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Isaiah’s Job

Albert Jay Nock (1870-1945) was Editor of The Freeman (1920-1924) and author of many books and articles on the philosophy of government and human freedom. “Isaiah’s Job” is extracted from his book, Free Speech and Plain Language, now out of print, published by William Morrow & Company, New York, 1937. Even the most stout-hearted libertarian […]

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Not Yours to Give

[The following story about the famed American icon Davy Crockett was published in Harper’s Magazine in 1867, as written by James J. Bethune, a pseudonym used by Edward S. Ellis. The events that are recounted here are true, including Crockett’s opposition to the bill in question, though the precise rendering and some of the detail […]

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Essays

Are We a Democracy or a Republic?

We often hear the claim that our nation is a democracy. That wasn’t the vision of the founders. They saw democracy as another form of tyranny. If we’ve become a democracy, I guarantee you that the founders would be deeply disappointed by our betrayal of their vision. The founders intended, and laid out the ground […]

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Constitutional Ignorance — Perhaps Contempt

Hillary Clinton blamed the Electoral College for her stunning defeat in the 2016 presidential election in her latest memoirs, “What Happened?” Some have claimed that the Electoral College is one of the most dangerous institutions in American politics. Why? They say the Electoral College system, as opposed to a simple majority vote, distorts the one-person, […]

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Essays

Do It Anyway

People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway. If you are successful, You will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. Succeed anyway. If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere […]