The Tom Woods Show

Whether it's "monopoly," child labor, the Depression of 1920-21, the New Deal, or World War II's impact on the economy, our views and interpretations run counter to the conventional wisdom. Here's a defense of our position. I delivered these remarks at the 2017 Mises University program.

Show notes for Ep. 964

Direct download: woods_2017_07_31.mp3
Category:Talk Radio -- posted at: 4:19pm EDT

Lucas Engelhardt, associate professor of economics at Kent State University, joins me to discuss bad ways to reform the monetary system, as well as good ones. (Bad ones include the Taylor rule, inflation targeting, NGDP targeting, and Milton Friedman's approach.)

Show notes for Ep. 963

Direct download: woods_2017_07_30.mp3
Category:Talk Radio -- posted at: 3:15pm EDT

The Austrian School of economics, the school of thought that includes Ludwig von Mises, F.A. Hayek, and Murray Rothbard -- and which influenced Ron Paul, of course -- is the subject of the Mises Institute's week-long Mises University summer program, which I'm attending right now. In the course of taking notes on my computer to help my 14-year-old daughter understand the concepts better, I realized there were some foundational parts of Austrian economics that some listeners may enjoy hearing clarified.
 
So in this episode I actually show how we can derive economic laws from the apparently sterile axiom that "human beings act." I also discuss where prices come from, and what the fundamental problem with socialism is.
 
Direct download: woods_2017_07_27.mp3
Category:Talk Radio -- posted at: 6:25pm EDT

This episode is drawn from the Society and the State podcast, on which I was the guest for the very first episode. We discuss how I went from teaching a handful of college students to reaching many, many more via my online work -- and supported a family to boot. We also discuss a horrendous business failure of mine, and other fun things.

Show notes for Ep. 961

Direct download: woods_2017_07_26.mp3
Category:Talk Radio -- posted at: 3:59pm EDT

Today I'm sharing what's normally a members-only Q&A I did with Bob Murphy at LibertyClassroom.com. It's a smorgasbord of Austrian economics, economic theory, and history -- with all the fun and banter you've come to love with Bob and me. Enjoy!

Show notes for Ep. 960

Direct download: woods_2017_07_25.mp3
Category:Talk Radio -- posted at: 4:51pm EDT

One of my most significant intellectual influences was the extraordinarily productive polymath Murray N. Rothbard. In this kickoff talk at Mises University 2017, I discuss what he taught me, what it was like to meet and interact with him, why he's worthy of study, admiration, and respect, and why it's impossible in the world of ideas not to have enemies.

Show notes for Ep. 959

Direct download: woods_2017_07_24.mp3
Category:Talk Radio -- posted at: 3:16pm EDT

David Weigel, national political correspondent for the Washington Post, released a book this year on the history of progressive rock -- which is a glorious and wonderful excuse for a podcast-length discussion of the subject. What's great about this kind of music, what happened to it, the best places to start, and a lot more.

Show notes for Ep. 958

Direct download: woods_2017_07_23.mp3
Category:Talk Radio -- posted at: 9:29pm EDT

A great many libertarians have read at least some of Frederic Bastiat's work, but it's usually one or two of the same writings. Bastiat's output was vastly greater than what most of us are familiar with, and his life was extraordinarily eventful and exciting. David Hart, an expert on Bastiat, joins us for another look at a most underrated thinker and man.

Show notes for Ep. 957

Direct download: woods_2017_07_22.mp3
Category:Talk Radio -- posted at: 4:13pm EDT

I asked David Gordon, possibly the most well-read person I've ever met, what books he thought libertarians should read. The result was this engaging discussion!

Show notes for Ep. 956

Direct download: woods_2017_07_21.mp3
Category:Talk Radio -- posted at: 3:43pm EDT

Today's episode reaches back into history to the overlooked example of Genoa, where we discover the late medieval origins of entrepreneurial skills and institutions that formed the springboard for early modern economic development. The forgotten republican tradition of Genoa, moreover, poses an interesting alternative to the militarist and statist views of Machiavelli.

Show notes for Ep. 955

Direct download: woods_2017_07_20.mp3
Category:Talk Radio -- posted at: 5:09pm EDT

Nancy MacLean generated much discussion and controversy when she released her book Democracy in Chains, which purports to explain how the "radical Right" -- in which she includes the most implausible figures -- conspired to take over America.
 
The book is the standard leftist hysteria about outcomes that will obviously never come to pass, plus a healthy serving of innuendo and downright manufactured claims. Tom DiLorenzo and I have fun with it.
 
Direct download: woods_2017_07_19.mp3
Category:Talk Radio -- posted at: 2:18pm EDT

West Virginia state legislator Pat McGeehan, who comes endorsed by Ron Paul, has been the sole "No" vote in the legislature for years, but has also scored numerous legislative victories -- so he was thrown out of the Republican Caucus. He shared his insights about success and holding fast to principle that apply to people in all walks of life.

Show notes for Ep. 953

Direct download: woods_2017_07_17.mp3
Category:Talk Radio -- posted at: 7:40pm EDT

Pope Francis is one of the most controversial popes in Church history, and has left a great many churchmen and faithful bewildered. His sympathy for leftist political causes, and his systematic removal of people unsympathetic to his progressive program, are clear enough. We get into some of the details in this episode.

Show notes for Ep. 952

Direct download: woods_2017_07_14.mp3
Category:Talk Radio -- posted at: 2:34pm EDT

Although most people seemed pleased on so-called Prime Day, Amazon has its critics, too. Do the criticisms hold water?

Show notes for Ep. 951

Direct download: woods_2017_07_13.mp3
Category:Talk Radio -- posted at: 4:39pm EDT

Justin Nguyen is prepared to move beyond theory and into practice with his innovative approach to the environment and waste management. The market, he says, can do a better and more efficient job, and more creatively to boot, than the state.

Show notes for Ep. 950

Direct download: woods_2017_07_12.mp3
Category:Talk Radio -- posted at: 5:42pm EDT

Robert W. Merry, editor of The American Conservative, paints a grim picture of the position the left would be in should Trump fail or be forced out.

Show notes for Ep. 949

Direct download: woods_2017_07_11.mp3
Category:Talk Radio -- posted at: 4:11pm EDT

Maybe the time has come to try something radically different, instead of doubling down on the same old strategies. That's the view of Joe Quirk of the Seasteading Institute, who discusses the potential for humanity in, yes, floating nations.

Show notes for Ep. 948

Direct download: woods_2017_07_10.mp3
Category:Talk Radio -- posted at: 2:28pm EDT

I realize the Democrats and Republicans both annoy us, but we do live under their rule, so we do need to know about them. And when Republicans say the Democrats are divided or in trouble, I think they're engaged in wishful thinking.

Show notes for Ep. 947

Direct download: woods_2017_07_07.mp3
Category:Talk Radio -- posted at: 6:00pm EDT

Lew Rockwell joins me to discuss the CNN flap, Trump, foreign policy, and Murray Rothbard.

Show notes for Ep. 946

Direct download: woods_2017_07_06.mp3
Category:Talk Radio -- posted at: 6:48pm EDT

Co-founder and CEO of the Startup Societies Foundation, Joe McKinney, joins me to discuss new approaches to challenging (and escaping from) centralized authority.

Show notes for Ep. 945

Direct download: woods_2017_07_05.mp3
Category:Talk Radio -- posted at: 5:13pm EDT

You may be familiar with the problems with Dodd-Frank, but here's one almost nobody knows about: it all but shuts off a significant source of financing for lower-priced and starter homes. Hard to believe, I know: a government regulation harming ordinary people....

Show notes for Ep. 944

Direct download: woods_2017_07_04.mp3
Category:Talk Radio -- posted at: 1:10pm EDT

Early this year (2017), stories began to multiply of members of the Libertarian Party in Cuba running afoul of the authorities for no good reason. Today we discuss what's happening, and how we can help.

Show notes for Ep. 943

Direct download: woods_2017_07_03.mp3
Category:Talk Radio -- posted at: 4:13pm EDT

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