July 25, 2016
Empire of Cotton
My review of Sven Beckert’s economic history Empire of Cotton is now up at Reason. I’m more critical than most reviewers have been, but I think it’s an impressive and…
Posts filed under slavery
January 08, 2016
A Celebration of Lysander Spooner
I’ve got a new essay up at Libertarianism.Org celebrating Lysander Spooner as a kind of early Bleeding Heart Libertarian. In it, I talk about a number of arguments and episodes…
November 26, 2014
Mr. Jefferson’s University
In 2012, a student was violently raped by a group of fraternity members at the University of Virginia, a story that was recently re-told by Sabrina Rubin Erdely in Rolling…
July 04, 2014
What to a Libertarian is the Fourth of July?
Most libertarians have a special place in their heart for the Declaration of Independence. With its ringing endorsement of natural, inalienable rights, its insistence of the right of the people…
May 25, 2014
A Few Links on Race
At Libertarianism.org, Jonathan Blanks asks “Why Aren’t There More Black Libertarians?” Here’s part of his answer. A common libertarian narrative involves looking backward to better times, back to the Founding…
October 16, 2013
Taxation Is Not Slavery
Today in the mail I received a copy of the movie, Amazing Grace, courtesy of the Foundation for Economic Education. The film tells the story of William Wilberforce and his struggle…