
Mises Institute
The Mises Institute, founded in 1982, is an educational institution devoted to advancing Austrian economics, freedom, and peace in the classical-liberal tradition. Our website offers many thousands of free books and thousands of hours of audio and video, along with the full run of rare journals, biographies, and bibliographies of great economists.
Latest episodes

May 14, 2025 • 6min
How Trump Can Lower Drug Prices Without Price Controls
While Trump has not yet turned to price controls to address America‘s absurdly high drug prices, Monday‘s executive order suggests that he soon may. Price controls would only worsen the problem with the drug market. Here are three things he can do instead.
Read the article here: https://mises.org/mises-wire/how-trump-can-lower-drug-prices-without-price-controls
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

May 10, 2025 • 10min
The Gold-Silver Ratio
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 Resources
Gold-Silver Ratio Charts at Gold Price: https://Mises.org/MI_119_A
"Bring Back Gold!" by Lew Rockwell: https://Mises.org/MI_119_B
"Gold:silver ratio hits 105, but analysts are not giving up on the ‘little’ sibling" by Neils Christensen (Kitco): https://Mises.org/MI_119_C
Be sure to follow Minor Issues at Mises.org/MinorIssues

May 8, 2025 • 42min
California’s Bullet-Train Delusion
California economist and resident/victim William Anderson joins us to talk about the absurdity of California’s bullet train plan, and how it ignores economic realities.
Register for our Revisionist History of War Conference now at https://mises.org/rhw
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

May 8, 2025 • 7min
Real ID Is Not About Keeping You Safe
With the deadline for obtaining the federal government‘s Real ID technically upon us, it‘s important to understand that this is not an irritating but necessary program to keep Americans safe. It's the latest example of the government using 9/11 as an excuse to grab more power.
Read the article here: https://mises.org/mises-wire/real-id-not-about-keeping-you-safe
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

May 3, 2025 • 9min
Powell, Trump, and the Austrian Business Cycle Time Bomb
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

May 2, 2025 • 10min
Want to Pay Down the National Debt? First, Cut Federal Spending
If a politician claims that he cares about the national debt, but then won't make big cuts to current federal spending, he's either a liar or a fool.
Be sure to follow the Loot and Lobby podcast at https://Mises.org/LL

May 1, 2025 • 57min
Trump’s First 100 Days: The Good and the Bad
Historian Chris Calton joins Ryan McMaken to discuss both the upsides and the downsides of Trump’s first 100 days.
Register for our Revisionist History of War Conference now at https://mises.org/rhw
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

Apr 30, 2025 • 7min
The Trump Administration Is Not Serious About Ending Endless Wars
The first 100 days of the second Trump administration have made it clear that those who want the foreign policy status quo to continue are serious about doing what it takes to accomplish their goals, while those who want to change it are not.
Read the article here: https://mises.org/mises-wire/trump-administration-not-serious-about-ending-endless-wars
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 Mises.org/GB

11 snips
Apr 26, 2025 • 8min
Trump's Monetary Policy Favors the Wealthy over Ordinary People
Trump has tried to claim that he favors "Main Street over Wall Street." Unfortunately, by pushing aggressive low-interest-rate monetary policy, Trump has put himself squarely in the camp of “Wall Street over Main Street.”
Be sure to follow the Loot and Lobby podcast at https://Mises.org/LL

Apr 25, 2025 • 42min
Why Did Trump Arrest a Student for Writing an Op-Ed?
James Bovard joins host Ryan McMaken to talk about how the White House went from targeting illegal aliens to seizing legal residents guilty of the "crime" of criticizing the government of the State of Israel. Do non-citizens have due-process rights? The Founding Fathers thought so.
Register for our Revisionist History of War Conference now at https://mises.org/rhw
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