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** Econlib Newsletter
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September 2025
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Labor Day is often celebrated with parades, speeches, and a well-deserved respite from work. Yet its fullest meaning is found in the recognition that labor, freely chosen, is one of the clearest expressions of individual liberty. The dignity of work lies not only in what is produced, but in the independence and responsibility that accompany it.

At theOnline Library of Liberty ([link removed]) and Econlib, we seek to preserve and share the ideas that defend this freedom: that individuals have the natural right to their labor, that prosperity is built through voluntary cooperation, and that coercive restraints on enterprise diminish both dignity and wealth. In this spirit, we highlight a selection of resources that illuminate the moral and economic dimensions of labor.

We invite you to explore the essays and classic texts featured in this issue. They remind us that to honor labor is to honor liberty itself—and that both remain essential to a free and flourishing society.
* David Henderson, Honor Laborers ([link removed]) . “To honor laborers, you would have to respect their right to make choices for themselves.” Yet laborer often face obstacles to their choices, which Henderson explains in this classic piece.
* Lysander Spooner on the Natural Right to Labor ([link removed]) . Spooner articulates a powerful perspective that each person has a natural right to their labor and its fruits—framing labor not only as work, but as a moral individual entitlement.
* Charles Baird, Labor Day is Not Union Day ([link removed]) . Baird distinguishes between the day’s original purpose and its modern conflation with union celebrations, encouraging a broader and more nuanced appreciation of all labor.
* Franz Oppenheimer on Economic versus Political Means ([link removed]) . Oppenheimer’s distinction—between acquiring through one’s own labor (economic means) and through coercion (political means)—resonates deeply with Labor Day’s spirit of dignified work.
* Read this family bio for a stunning legacy of a family whose belief in industriousness and civic responsibility shaped generations of both community and liberty. In The Goodriches: An American Family ([link removed]) , Dane Starbuck chronicles the lives of James P. Goodrich—Indiana’s governor and presidential adviser—and his son Pierre F. Goodrich, a successful entrepreneur who went on to endow Liberty Fund.

With gratitude,

—The Econlib Team

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** EconTalk: Conversation for the Curious
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Humans are Overrated

Are humans the most intelligent species, or just the most arrogant? NYU primatologist Christine Webb ([link removed]) , author of The Arrogant Ape, believes that human exceptionalism is a myth that does more harm than good. Listen as she speaks with EconTalk's Russ Roberts ([link removed]) about how research has skewed our understanding of animals' capabilities, the surprising inner lives of animals, and how a shift from dominance toward connection with the larger living world can help humanity.

Explore more. ([link removed])

More Recent Episodes & Extras:
* Protectionism and Public Opinion, ([link removed]) EconTalk Extra by Amy Willis
* Hemingway, Love, and War (with David Wyatt) ([link removed])
* Tim Ferriss on Tim Ferriss (and much much more) ([link removed])
* Learning to Think Like Someone Else (with David Marquet) ([link removed])
* Let Me Be Forgotten (with Lowry Pressly) ([link removed])


** NEW Econlib Articles
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September 2025


** Is Capitalism Making Us Lonely?
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By Vlad Tarko

Tarko takes on a pressing cultural concern: does capitalism erode our social bonds and leave us lonelier than ever? While familiar critiques—highlighting the alienation caused by market-driven exchanges—are not without merit, Tarko offers a compelling alternative. He argues that markets often present themselves as convenient alternatives to communal engagement, particularly when traditional social structures feel restrictive or outdated.

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Obedience School

By By Arnold Kling

Arnold Kling exposes a provocative thesis: that mass education originated not to liberate, but to inculcate obedience in citizens. Paglayan traces how state-driven schooling became a tool to suppress dissent and shore up control—prompting a critical reexamination of the relationship between education and authority.
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Of Property Rights, Civil Society, and Shampoo

By Anthony Gill

Anthony Gill challenges the common assumption that governments are the sole arbiters of property rights. Instead, Gill highlights the vital—but often overlooked—role of civil society and voluntary social norms in defining and enforcing the use of property—from everyday goods to our broader communal spaces.
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Poverty IN America

By Art Carden

Matthew Desmond’s Poverty, By America presents a passionate, urgent inquiry into the prevalence of poverty in one of the world’s wealthiest nations. Driven by moral conviction, Desmond lays blame squarely on systemic forces—yet Art Carden’s thoughtful review underscores that fervor alone is no substitute for rigorous analysis.
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Copyright © 2025, Liberty Fund, Inc. All rights reserved.

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