Minor Issues

In this episode of Minor Issues, Mark Thornton revisits a prophetic 1970s address by Nobel laureate F.A. Hayek that laid the intellectual groundwork for Bitcoin. Delivered during the depths of stagflation, Hayek’s “International Money” lecture critiques central bank monopoly, exposes the failure of Keynesian inflationism, and calls for the denationalization of money. Mark unpacks how Hayek’s radical proposal for competing private currencies was decades ahead of its time, and why it matters more than ever in today’s age of government-managed inflation and crypto crackdowns.Additional ResourcesChoice in Currency by F. A. Hayek (based on his address, "International Money"): https://mises.org/MI_127_AThe Denationalisation of Money by F. A. Hayek: https://mises.org/MI_127_B"Hayek Predicting Bitcoin" (excerpted from the May 1, 1984, interview with James Blanchard at the University of Freiburg): https://mises.org/MI_127_C"The Last Days of Satoshi: What Happened When Bitcoin’s Creator Disappeared" by Pete Rizzo (Bitcoin Magazine): https://mises.org/MI_127_D"Bitcoin" (1440): https://mises.org/MI_127_ERegister for the 2025 Mises Institute Supporters Summit in Delray Beach, Florida, October 16–18: https://mises.org/ss25Be sure to follow Minor Issues at https://Mises.org/MinorIssues

In this episode of Minor Issues, Mark Thornton features his recent appearance on the Liberty and Finance podcast. Mark pulls back the curtain on the geopolitical theater, exposing how monetary control, regime change, and imperial ambition are driving global conflict. From gold's rising value as a gauge of fear to the erosion of public trust in fiat money and the US government, he argues the real war is economic—and it's already begun.Alongside these dangers, Mark offers hope: an informed public, sound money alternatives, and the growing momentum for a monetary reset built on gold and liberty.Additional Resources"Gold/Silver Ratio Signaling Rapid Reversal and Recession Coming" by Mark Thornton (on the Liberty and Finance podcast): https://mises.org/MI_126_A"The Gold-Silver Ratio" (Minor Issues, Episode 119): https://mises.org/MI_119"Preparing for War" (Minor Issues, Episode 123): https://mises.org/MI_123Register for the 2025 Mises Institute Supporters Summit in Delray Beach, Florida, October 16–18: https://mises.org/ss25

On this episode of Minor Issues, Mark Thornton unpacks the unfolding economic crisis through the lens of Ludwig von Mises’s “crack-up boom.” With inflation accelerating, deficits ballooning, and the Fed’s credibility fading, Mark outlines how reckless monetary policy and unsustainable government spending are setting the stage for stagflation—or worse. From gold’s surge to the dollar’s decline, he connects today’s market signals to Mises’s dire warnings about monetary collapse, offering a sobering look at what may lie ahead for the US economy.Additional Resources"Trump (Again) Demands More Easy Money To Help Fund Even Bigger Deficits" by Ryan McMaken: https://mises.org/MI_125_A"Interest Rates Rise Again as Treasury Auction Comes Up Short" by Ryan McMaken: https://mises.org/MI_125_B"Powell, Trump, and the Austrian Business Cycle Time Bomb" (Minor Issues, Ep. 118): https://mises.org/MI_118 "Prospects for Hyperinflation" (Minor Issues, Ep. 116):  https://mises.org/MI_116"Are Economic Crises and Crashes Inevitable?" (Minor Issues, Ep. 112): https://mises.org/MI_112"The Precarious State of the American Economy" (Minor Issues, Ep. 111, with Scott Horton): https://mises.org/MI_111How Inflation Destroys Civilization by Guido Hülsmann: https://mises.org/InflationDestroysLudwig von Mises on Money and Inflation, edited by Bettina Bien Greaves: https://mises.org/MI_125_CThe Inflation Crisis and How to Resolve It by Henry Hazlitt: https://mises.org/MI_125_DRegister for the 2025 Mises Institute Supporters Summit in Delray Beach, Florida, October 16–18: https://mises.org/ss25

On this episode of Minor Issues, Mark Thornton dives into Murray Rothbard’s theory of interventionism. Mark explores how Rothbard sharply delineates the line between voluntary action in the free market and coercive government intervention. He deconstructs Rothbard’s typology—autistic, binary, and triangular interventions—and explains why only free markets improve utility for everyone, while intervention creates winners and losers. It’s a wake-up call for anyone who still thinks regulation and taxation are harmless.Additional Resources"The Economics of Violent Intervention in the Market" by Murray N. Rothbard (Man, Economy, and State with Power and Market, Chapter 12): https://mises.org/MES"The Greatness of Man, Economy, and State" by Lew Rockwell: https://mises.org/MI_124_ARegister for the 2025 Mises Institute Supporters Summit in Delray Beach, Florida, October 16–18: https://mises.org/ss25

In this episode of Minor Issues, Mark Thornton explores how nations quietly prepare for war—and what the corporate media isn’t telling you. From Europe’s military buildup and the global trade war to the hidden toll of economic sanctions, Mark unpacks historical patterns that have repeatedly led societies to disaster.Why is gold at a record high? How does modern mercantilism fuel today’s tensions? Are we all just pawns in a much bigger game? Join Mark as he examines the real risks simmering beneath the headlines, and what history can teach us about the cost of ignoring them.Additional Resources"The World at War—An Essential New Book from Ralph Raico" by Ryan McMaken: https://mises.org/MI_123AAn Anti-War Reading List: https://mises.org/MI_123BThe Costs of War: America's Pyrrhic Victories edited by John V. Denson: https://mises.org/MI_123CAudio and videos recordings of the Mises Institute's May 2025 Revisionist History of War Conference: https://mises.org/MI_123DRegister for the 2025 Mises Institute Supporters Summit in Delray Beach, Florida, October 16–18: https://mises.org/ss25

In this episode, Mark Thornton shares his recent Revisionist History of War Conference talk on a lesser-known factor in the American Civil War: the Confederate “impressment” policy and its impact at Vicksburg. While Gettysburg is more famous, Vicksburg was just as pivotal, and the South’s policy of seizing goods at artificially low prices actually helped Grant win.Mark challenges the idea that the Confederacy lost simply because it was outgunned, and he explores what this teaches about how smaller groups fighting for freedom and independence can take on much larger forces.Additional ResourcesTariffs, Blockades, and Inflation: The Economics of the Civil War by Mark Thornton and Robert Ekelund: https://mises.org/MI_122A"The Confederate Blockade of the South" (Quarterly Journal of Austrian Economics, Vol. 4, No. 1) by Mark Thornton and Robert Ekelund: https://mises.org/MI_122B"The Economics of the Civil War" (eight-lecture series) by Mark Thornton: https://mises.org/MI_122CRegister for the 2025 Mises Institute Supporters Summit in Delray Beach, Florida, October 16–18: https://mises.org/ss25

In this episode, Mark Thornton discusses The Triumph of Economic Freedom: Debunking the Seven Great Myths of American Capitalism, the new book by Senator Phil Gramm and Professor Donald J. Boudreaux.Mark reflects on the persistent misconceptions about capitalism in America and offers up a "Marxist interpretation" of our dilemma. He explores how entrenched ideologies shape the way information is presented, the influence of state actors on education and media, and the ways in which these forces skew perceptions of economic history. Ultimately, Mark argues for a more critical and evidence-based approach to understanding capitalism.Additional Resources"Your Kids Are Already Communists, and College Will Make It Worse" (Minor Issues, Episode 89): Mises.org/MI_89"Political Bias in Academia" (Minor Issues, Episode 95): Mises.org/MI_95Be sure to follow Minor Issues at Mises.org/MinorIssues

On Economics Explored, host Gene Tunny and guest Dr. Mark Thornton discuss the "Skyscraper Curse," the uncanny correlation between constructing the world's tallest buildings and subsequent global economic crises. Mark explains why these architectural achievements often precede financial downturns. With the resurrection of Saudi Arabia's Jeddah Tower project—destined to become the world's tallest building—set for completion around 2027, could another global economic crisis be imminent?Tune in for an eye-opening discussion that connects skyscrapers, economics, and predictions for our financial future.Additional Resources"The Skyscraper Curse and Austrian Economics with Mark Thornton" (Economics Explored Podcast with Gene Tunney): Mises.org/MI_120_AThe Skyscraper Curse: And How Austrian Economists Predicted Every Major Economic Crisis of the Last Century by Mark Thornton: Mises.org/CurseAn Essay on Economic Theory by Richard Cantillon (edited by Mark Thornton): Mises.org/MI_120_BBe sure to follow Minor Issues at Mises.org/MinorIssues

In this episode of the Minor Issues Podcast, Mark Thornton unpacks the fascinating world of the gold-silver ratio. Once a key player in bimetallism debates and Gresham’s law, this ratio is now making headlines as it hovers near record highs—over 100 ounces of silver to one ounce of gold.Mark explores the historical context behind these numbers, and explains why these shifts can signal deeper changes in the economy. He also breaks down what the ratio means for different types of investors, how tariffs and trade wars can twist relative prices across the board, and why understanding these shifts is crucial for everyone—not just economists.Additional ResourcesGold-Silver Ratio Charts at Gold Price: Mises.org/MI_119_A"Bring Back Gold!" by Lew Rockwell: Mises.org/MI_119_B"Gold:silver ratio hits 105, but analysts are not giving up on the ‘little’ sibling" by Neils Christensen (Kitco): Mises.org/MI_119_CBe sure to follow Minor Issues at Mises.org/MinorIssues

Is President Trump right about interest rates? Is Fed Chairman Jay Powell making a mistake? Forget the mainstream media talking points. Mark Thornton cuts through the noise to explore the real economic threats facing America. In this episode, Mark dissects how the Fed's monetary policies, not just Trump's tariffs, have created a dangerous Austrian Business Cycle time bomb. Will Powell's rate cuts save the day, or is a recession inevitable? Mark examines key sectors of the S&P 500 to reveal the truth and predict what's coming next.Join us May 15-17, 2025, at the Mises Institute in Auburn, Alabama, for our Revisionist History of War Conference. This is our first history conference in almost thirty years. For more details and to register, visit https://Mises.org/rhw.Be sure to follow Minor Issues at Mises.org/MinorIssues