Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Time Preference

Time preference is an economic term for the degree to which we prefer present to future satisfaction (consumption). It relates to how much money we want to spend now, and relates that to how much we're willing to invest to consume at a future date.

Friday, December 23, 2011

The College Industrial Complex

College is just like war and the united state's prison system - it's an industrial complex, where government throws lots of money at an otherwise unsustainable system.  Basically, here's how it goes - government does massive intervention in the student loans market, making it easier for more people to go to college, since there's easy money available to do so.

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

On Abortion - A Liberty Perspective

Abortion is one of those issues that keeps coming up when discussing the message of individual liberty and self-ownership, and it is indeed disputed even among Libertarians.  Two libertarian candidates for president of the United States disagree on this issue -  One of which is Dr. Ron Paul, who is pro-life; the other being Gary Johnson, who is pro-choice.

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Agorist Thesis #8

Agorist Thesis #8 - Force distorts market information.
Violent intervention in the market distorts market information - the signals that tell entrepreneurs what to produce and what not to produce.  For example, do you think that bombs and fighter jets would be as abundant if it weren't for taxation funding military spending?  Would people be using the same government schools, or would they opt to send their kids to better private alternatives?

Friday, November 25, 2011

Agorist Thesis #6

Agorist Thesis #6 - Markets collect, organize, and distribute information more rapidly, accurately, fairly, and efficiently than any central authority could ever do, even with superior resources.

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Monday, October 31, 2011

Agorist Thesis #3


Nobody gets taken advantage of through mutually voluntary trade.


This one is often contested when I share my moral beliefs.   Because one person can "clearly" benefit more than the other, it means that they're being taken advantage of. 


The most common argument I hear is that of the wage laborer, and how they are "enslaved" by their boss or by capitalists.  This is ridiculous to say the least...I respond "So if I offered you $0.50 an hour to do whatever I want for 15 hours a week, would you take up my offer?"  No one's accepted it yet, I'm still hoping for my own personal servant though.   


It comes back to the truth that all value is relative - and each person makes the decision for themselves what is worth more.  I might look at two people making a trade and say that I think that one person gets more out of it, but that's just my opinion.  What matters is each person in the trade, and remember: in a voluntary trade, both parties receive more than they give up, otherwise neither would trade.


Agorist Theses originally from An Agorist Manifesto by Kyle Bennett.

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Agorist Thesis #2

Agorist Thesis #2 - In a voluntary trade, both parties receive more than they give up, otherwise neither would trade.

This is pretty straightforward.  In all voluntary trade, those who trade get more out of it that what they give up, otherwise they wouldn't trade.

This is why I work for my boss, this is why I'm able to buy food with the money I earn from my labor, etc.  I get more out of trade than I give up, otherwise I wouldn't trade.

It comes back to the truth that all value is relative.  I may want a new phone more than I want a new computer,but there isn't a specific number I could tie to in order to say how much I want the new phone more than the computer.

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Agorist Thesis #1

1. Trade that is unregulated, untaxed, and unmonitored is the natural right of all human beings.

This thesis is pretty straightword, now let me sell my case to you.

Taxation is forcing people to spend money on goods or services they wouldn't do voluntarily.  Taxation is bad economically, because it distorts the profit/loss signals the market provides - causing you to not know if your resources are being used wisely or not.  Also, by taking away part of what I earn, it is less incentive for me to earn more - especially if there's different tax brackets.

The Real Cause of the Financial Crisis

The Austrian Economist Jesús Huerta de Soto explains the real cause of the financial crisis.

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Introduction to Agorism

Agorism is a political philosophy based on the belief that everything in society should be voluntary, a free market.  Agorists believe that government is a coercive monopoly that shouldn't exist.   Now, this is a hefty charge, - and raises skepticism across the political spectrum. Governments affect everyone, whether it be government managed roads, healthcare, courts, the postal service, public education, regulations, subsidies, taxes, police, fire departments, etc.

The Agorist argues against these services being government controlled on both moral and utilitarian levels.