U.S. History

In this week’s Friday Philosophy, Dr. David Gordon reviews Union At All Costs: From Confederation to Consolidation by John M. Taylor, who defends the southern secession.

Twenty-five years after 9/11, many seek to rehabilitate the War on Terror by appealing to the horror of 9/11, the right to respond, and the ideal of fighting terrorism. Many now demand that we judge an idealized “War on Terror” by its intentions rather than the war that actually occurred.

Twenty-five years after 9/11, many seek to rehabilitate the War on Terror by appealing to the horror of 9/11, the right to respond, and the ideal of fighting terrorism. Many now demand that we judge an idealized “War on Terror” by its intentions rather than the war that actually occurred.

Both Brazil and the US had slavery in the 1800s, but the US economy flourished while Brazil’s languished. If slavery was the engine for US economic growth, as leftists claim, then why didn’t Brazil's economy match that of the US?

Patrick Newman traces the birth of the American corporatist state across eight decades, from the collapse of the Jacksonian Democrats in 1849 to th

Both Brazil and the US had slavery in the 1800s, but the US economy flourished while Brazil’s languished. If slavery was the engine for US economic growth, as leftists claim, then why didn’t Brazil's economy match that of the US?

Patrick Newman shows how the Interstate Commerce Commission supplied the enforcement common law would not, with commissioners reading their mandate in the railroads’ favor and cartelization temporarily strengthened at the shippers’ expense.

A transcontinental railroad was unprofitable on market terms, but attractive once Congress supplied land and subsidies.

Patrick Newman shows how liberty-minded reformers, once holding the levers of power, were pulled toward favoritism of their own.

Patrick Newman defines cronyism as government intervention that benefits special interests at the expense of the public interest, and argues the corporatist state was built in stages over eight decades rather than arriving at once.