Mises Institute
Wednesday, December 31, 2025
 
 

Lysander Spooner (correctly) demonstrated that there is no such thing as treason. There is no social contract and no one owes loyalty to any regime. Yet, the way politicians throw around the word “treason” it seems accusations of treason are a favorite refuge of the enemies of freedom. James Bovard explains.

Also today, George Ford Smith looks at some of the many ways that private business and the state joined forces to create today’s state-corporate alliance.

Ryan McMaken, Editor-in-Chief
 
 
Trump, Treason, and the New York Times
James Bovard
President Trump recently accused the New York Times of treason because the paper printed something he didn’t like. Unfortunately, Trump is not the only person to designate the crime of treason to actions that are not even criminal.
 
READ MORE +
 
 
How Big Business Helped Build Leviathan
George Ford Smith
Most academic historians claim that big businesses in the US were economy-choking monopolies at the end of the 19th century, and that government was needed to enforce competition. In reality, the government and businesses joined forces to promote monopolies.
 
READ MORE +
 
 
Three Economic Fallacies: Holidays, Billionaires, and WWII
 
Bob Murphy on common economic fallacies about work, wealth, and wartime spending.
 
LISTEN +
 
 
The Continental
Bait-and-Switch
 
From “not worth a Continental” to centralized finance: the American Revolution’s switcheroo.
 
LISTEN +
 
 
The US Government Is Not the Daddy of US Oil Companies
The Trump administration justifies its force against Venezuela by citing the nationalization of American oil interests years ago.
 
read more
 
 
The Economic Fallacies Underpinning Hitler’s Views
People often overlook the Third Reich’s flawed economic policies. Hitler’s socialism and state control couldn’t sustain a prosperous regime.
 
read more
 
 
Abolish All Treason and Sedition Laws
States know that treason and sedition laws are about much more than matters of law and order. They are essential components of enhancing state power.
 
read more
 
 
 
 
 
Knowing Murray in the Early Years
 
J. Michael Oliver on Rothbard—and 2024 as a turning point in statism’s unraveling.
 
WATCH NOW
 
 
 
 
Hayek for the 21st Century
 
The Mises Institute is giving away 100,000 copies of this collection of essays by Austrian School economist and Nobel laureate F. A. Hayek, whom Ludwig von Mises described as “one of the great economists” of all time. The vision of this book is to introduce a new generation of readers to Hayek’s writings.
 
ORDER YOUR FREE COPY +
 
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