A New Libertarian Reading Circle in Dublin

Apologies to the patient readers of this blog for the infrequency of posting here, but I’m still taking stock after the amazing intellectual experience that was Mises University 2008. Until I find the time and inspiration to blog regularly again, you might enjoy reading 20000miles’ exciting, though rather pessimistically-titled new blog, Europe is Doomed.

In addition, you might like to help me satisfy my appetite for a much deeper understanding, and perhaps develop your own in the process. We (meaning myself and two colleagues) have set up a reading circle in Dublin which will meet weekly in UCD to discuss economics, libertarian political philosophy, and so on. Our first piece of literature is Murray N. Rothbard’s Man, Economy and State, the definitive statement of modern Austrianism. The idea is to have a reasonably structured approach to the books we select for reading, while also allowing opportunities for open-ended discussion.

If you would like to attend, please express interest by joining the message board. I will then inform you when we have settled on a time and venue. It is guaranteed that an influential academic will be present at each of our meetings. So, if you are based in Ireland and are really interested in exploring libertarian thinking, then you simply have no excuse but to join us! I look forward to hearing from you.

Do Anarchists Exist?

Not according to Johann Hari. Defending the UN:

…the US government has also committed horrible abuses and been riddled with corruption – and nobody suggests the solution is to abolish it.

Perhaps Mr Hari has never heard of anarchism, or maybe he considers that the number of its proponents is roughly equivalent to “nobody”. I respectfully suggest that he gets reading. He might find that the global government he advocates is not the only secular, humanist or egalitarian vision for a peaceful future.

The Current State of World Affairs (1989!)

An old classic for a lazy Saturday afternoon. This is Murray Rothbard at the Texas State Libertarian Conference.