Radio Rothbard The Rise of War Propaganda and the Defeat of Laissez-Faire
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May 22, 2025 Discover how classical liberalism's pro-peace stance faltered against a century of war propaganda starting with World War I. Explore the anti-militarism of influential thinkers like Bastiat and Donoyer, who advocated for citizen militias and reduced military spending. Learn about the Second Amendment's focus on local control versus federal authority and how propaganda shaped American attitudes towards war throughout the 20th century. The discussion urges a critical examination of how state narratives have framed military actions as moral imperatives.
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Classical Liberals Opposed War
- Classical liberals historically strongly opposed war and militarism, viewing them as tools that augmented state power.
- This anti-war stance was central to their ideology, contrasting with the pro-war stance of absolutists and socialists.
Liberals Supported Militias Over Armies
- Classical liberals, including figures like Bastiat, advocated replacing standing armies with militias of armed citizens.
- They opposed conscription and viewed standing armies as a scourge and tool of oppression.
19th Century America Opposed Standing Army
- 19th-century Americans distrusted standing federal armies and admired local militias.
- Cultural views labeled full-time federal soldiers as shirking government dependents.
