Mises Institute

Bob hosts economist and distinguished senior scholar at the Mises Institute, Steve Hanke, to discuss his research on hyperinflations, currency board solutions, and the economic effects of the COVID lockdowns. Hanke explains the findings of his meta-analysis of lockdown impact and explains why Sweden's laissez-faire approach was vindicated. He also draws from decades of experience stopping hyperinflation globally, advocating currency boards and gold-backed solutions as effective alternatives to central banks. Professor Hanke's Austrian Economics Research Conference Lecture: https://Mises.org/HAP506a Professor Hanke's IEA Article, "Did Lockdowns Work? The Verdict on COVID Restrictions": https://Mises.org/HAP506b The Mises Institute is giving away 100,000 copies of Murray Rothbard’s, What Has Government Done to Our Money? Get your free copy at https://Mises.org/HAPodFree Find free books, daily articles, podcasts, lecture series, and everything about the Austrian School of Economics, at https://Mises.org​​. X ► https://x.com/mises/ Facebook ► https://www.facebook.com/mises.institute/ Instagram ► https://www.instagram.com/misesinstitute/ SoundCloud ► https://soundcloud.com/misesmedia/ Apple Podcasts ► https://podcasts.apple.com/us/artist/mises-institute/1280664810 Rumble ► https://rumble.com/c/c-2212754 Odysee ► https://odysee.com/@mises/ Podcasts ► https://mises.org/podcasts

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_123 Register for the 2025 Mises Institute Supporters Summit in Delray Beach, Florida, October 16–18: https://mises.org/ss25

Some non-economic arguments made by pronatalists are very good. But when it comes to economics, pronatalists often get it very wrong. Be sure to follow Radio Rothbard at https://Mises.org/RadioRothbard Radio Rothbard mugs are available at the Mises Store. Get yours at https://Mises.org/RothMug PROMO CODE: RothPod for 20% off

Although it may not have ultimately ended how they wished, the strikes on Iran demonstrated that neoconservatives are still a viable force within the GOP. But that shouldn’t discourage us. Ending endless wars isn’t easy, but it is worthwhile. Read the article here: https://mises.org/mises-wire/dismantling-warfare-state-was-never-going-be-easy Be sure to follow the Guns and Butter podcast at https://Mises.org/GB

Bob is joined by author George Ford Smith for a detailed examination into the life and legacy of Thomas Paine. They discuss how Paine’s writings, especially Common Sense and the American Crisis essays, mustered colonial support for independence and even influenced the outcome of the Revolutionary War. Smith explains Paine's life, from early setbacks and struggles in England to becoming a pivotal figure in America’s founding, and why his views ultimately sidelined his historical reputation. George's Mises Wire Article, "The Failure to Stop Thomas Paine": https://Mises.org/HAP505a George's Mises Wire Article, "Thomas Paine, Liberty's Hated Torchbearer": https://Mises.org/HAP505a

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_111 How Inflation Destroys Civilization by Guido Hülsmann: https://mises.org/InflationDestroys Ludwig von Mises on Money and Inflation, edited by Bettina Bien Greaves: https://mises.org/MI_125_C The Inflation Crisis and How to Resolve It by Henry Hazlitt: https://mises.org/MI_125_D Register for the 2025 Mises Institute Supporters Summit in Delray Beach, Florida, October 16–18: https://mises.org/ss25

Real estate investor and Mises Institute contributor Artis Shepherd joins us to talk about how our stagnating economy is affecting multifamily housing and other commercial real estate. Banks and investors are using “extend and pretend” tactics to cover up the true state of the industry. Be sure to follow Radio Rothbard at https://Mises.org/RadioRothbard Radio Rothbard mugs are available at the Mises Store. Get yours at https://Mises.org/RothMug PROMO CODE: RothPod for 20% off

The discussion delves into how the state thrives on conflict, increasing its power through war at the expense of individual liberty. It highlights the libertarian principle of non-aggression, emphasizing the moral implications of self-defense versus state violence. The podcast also critiques modern warfare's ethical dilemmas, particularly with nuclear weapons, and advocates for disarmament. Ultimately, it champions peaceful resolutions over state-sanctioned aggression, questioning the legitimacy of war and its toll on civilians.

The United States is dangerously close to entering yet another war in the Middle East. But this one has the potential to be a lot costlier for the American people while remaining just as unlikely to bring about peace and stability in the region. Read the article here: https://mises.org/mises-wire/war-iran-not-interest-american-people The Mises Institute is giving away 100,000 copies of Murray Rothbard’s, What Has Government Done to Our Money? Get your free copy at https://mises.org/gabfreebook Be sure to follow the Guns and Butter podcast at https://Mises.org/GB

In this welcome lecture to the 2025 Rothbard Graduate Seminar, Joseph Salerno dismantles the myth that Murray Rothbard was an outsider to mainstream economics. Drawing on Rothbard’s deep academic training and early career, Salerno reveals how Rothbard was a thoroughly trained neoclassical economist before his conversion to Austrian economics. The talk highlights Rothbard’s engagement with institutionalism, positivism, and Keynesianism, and how his discovery of Mises and praxeology transformed his outlook—ultimately forging one of the most original and radical economists of the 20th century. Recorded at the Mises Institute in Auburn, Alabama, on Sunday, June 8, 2025.