views they disapprove.

Faith in officialdom to decree truth and punish error exemplifies growing political illiteracy. In earlier eras, Americans were renowned for heartily disdaining politicians who rose to power by making endless bogus promises.

Why would any prudent person expect bureaucrats to deliver “the truth, and nothing but the truth” like FEMA officials coming to the rescue after a flood? If the government can’t be trusted for reliable mail delivery, why in Hades would anyone trust government to judge and safeguard any thoughts citizens choose to share? Do people honestly expect that turning politicians into censors will evoke their inner sainthood? How can freedom of speech or any other freedom survive if so many people fall for so much BS from Washington?

Note: The views expressed on Mises.org are not necessarily those of the Mises Institute.

The post Sacrificing Truth on Leviathan’s Altar appeared first on LewRockwell.