The Bob Murphy Show: Recent Episodes
Robert P. Murphy
The Bob Murphy Show features in-depth interviews and solo analysis by Bob Murphy. Much of the content relates to economics in the tradition of the Austrian School, as well as libertarian political theory, but the show covers a broad range of topics. To learn more, visit BobMurphyShow.com
Johnny Vedmore is an independent journalist from Cardiff, Wales. He discusses his masterful article on Klaus Schwab's mentors, including Henry Kissinger and John Kenneth Galbraith.
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: The YouTube version of this interviewJohnny Vedmore’s article on Klaus SchwabPart 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, and Part 5 of the BMS series on Klaus Schwab and the Great ResetAn evaluation of Herman Kahn’s “Year 2000” forecasts. Part 1 of John Kenneth Galbraith’s "The Age of Uncertainty"Trailer for the Kubrick film, “Dr. Strangelove”Bob’s novel, MinervaSchwab’s books The Fourth Industrial Revolution and Covid-19 and the Great Reset For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Bob critiques the economic views of Yuval Harari, who predicts “useless people” because of technological advances. Bob then showcases similar thinking from right-wingers. He ends by addressing a common critique of the Christian God.
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, and Part 5 of the BMS series on Klaus Schwab and the Great ResetBob’s book with Silas Barta on Understanding BitcoinSource for NWO compilationSource for World Government Summit panel on blockchainSource for Harari audioTim Pool episode featuring Michael Malice discussing NPCs (around 1:04:30)Schwab’s books The Fourth Industrial Revolution and Covid-19 and the Great Reset For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
In a recent episode of “The Problem With Jon Stewart,” the former Daily Show host asks former president of the Kansas City Fed Thomas Hoenig why the Fed couldn’t have bailed out homeowners, or just “quantitative ease” away the Treasury’s debt. Hoenig gives muddy answers, so Bob tries to clarify.
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: Jon Stewart’s full interview with Thomas HoenigJon Stewart skewers Paul KrugmanJon Stewart interviews Kelton and Gray on MMTBob’s book Understanding Money Mechanics For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Bob completes his series on the elites who are literally trying to take over the world. He first explains Schwab’s connection to the Global Government Summit, and then finishes reading key excerpts from Schwab’s book on Covid-19 and the Great Reset.
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3, and Part 4 of this seriesBob and Carlos Lara’s presentation, "How to Weather the Coming Economic Storms"Bob’s book Common Sense: The Case for an Independent TexasBob and Carlos’ book The Case for IBC and their book How Privatized Banking Really WorksThe WEF’s bio for its founder, Klaus SchwabSchwab’s books The Fourth Industrial Revolution and Covid-19 and the Great ResetSchwab’s address to Global Government SummitForbes’ article on Schwab the power broker. For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Keith Weiner is founder and CEO of Monetary Metals, an investment firm that pays interest on gold, and the founder of the Gold Standard Institute USA. Weiner’s mission is to provide entrepreneurial services and education to help restore gold as the world’s money par excellence.
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: The YouTube version of this interviewKeith Weiner’s bio at Monetary MetalsWeiner’s Forbes article on gold and silver coins not circulating For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Bob continues his series, this time focusing on the creepy worldview of WEF speaker Yuval Harari, and further reviews Schwab’s book on Covid-19 and the Great Reset.
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: Part 1 and Part 2, and Part 3 of this seriesThe WEF’s bio for its founder, Klaus SchwabSchwab’s books The Fourth Industrial Revolution and Covid-19 and the Great Reset“Awaken With JP”‘s episode on Schwab and HarariHarari’s talk on the future of humanity at the 2018 World Economic Forum conferenceBob’s article on the socialist calculation debate and Joe Salerno’s lecture on itForbes’ article on Schwab the power broker For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Bob continues his series on Klaus Schwab and the Great Reset, highlighting an interesting remark in Biden's SOTU, Strobe Talbott's open support for global government, and the introduction to Schwab's book on Covid-19 and the Great Reset.
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: Part 1 and Part 2 of this seriesThe WEF’s bio for its founder, Klaus SchwabSchwab’s books The Fourth Industrial Revolution and Covid-19 and the Great ResetBob’s first co-hosted Human Action podcast with Jeff DeistForbes’ article on Schwab the power broker For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Bob explains the friendly exchange he had with Dave Smith regarding the new Johns Hopkins study that concluded lockdowns did little to reduce mortality. Smith had tweeted that in a sane world, all those favoring lockdowns would be publicly disgraced, while Bob argues that these studies are so open-ended that people on both sides can reasonably ignore those that disagree with their preferred conclusions.
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: Dave Smith’s original tweet about the Johns Hopkins studyBob’s article on Nordhaus vs. the UNA Reuters “fact check” that cites Johns Hopkins experts on why lockdowns DO workA Politifact pushback on Johns Hopkins study For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Bob has Steve Patterson back on the show, to concede that Steve’s skepticism of higher mathematics was right all along. Specifically, Bob explains how his recent discovery of a theorem from Riemann showed that something is indeed rotten in the way mathematicians typically handle infinite sets.
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: The YouTube version of this interviewSteve Patterson’s website and YouTube channelSteve’s interview with NJ WildbergerA great summary of Riemann’s Rearrangement TheoremThe BMS episodes on Godel’s Incompleteness Theorems and Arrow’s Impossibility TheoremSteve’s previous appearance on the Bob Murphy Show For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Bob starts a series looking into Klaus Schwab, founder of the World Economic Forum and, along with Prince Charles, proponent of the “Great Reset.”
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: Klaus Schwab and Prince Charles promoting the “Great Reset”The World Economic Forum’s page on the Great ResetAn example of a session from the WEF’s Davos Agenda 2021 conferenceThe WEF’s bio for its founder, Klaus SchwabSchwab’s books The Fourth Industrial Revolution and Covid-19 and the Great ResetThe video of Schwab explaining his connection to KissingerThe “red pill” documentary Wake Up CallMurphy’s new book from the Mises Institute, Understanding Money Mechanics For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Bob continues his series on Klaus Schwab, explaining the WEF’s plans for redesigning the world, and providing quotes from Schwab’s book on the fourth industrial revolution.
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: Part 1 of this seriesThe WEF’s bio for its founder, Klaus SchwabSchwab’s books The Fourth Industrial Revolution and Covid-19 and the Great ResetThe WEF’s Global Redesign Summit and the Global Redesign InitiativeNick Buxton’s article on Davos and the danger to democracyForbes’ article on Schwab the power brokerFEE article on the socialist roots of fascism1983 article in Harper’s on the Bank of International Settlements (BIS) For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Bob critiques a Guardian article from an economist favoring price controls, and explains his argument with Joe Weisenthal about the social benefit of saving actual cash.
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: Dr. Keith Smith (of the Surgery Center of Oklahoma) contact page.The Guardian article advocating price controls.Murphy Mises.org critique of Weisenthal.Murphy article on the 1920-21 depression.Mises essay calling inflationary war finance “undemocratic.”BMS series on Bohm-Bawerk (1, 2, and 3). For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Patrick Newman is a fellow at the Mises Institute who have just published his new book. He talks about Rothbard's approach to history, whether the US revolution was libertarian, and the proper way to interpret Andrew Jackson.
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: Patrick Newman’s new book Cronyism: Liberty vs. Power in Early America, 1607-1849Patrick’s previous appearance on ep. 49 of the Bob Murphy ShowDan Sanchez’s article on Andrew Jackson’s fight with Nicholas Biddle over the Second Bank of the United StatesBob’s review of MMT (including Andrew Jackson’s payoff of the federal debt)The YouTube version of this interview For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Bob provides a running refutation of Stephanie Kelton's recent TED talk on Modern Monetary Theory (MMT).
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: Stephanie Kelton’s TED TalkBob’s review of Kelton’s book explaining MMTBob’s article on opting out of Social SecurityKelton’s intro to MMT, The Deficit MythBob’s interview of a founder of MMT, Warren Mosler. Then Bob’s analysis of that episodeBob’s Mises.org critique of a popular identity (equation) in the MMT literature. For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Bob covers some of the key points in his new pamphlet on restoring the Republic of Texas.
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: Bob’s new pamphlet, COMMON SENSE: The Case for an Independent TexasBob’s recent appearance on Tim Pool’s showBob’s article on opting out of Social Security For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Using a recent Paul Krugman column as the jumping off point, the Mises Institute Academic Vice President Joe Salerno explains and defends Austrian business cycle theory.
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: The YouTube version of this interviewBob’s response to Krugman’s NYT pieceJoe Salerno’s 2012 QJAE article responding to ABCT criticsJoe Salerno’s previous appearance on the Bob Murphy Show ep. 16Bob’s critique of Selgin on Canadian fractional reserve banking For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Bob reviews Mark Spitznagel's latest book, Safe Haven: Investing for Financial Storms, on which he was a consultant. Bob explains that Spitznagel rejects the alleged dichotomy between risk and return, and then gives a numerical example to illustrate the two schools of thought.
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: Bob’s appearance on Jordan Peterson‘s podcastBob’s surprisingly high ranking among influential economistsHis episode with Winston Ewert (who helped design the AI that produced the ranking)Mark Spitznagel’s new book Safe Haven: Investing for Financial Storms and his previous book, The Dao of Capital For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Bob gives a brief history of money in the United States, explaining that the dollar was much “harder” in, say, 1810 than it was in 1910. This explains why there was significant consumer price inflation even in 1970, the year before Richard Nixon officially severed the dollar’s link to gold.
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: Bob’s chapter in the new book, Understanding Money Mechanics, discussing the history of the US gold/silver standardsHis chapter on Mises’ theory of the business cycleBob’s articles discussing the 50th anniversary of Nixon closing the gold window: (1) Basic intro, (2) discussing the different regimes of the US gold standard, and (3) explaining the different inflation rates and the connection to Austrian business cycle theory [Note that this third article hadn’t posted as of the original publication of the podcast episode; this link will be updated when available.]Bob’s article in the Quarterly Journal of Austrian Economics on Mises’ theory of the business cycle. For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Bob reviews the "Unbreakable" movie trilogy, arguing that M. Night Shyamalan knows we need to awaken the superheroes among us. They might not even know who they are—yet.
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: The YouTube trailer for “Unbreakable,” the first movie in the trilogy under discussion For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Per Bylund is Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship at Oklahoma State University. He discusses three of his current book projects, all touching on various aspects of the Austrian School and its continued importance.
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: Per Bylund’s page at Oklahoma State UniversityThe Mises Institute’s description of Per Bylund’s upcoming primer on Austrian EconomicsBob’s debate with David Friedman on economic methodBob Murphy Show episode on intelligent designBob’s article critiquing Eugene Fama’s denial of the housing bubble For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
In a May 2021 essay, Curtis Yarvin (aka Mencius Moldbug) argues that the American economy runs on an inflation machine. Yarvin claims that the best way to measure the amount of inflation is to look at the change in aggregate personal net worth over a given period. Murphy explains why this is wrongheaded.
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: Curtis Yarvin (aka Mencius Moldbug)’s essay on The Inflation EconomyEric Weinstein tells Lex Fridman his wariness For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Bob unveils a new recurring series, in which he gives the context of infamous quotations. In this episode, he covers two allegedly shocking quotes from John Lennon, John Maynard Keynes' "in the long run we're all dead," Trump on Nazis being very fine people, Dan Quayle misspelling potato, Obama's "you didn't build that," and Bohm-Bawerk on Karl Marx.
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: Wikipedia entry on John Lennon’s “more popular than Jesus” comment. Lyrics to “Revolution.”Bob and the Music City Friends of Liberty cover “Come Together.”Video for Trump’s “very fine people” remark. Video of Obama’s “you didn’t build that.”Nancy Pelosi on “We have to pass the bill to find out what’s in it.”Bohm-Bawerk’s Karl Marx and the Close of His System. For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Bob concludes his series on areas where he’s changed his mind. This episode covers the economics of climate change, fractional reserve banking, the US gold standard, his notorious inflation bets, Nelson Nash’s Infinite Banking Concept, and the God of the Bible.
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: Bob’s chapter on the gold standardMises’ plan to put the USD back on goldBob’s blog post, “Why I Know There Is a God"Bob’s full interview on the Free Born podcastThe Foundation of IBC video seriesThe documentary, “This Is Nelson Nash.” For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Matt McCaffrey is an Austrian economist who is currently associate professor of entrepreneurship at the University of Manchester. He talks with Bob about American economist Frank Fetter, before moving on to a staple of his research: the connection between Chinese military history and entrepreneurship.
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: Matt McCaffrey’s paper on Chinese military history and on Frank FetterHoppe on economic method For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Scott Sumner is a monetary economist with the Mercatus Center. He famously argued in late 2008 that the Fed was too tight with monetary policy, and eventually he has convinced many economists of his views. In this episode he explains why interest rates and even monetary aggregates are not good indicators of the stance of monetary policy, whereas NGDP growth is much better.
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: Scott Sumner’s Mercatus page and his blog, The Money IllusionScott argues the Fed through 2012 had been tightScott’s older book The Midas ParadoxScott’s forthcoming book The Money IllusionBob’s review of The Midas Paradox and his assessment of Market MonetarismEconTalk interview with Michael Belongia (which brings up Milton Friedman’s critical comments about NGDP targeting) For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
In response to a listener request, Bob continues a 3-part series explaining areas where his views have changed. In this episode, he covers government debt and future generations, accuracy in polemical writing, the Fed being a private corporation, whether nice guys finish last, and mainstream utility theory.
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: Bob’s “The Economist Zone” article with links to the original contributions to the Great Debt Debate. Bob’s Mises University lecture on the topicBob’s link for Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom (which features a lecture on government debt burdens)Bob’s FEE article on the origin of public schoolsBob’s essay on advice for single Christian menBryan Caplan’s “Why I Am Not an Austrian Economist For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
In response to a listener request, Bob starts a 3-part series explaining areas where his views have changed. In this episode, he covers trade deficits, justice vs. mercy, the 2000 election, WMDs in Iraq, and Arrow’s Theorem.
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: Bob’s article on why free traders should be more careful when defending trade deficitsBob’s article explaining the capital account in reference to trade deficits, in the context of criticizing Peter Schiff. Then Bob’s mea culpaBob’s article on Robert MundellBMS episode explaining Arrow’s TheoremSteve Landsburg’s The Armchair EconomistBob’s link for Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom (which features a lecture on Arrow’s Theorem) For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Vijay Boyapati left a lucrative job at Google in 2007 to move to New Hampshire and campaign for Ron Paul. In this episode, Vijay explains why the other Austrians should have listened to him in 2010 when he warned that their inflation predictions were wrong. He also explains his popular 2018 essay, “The Bullish Case for Bitcoin.”
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: Vijay Boyapati’s 2010 article on credit deflationVijay’s 2018 article on “The Bullish Case for Bitcoin”Bob’s guide (with Silas Barta) to BitcoinBob’s article on Hayek on private fiat moneyBob explains his botched inflation prediction For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Jeff Herbener is a Senior Fellow with the Mises Institute and an economics professor at Grove City College. At the 2021 Austrian Economics Research Conference, Jeff presented a defense of the pure time preference theory of interest, and mentioned Bob’s critique of it. This episode is a very informative discussion of their views.
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: The YouTube version of this lecture (which has the PowerPoint slides)Jeff Herbener lecture on interest at Mises UniversityBMS ep. 198 (which provides context for this discussion)BMS ep. 119 with Guido Hulsmann (who also tries to replace the Pure Time Preference Theory)Bob’s dissertation (which is technical) on Austrian capital theoryBob’s article (for the lay person) explaining BB’s critique of the naïve productivity theoryAn intermediate difficulty paper, in which Bob explains problems with viewing interest as “present goods are more valuable than future goods”Bob’s 3-part series (one, two, three) on Capital and Interest in the Austrian tradition For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Bob gives a guest lecture for Jonathan Newman’s MA course for the Mises Institute, on the history of, and new developments in, the pure time preference theory of interest. After summarizing the work of Bohm-Bawerk, Fetter, and MIses, Bob explains his own perspective and then how Jeff Herbener partially agreed with Bob’s critique.
This episode sets the table for Bob’s interview with Herbener in ep. 199.
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: The YouTube version of this lecture (which has the PowerPoint slides)Information on the Mises Institute’s online Master’s ProgramBob’s dissertation on Austrian capital theoryBob’s interview with Jeff Herbener (BMS ep. 199) For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Stephan Livera hosts a popular podcast on Bitcoin and Austrian economics. He recently had Bob on to discuss, appropriately enough, the economics of Bitcoin from an Austrian perspective.
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: Stephan Livera’s YouTube pageBob and Silas Barta’s guide to BitcoinBMS ep. 191 clarifying the debate over Bitcoin For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Scott Horton comes back on the show to discuss his new book, Enough Already: Time to End the War on Terrorism. He and Bob largely focus on Osama Bin Laden's strategy for drawing the U.S. into unwinnable wars. They also discuss the role of Israel in U.S. foreign policy.
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: The YouTube version of this interviewScott’s new book Enough Already: Time to End the War on TerrorismThe archive of interviews at The Scott Horton ShowThe homepage of the Libertarian Institute For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Bob elaborates on two ideas he had when he wrote his novel "Minerva" in grad school.
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: Bob’s archives at Strike the Root, which contain the serialized version of Bob’s novel, Minerva. (Note that the HTML formatting is incorrect for some characters, such as the em-dash turning up as an apostrophe.) A listener compiled a PDF version of Minerva hereBob’s articles on the social function of stock speculators, futures markets, and call and put optionsTo learn more about Whole Life insurance policies, see the Foundations of IBC video series, particularly Module 3 For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Walter Block is a giant in the libertarian movement. He explains how he discovered this philosophy and why it will be difficult to advance liberty.
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: The YouTube version of this interviewWalter’s (co-authored) 2019 article on sociobiology and libertyWalter’s book Defending the Undefendable For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Using a recent Dave Smith interview of Michael Malice as a springboard, Bob elaborates his understanding of anarcho-capitalist principles to the thorny issues of vaccine passports, court rulings, and desegregation of the Old South.
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: Part of the Problem episode from February 20, 2021, “They Don’t Care About You” featuring Michael MaliceBob’s book The Politically Incorrect Guide to Capitalism (featuring his analysis of racism in business)Bob Murphy Show ep. 176, “A Framework for Analyzing Big Tech Censorship.”Bob’s essay against mandatory vaccinationsBob’s Mises U talk, “The Market for Security” (explaining private law enforcement)Khan Academy page on the Rosa Parks bus boycottBob’s critique of an AIER article on private mask mandates
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Bob helps to clarify the Bitcoin debate. On the one hand, the “no intrinsic value” skeptics are ignoring how Austrians deal with gold, while on the other hand, the “HODL forever” enthusiasts would never allow Bitcoin to become a money.
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: Bob (and Silas Barta’s) guide to BitcoinBob’s book Contra Krugman For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Benjamin Boyce is a writer, interviewer, and filmmaker who rose to fame by relaying his experiences as a student during the infamous Evergreen State protests in 2017. He talks with Bob about the lessons we can learn as the rest of the country follows the same trajectory of identity politics.
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: The YouTube version of this interviewBenjamin Boyce’s YouTube channelBenjamin Boyce’s Complete Evergreen Story (chaps. 10 and 15 were specifically mentioned in the interview)Stephen King’s On Writing For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Rob Bradley is an expert in the history of US energy markets. He explains the role of Sam Insull (co-founder of General Electric) in showing what a free market in electricity would look like, and then criticizes Texas’ ERCOT as a central planning agency.
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: The YouTube version of this interviewRob Bradley’s website, Master ResourceRob’s article on the recent Texas freeze and Paul KrugmanRob Bradley’s books Edison to Enron and Capitalism at WorkHarold Demsetz’s 1968 Journal of Law and Economics article, “Why Regulate Utilities?”Robert Bryce’s book Pipe Dreams: Greed, Ego, and the Death of EnronForrest McDonald’s book Insull: The Rise and Fall of a Billionaire Utility TycoonBob’s article on the Texas freezeBob Murphy Show episode 77, where Rob Bradley explains his education under Rothbard and his contributions to energy economics in the Austrian tradition For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Josiah Neeley is the Texas Director and Resident Senior Fellow in Energy for the R Street Institute. He has a lively discussion, pushing back on some of Bob’s previously articulated points regarding the recent Texas freeze and blackouts.
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: The YouTube version of this interviewJosiah’s article on the Texas freeze.Bob’s article on the Texas freeze. For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Gary Wolfram is an economics professor at Hillsdale College, who was both a teacher and colleague of Bob during his two stints at the school (first as a student then as a professor). They discuss Gary’s background as an economist in both academia and the political sphere, and why government intervention hurts the people it ostensibly helps.
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: The YouTube version of this interviewGary Wolfram’s book, A Capitalist ManifestoBob’s article on the $15 minimum wageWalter Williams’ 2007 FEE article on the minimum wageMises’ Liberalism and Bastiat’s The Law For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Since the deep freeze in February caused millions of Texas homes to lose their power, partisans have been fighting over the blame. The governor blamed wind turbines and the green agenda, whereas Paul Krugman said the fault was with natural gas. Bob shows the numbers; natural gas was to blame only in the sense that nobody expected wind to be useful during a winter crisis.
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: Bob’s article at Mises.org, which gives links to all the relevant sourcesThe Foundations of IBC For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Medical doctor Keith Smith returns to the show to explain how government intervention allows insurance companies to distort health care prices. Rather than merely diagnosing the problem, Smith has formed organizations that are providing affordable care to patients.
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: The YouTube version of this interviewThe Surgery Center of OklahomaThe Free Market Medical Association (FMMA)The Medical Freedom Summit, hosted by Mises Institute, on June 17, 2021 in New HampshireA short YouTube video in which Keith Smith explains $100 hospital aspirin.Bob’s book (co-authored with emergency room doctor Doug McGuff) on the economics of health care, The Primal Prescription For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Bob discusses three separate items all related to nonviolence: (1) Gene Sharp’s work, (2) Bob’s old dream of how to topple a tyrant, and (3) the winners of the Louis CK contest.
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: Gene Sharp’s book, From Dictatorship to DemocracyThe trailer for the documentary “How to Start a Revolution”Sharp’s list of 198 methods of nonviolent actionThe original Louis CK clip that inspired Bob’s contest For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
In a 2019 article, Bob quoted Mises who believed that new gold discoveries, in principle, could cause a (small) boom-bust cycle if the gold hit the loan market before other sectors. Walter Block and Bill Barnett have responded in a new article, arguing that in a free market, new commodity money can't cause such distortions.
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: The YouTube version of this interviewBob’s 2019 QJAE article, which Block & Barnett (2020) criticizesBob’s blog post explaining why Block & Barnett (2020) misunderstands his argument in his 2019 QJAE paperBob Murphy Show ep. 67, in which Block and Barnett explained their problems with the Hayekian triangleRothbard’s classic essays on utility & welfare economics and the legal treatment of air pollutionBlock and Barnett’s paper on the optimal quantity of moneyOne entry in Block and Barnett’s debate over maturity mismatching; it contains references to the earlier volleys for the interested reader. For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Ron Paul used the fall in purchasing power since the founding of the Fed to argue that the central bank had hurt regular Americans. Fed economist David Andolfatto disagrees, but Bob pushes back.
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: The YouTube version of this interviewDavid Andolfatto critiques Ron Paul’s argument against the FedBob’s rebuttal to Andolfatto“Has the Fed Been a Failure?” by White et alBob’s forthcoming book on Understanding Money Mechanics For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Recently Tim Poole alluded to the so-called “shopping cart theory” of why self-governance is impossible. Specifically, because people can’t even bother to take back the shopping cart when this is clearly the socially right thing to do, we can’t hope to have a system relying on everyone’s good nature. Bob explains what’s wrong with this argument.
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: The blog post for the “Adventures in Pacifism: Louis CK edition” contest.Ben Powell on SomaliaBob’s book Chaos Theory, his article on libertarian law and military defense, his lecture on the market for security, and his lecture on military defenseThe Federalist No. 51 For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Mario Rizzo is a professor in the Department of Economics at NYU–where he was Bob’s dissertation chair. He talks about how he found the Austrian School and his own contributions to economics.
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: The YouTube version of this interviewMario Rizzo’s homepageMario’s books The Economics of Time and Ignorance (with Gerald O’Driscoll) and Escaping PaternalismJeff Deist and Bob Murphy discuss Henry Hazlitt on BMS ep. 160Paul Davidson’s review of The Economics of Time & Ignorance For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Gad Saad is Professor of Marketing and holds the Concordia University Research Chair in Evolutionary Behavioral Sciences and Darwinian Consumption. He talks with Bob about his new book, The Parasitic Mind, and its relationship to the culture wars.
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: The YouTube version of this interviewGad Saad’s websiteSaad’s books The Parasitic Mind and The Evolutionary Basis of ConsumptionGavin de Becker’s The Gift of FearThe famous honey badger video (NSFW) For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
First Bob explains his contest involving Adventures in Pacifism–winner gets 100 smackers. Then he explains the incredibly powerful, and surprisingly Austrian, result by which Kenneth Arrow showed it was impossible to coherently aggregate individual preferences into a social ranking.
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: The blog post explaining the rules for the contest, Adventures in Pacifism: Louie CK EditionBob’s link for those interested in joining Liberty Classroom. (If you use this link, the site will remember who sent you if you end up joining.)Bob’s mises.org’s article explaining Arrow’s Theorem in the context of the 2020 electionThe Bob Murphy Show ep. 7, explaining Godel’s Incompleteness Theorems For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Dan McCarthy, Editor at Large of The American Conservative, joins Bob to discuss his view that conservatives and libertarians should stop heaping contempt on democracy. McCarthy argues that the elites are the real threat to liberty, not the masses.
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: The YouTube version of this interviewThe homepages for Modern Age and The American Conservative For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Peter Schiff famously called the housing crash but thinks the real crash is still on the way. He talks with Bob about his background in the financial sector, and why the networks no longer book him for interviews. They also discuss minarchism vs. anarcho-capitalism, and Peter’s decision to move to Puerto Rico.
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: The YouTube version of this interviewThe website for Peter’s books. Peter’s books Crash Proof and The Real CrashThe YouTube compilation, “Peter Schiff Was Right.” Peter’s YouTube channelThe Peter Schiff Show For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Bob unveils a new series in which he explains and then evaluates apparent contradictions in the way free-market libertarians handle certain issues.
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: Bastiat’s “Petition of the Candlemakers”Bob’s article on price gouging For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
GMU economics professor Chris Coyne explains how US militarism abroad ends up violating civil liberties on the home front. They also discuss the contributions of James Buchanan that should interest Austrian economists.
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: The YouTube version of this interviewChris Coyne’s webpage and his book Tyranny Comes HomeThe LSE essays on cost (edited by Buchanan)Tom DiLorenzo article on Public ChoiceRothbard’s essay on reconstructing utility and welfare economics, his reply to Schuller on praxeology, and his essay on Progressivism and WW1.Bob’s booklet on market anarchy and essay on private defense.Bob Murphy Show ep. 102 on the Grievance Studies hoax For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Bob offers his commentary on the movies “The Hunt” and “The Purge”—both produced by Blumhouse Productions—and focuses on whether The Purge storyline offers a challenge to Rothbard’s depiction of anarcho-capitalism.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Libertarian writer David Ramsay Steele joins Bob for a fun tour of some essays from his collection, "The Mystery of Fascism".
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: The YouTube version of this episode.David Ramsay Steele’s books The Mystery of Fascism and From Marx to Mises.Bryan Caplan’s article endorsing the Thomas Szasz approach to mental illness.Comedian Bill Hicks on the JFK assassination. For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Bob reads from an article recently tweeted out by the NEA, which calls for an end to schooling as we know it in order to promote anti-racism. He then discusses what the Fed has been up to since the coronavirus panic began.
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: The YouTube version of this episode (with lots of visuals).Karlyn Borysenko’s YouTube episode on the NEA tweet.Jamilah Pitts’ article on school transformation.Fed article talking about dividend payments to member banks.Total assets of the Federal Reserve System. For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Monetary economist George Selgin agrees with Bob on the flaws with MMT, but then the two continue their debate (started at the Soho Forum) on fractional reserve free banking. The episode also includes George’s background and thoughts on Bitcoin.
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: The YouTube version of this episodeGeorge’s monograph Praxeology and UnderstandingMises’ book Theory and HistoryBob’s review of MMTGeorge and Bob debate at the Soho ForumGeorge’s article (co-authored with Larry White) defending fractional reserve free banking. Bob’s recent QJAE contribution to the debate.George’s articles at Alt-M on Canadian free banking, and 3 devoted to Scotland: one, two, and three.George’s interview on crytopcurrency. For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Former Military Intelligence Sergeant Donnie Gebert returns to the show, this time to explain some of the major elements of his new book, The Art of War 2020. Gebert draws on his eclectic background to give techniques for navigating the modern world.
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: The YouTube version of this episodeDonnie Gebert’s The Art of War, 2020 (pdf)Donnie’s original appearance on BMS ep 42Daily Show bit on Ron PaulSNL bit poking fun at Ross Perot For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Richard Ebeling is the BB&T Distinguished Professor of Ethics and Free Enterprise Leadership at The Citadel. (He was also a professor at Hillsdale College, where he taught Bob Murphy.) As a master of the history of economic thought, as well as a personal participant in some of the major events, Richard recounts to Bob some of the important history of the Austrian School in the 20th century.
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: The YouTube version of this episode.Richard Ebeling’s AIER essay on Krugman.Richard’s interview with G.L.S. Shackle.Richard’s book For a New Liberalism. #CommissionsEarned (As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.) For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Dr. Michael Rectenwald was a professor of liberal studies at NYU from 2008 to 2019. Although at one point he was a committed Marxist, he gradually lost faith, and is now an outspoken critic of campus activists. Bob asks Rectenwald about apparent contradictions in the current cultural Marxist / postmodern movement, and they discuss several themes from his new book, Beyond Woke.
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: The YouTube version of this episode.Michael Rectenwald’s website.Michael Rectenwald’s books Beyond Woke and Springtime for Snowflakes. #CommissionsEarned (As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.)Michael’s lecture on postmodernism at the Mises Institute. For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
For the LP Mises Caucus, Bob received a slew of questions to be answered in a half hour. The topics range from business cycle to free trade to a "voluntary" State.
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: The YouTube version of this episode. For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Eric July is the front man for the street-hop/metalcore group Backwordz. He discusses his personal odyssey in navigating the leftist metal scene. Bob then asks Eric about another of his major interests, comic books.
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: Eric July’s homepage.The website for Backwordz.Eric’s YouTube review of Captain Marvel. For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
In the Ron Howard movie "A Beautiful Mind," Russell Crowe plays John Nash, a major figure in game theory. Although it was a good movie, it totally misconstrues Nash's doctoral dissertation and how it fit into the pre-existing literature. In this episode, Bob sets the record straight.
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: John Nash’s doctoral dissertation.Bob’s link for Liberty Classroom. (If you click this link and then register, the site will know you came from me.)Sylvia Nasar’s book that inspired the Ron Howard movie about Nash. #CommissionsEarned (As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.)A good explanation of the Allais Paradox (which shows limits of expected utility theory).Bob Murphy Show ep. 96, which starts with critique of use of game theory. For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
DC execs think Superman is "too perfect" to resonate with modern audiences, but Dan Sanchez profoundly disagrees. He and Bob discuss this issue and other topics in the intersection of politics & superhero movies.
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: Dan Sanchez’s FEE articleBob’s previous interview with Dan on the JokerThe Captain America clipBob’s article Superman Needs an AgentJordan Peterson on Cain and AbelSome Supes clips mentioned: one, two, three, and four For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Bob explains some of the highlights of his newly released chapter for the Mises Institute book on “Understanding Money Mechanics.” He explains the operation of the classical gold standard, as well as some of the issues of US bimetallism during the 1800s.
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: Bob’s new essay on the gold standardBob’s book on capitalism #CommissionsEarned (as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases)Bob on the 1920–21 Depression For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
George Reisman is economics professor emeritus at Pepperdine University. He is one of the few people to get his PhD under Mises. After sharing anecdotes about Mises and Rand, he discusses his contributions to economic theory. In particular, Reisman argues that profits, not wages, are the original form of income.
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: The YouTube version of this interviewGeorge Reisman’s website and Capitalism.net, and his Twitter accountReisman’s book Capitalism. #CommissionsEarned (As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.)Reisman’s Notes on his translation of Bohm-Bawerk on value theoryReisman on James Mill and Say’s LawIsrael Kirzner’s review of Capitalism For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Bob first observes that the Left (institutionally) hates Christianity, and that standard explanations, such as its alleged bigotry, don't explain why the Left gives Islam a pass. Christianity stands in the way of the Leftist agenda. Moreover, if the Devil exists, he would favor not just the "false religion" of environmentalism and Marxism, but also postmodernism, for Jesus is the Logos. Ultimately, the gospel reconciles God and man, which is not what the Devil wants.
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: An example of James Lindsay arguing about 2+2=5 on Twitter.A Mises University presentation on Antonio Gramsci.The Snopes article “debunking” claim that Saul Alinsky dedicated his book to Lucifer.Wikipedia entry on “Logos” in Christology context.John Piper on the opening of the gospel of John.Bob’s debate (ep. 133) with Thaddeus Russell on postmodernism as a foundation for liberty. For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Tom DiLorenzo is a Senior Fellow with the Mises Institute who has written several books critical of Lincoln. His latest is "The Problem With Lincoln." Bob asks Tom about his early career in economics, and then they discuss the various ways in which Abe Lincoln was actually a horrible president.
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: The YouTube version of this interview.Tom DiLorenzo’s books The Problem With Lincoln and The Real Lincoln, and with Jim Bennett The Food and Drink Police. #CommissionsEarned (As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.)BMS ep. 71 with Mark Thornton, and ep. 81 with Jeffrey Rogers Hummel, both on the economics of slavery.Tom’s 1982 article (with Jim Bennett) in the American Economic Review.Rothbard on “just war” theory. For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
As a follow-up to his discussion on MMT with Rohan Grey (in ep. 130), Bob goes solo to explain the basic cash balance framework for thinking about money, inflation, and debt. Specifically, Bob will explain why he thinks it's far more important to know how the government finances a deficit rather than knowing what it spends the money on.
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: BMS ep. 130 with Rohan Grey.Bob’s infamous inflation bet: response to Krugman/DeLong and his explanation years later for reason.com.Rothbard’s critique of the “equation of exchange,” MV=PQ.Bob’s QJAE article on the economics of fractional reserve banking. For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Adrian Lee Oliver wrote a Twitter thread on the BLM protests and how they are contributing to racial polarization. The thread took off, leading to Adrian's appearance on Benjamin Boyce's podcast. Bob wanted his own listeners to hear Adrian's personal story of police brutality along with his critique of today's "anti-racism" campaign.
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: The YouTube version of this interview.Adrian Lee Oliver’s original Twitter thread that brought him attention.Adrian’s appearance on Benjamin Boyce’s podcast.Bob’s debate on postmodernism with Thaddeus Russell.Helen Pluckrose and James Lindsay on Thaddeus’ podcast.Academic literature on “implicit bias.” An article showing the concept in today’s usage. For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
David Friedman is one of the pioneering theorists of anarcho-capitalism, as laid out in his book The Machinery of Freedom. In this free-wheeling discussion, he discusses physics versus economics, the work of Ronald Coase, his dad’s view of anarchism, and what happened to the SlateStarCodex site.
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: The YouTube version of this interview.David Friedman’s homepage.David’s book The Machinery of Freedom. Heinlein’s classic The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress. #CommissionsEarned (As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.)David debates Bob at Porcfest on Austrian vs. Chicago School methodology in economics.One of Walter Block’s essays on hanging from an apartment flagpole.The website SlateStarCodex and the post Bob mentioned, “You Are Still Crying Wolf,” which defended Trump from accusations of racism. For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Thaddeus Russell, creator of Renegade University, has been arguing that libertarians should embrace postmodernism as their philosophical foundation, rather than blame it for today’s “social justice warriors” as Jordan Peterson has done. Bob profoundly disagrees, arguing that the Judeo-Christian notions of truth and morality are a much better foundation.
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: The YouTube version of this interview.The homepage for Thaddeus Russell and YouTube account of his Unregistered podcast.Thaddeus’ book A Renegade History of the United States. #CommissionsEarned (As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.)Thaddeus’ SoHo Forum debate against Stephen Hicks.The full clip on college students and identity, and Thad arguing gender identity with Joe Rogan. For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Scott Beyer is the author of the Market Urbanism Report, which applies free market economic principles to urban issues, such as traffic congestion and housing affordability. Bob asks about these topics while bringing up obvious objections from the man on the street.
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: The YouTube version of this interview.The Market Urbanism Report website and the Facebook group.Jane Jacobs’ classic book, The Death and Life of Great American Cities. #CommissionsEarned (As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.)Bob’s book The Politically Incorrect Guide to Capitalism. #CommissionsEarnedWalter Block’s book on roads. #CommissionsEarned For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Brett Venoitte is host of the School Sucks podcast. After explaining his background in education, Brett explains how Horace Mann drew from authoritarian Prussian in designing public education in the US. He and Bob then discuss the competing experts in the debate over the coronavirus.
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: The YouTube version of this interview. The School Sucks Project website. Brett’s video “The American Way” on US education and Nazi Germany. The Harper’s Open Letter on cancel culture that caused such controversy. Bob’s undergrad essay for FEE on the roots of the US public school system. Bob’s Porcfest routine which featured impressions, including one of Wheels Off Liberty. For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
In a very comprehensive discussion, Bob talks with Rohan Grey, Assistant Prof. of Law at Willamette University. Rohan is an expert on the history of US fiscal and monetary legislation, as well as Modern Monetary Theory (MMT).
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: The YouTube version of this interview.Rohan Grey’s CV, and his paper on the history of US coinage.Rohan’s presentation on money as a creature of the law, not the State.Jon Stewart rips Paul Krugman on the trillion dollar platinum coin.Bob’s original book review at Mises.org of Stephanie Kelton’s book on MMT. George Selgin’s response, which in turn prompted this post from Nathan Tankus.Kelton’s book, The Deficit Myth. #CommissionsEarned (As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.)Bob’s older critique of an MMT accounting argument.Bob Murphy Show ep. 18, interview with Warren Mosler.Bob’s critique of fractional reserve banking.Bob on Bob Higgs on World War 2 (a portion of the presentation).Help support the Bob Murphy Show. For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Pointing to a recent Twitter thread from a progressive detailing his white male cisness, Bob shows how narrow the focus is on only particular "privileges" and not others. More generally, the effort to demonize white men is causing young people great harm, whether white or otherwise. The movement is based on power politics and relies on economic ignorance.
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: Nathan Tankus’ twitter thread on his privileges.News story on US national women’s soccer team losing to U15 boys.Bob Murphy Show episodes covering the economics of slavery: 71 with Mark Thornton and 81 with Jeffrey Rogers Hummel.Walter Block’s paper on reparations for slavery.Help support the Bob Murphy Show. For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Bob wrote a lengthy review of Stephanie Kelton's new book on MMT, The Deficit Myth, for the Mises Institute. In this episode he narrates his review.
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: Bob’s original book review at Mises.org.Kelton’s book, The Deficit Myth. #CommissionsEarned (As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.)Bob’s older critique of an MMT accounting argument.Help support the Bob Murphy Show. For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Michael Hardin is a theologian with a radical message of Jesus’s forgiveness and peace. He and Bob have a lively and deep discussion on the true meaning of the gospel and how today’s Christians often misunderstand it.
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: The YouTube version of this interview.Michael Hardin’s website Preaching Peace.Michael Hardin’s book Knowing God?: Consumer Christianity and the Gospel of Jesus.Help support the Bob Murphy Show. For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Keith Knight walks Bob through a meticulous critique of Krugman’s new book on Arguing With Zombies. Topics include the babysitter co-op, the deregulation that allegedly caused the housing bubble, and the tax rates of the 1950s.
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: The YouTube version of this interview.Krugman’s latest book, Arguing With Zombies. #CommissionsEarned (As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.)Keith Knight’s YouTube channel.Help support the Bob Murphy Show. For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Austrian economist and Mises Institute Fellow Mateusz Machaj discusses two of his books. The first is a technical work explaining how the Austrian structure of production concept can help resolve puzzles in economics. Machaj’s second book analyzes the political philosophy behind the Star Wars prequels. This episode contains deep insights that will inform even advanced students of both economic theory and the Star Wars universe.
Mentioned in the Episode and Other Links of Interest: The YouTube version of this interview: Part 1 on structure of production and Part 2 on Star Wars.Matt’s book on capital theory and his book on Star Wars. #CommissionsEarned (As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.)Bob’s referee reports from Paul Samuelson.Bob’s article explaining “reswitching.”Krugman on potential GDP flip-flop.Mace Windu, vigilante. For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Bob explains some of the basic–but crucial–errors in the cost/benefit analyses that have been offered by economists to justify the political lockdowns issued in light of the coronavirus. Specifically, economists have conflated voluntary physical distancing with coerced lockdowns, and they are also misusing the concept of a Value of a Statistical Life (VSL).
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Bob first discusses the theory of transferring police services away from the government and to the private community. Then he interviews Whitney Davis, a Rothbardian with a history of libertarian activism, who is a Seattle resident and happens to live down the street from the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone (CHAZ).
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Alex Salter is an economist with the Free Market Institute at Texas Tech University. Bob asks him about his recent article (with Vincent Geloso) criticizing "state capacity" as an explanation for economic development. Along the way, they also discuss the historical record and its challenge to modern-day anarchists.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Libertarians know Michael Boldin as the founder of the Tenth Amendment Center, but he started out as a leftist promoting clubs in LA and other major cities. In this fun conversation, Michael explains his origins and how he ended up advising state governments on how to kick the NSA out of their backyard.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
The editors of The Babylon Bee have a podcast, and they invited Bob on to discuss the economic situation. Then, they asked a series of fun questions, against the backdrop of their shared Christianity.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Economist David R. Henderson returns to the podcast to explain some of the major problems with the so-called "stimulus" bill, including its payment of $600 a week to the unemployed, as well as perverse payments to airlines. He then discusses the protest he helped organize against California's lockdown.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Bob Murphy tackles some Keynesian and MMT fallacies that have resurfaced in light of the response to the coronavirus. In particular, he responds to Larry Summers, who viewed the lockdown as being akin to workers staying home over the weekend. And, then, to Neil Irwin on Twitter, who approvingly retweeted a thread arguing that it was mathematically impossible for state governments to have saved ahead of time in preparation.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Levi Machado is a Brazilian pathologist who trained and now works in the NYC hospital network. As a fan of libertarian writers, Levi recognizes the problems with coercive “solutions” to a pandemic. However, Levi explains in the discussion what COVID-19 actually can do to the body, and why it’s not really comparable to the flu. The conversation wraps up with tips on staying healthy.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Bob Murphy urges skeptics not to dismiss the panic over the coronavirus as merely due to anti-Trump fear-mongering. Although government coercion is not justified, the underlying health crisis is very real. Bob also explains the economics of the toilet paper shortage, and gives practical tips he is using to try to keep his own household safe.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
The hilarious stand-up comic and Rothbardian Dave Smith invites Bob onto his show, Part of the Problem, to talk about the government’s response to the coronavirus.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Oren Cass is the executive director of American Compass (AmericanCompass.org), a conservative think tank that stresses the importance of family and domestic industry, in opposition to a singleminded devotion to economic efficiency. Cass was previously a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research, and was the domestic policy director for Mitt Romney’s 2012 presidential campaign. Bob and Oren have a friendly discussion about their disagreements on economic policy.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Bob Murphy comments on various aspects of the response to the coronavirus. Although many libertarians are accusing the authorities of exaggerating the threat, it would also be a “libertarian take” to accuse them of downplaying the threat early on, misleading the public on how to stay safe. Bob also tries to clarify thinking about the Fed’s repo bailouts and the outrage over hand sanitizer price gouging.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Larry Reed has been an organizational leader for liberty for decades, first at the Mackinac Center and then at FEE. He talks with Bob Murphy about Solzhenitsyn’s ability to withstand the Soviet gulag, and more generally makes the case for optimism in the face of oppression. For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Bob Murphy first gives some thoughts on the stock market crash and coronavirus, then discusses the jaw-dropping discussion between Brian Williams and a member of the New York Times editorial board regarding Mike Bloomberg’s claimed ability to give every American $1 million.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
On his podcast The Local Maximum, software engineer (and developer at Foursquare) Max Sklar has Bob Murphy explain Ludwig von Mises's distinction between class and case probability. They apply Mises's framework to other economic theory, and discuss Bayesian inference and machine learning.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Anticipating his forthcoming interview with Winston Ewert, Bob Murphy explains why the Intelligent Design movement will be to the natural sciences what the Public Choice school in economics is to the social sciences. Bob predicts that the explanation for the observed complexity of the universe will ultimately be pushed back into the structure of mathematics itself.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Corey DeAngelis is the Director of School Choice at the Reason Foundation, and an adjunct scholar at the Cato Institute’s Center for Educational Freedom. He talks with Bob Murphy about the studies supporting school choice, and dispels the myths around it. The interview ends with Bob raising the possibility that government voucher programs could end up hurting school independence.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Following up on his two previous episodes firing off provocative questions for both progressives and conservatives, Bob Murphy now looks inside his own camp and raises issues for self-reflection. The tough questions for libertarians cover topics ranging from God to abortion to drag queens to tax incidence.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Harry Dent is the founder of Dent Research, which provides economic forecasting and financial recommendations. He is the author of numerous books, including Zero Hour (2017). Harry argues that demographic trends set the U.S. economy up for a major adjustment that the Federal Reserve merely postponed with its easy-money policies in 2008 and beyond. Harry now believes that a major crash is coming, which will probably begin this year.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
In the fall of 2018 three people went public with a long-running hoax in which they’d published fake papers to various feminist, critical studies, etc. journals. Perhaps the most memorable example was an article purporting to catalogue the number of “rapes” that occurred at a dog park. Bob explores the precise reasons for why (or why not) this hoax reflects poorly on the targeted fields.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Economist Tim Terrell explains why the common rankings of "health outcomes" are so often biased against the United States, and why big businesses often support certain environmental regulations. Hint: it's not for reasons progressives will like.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Summarizing insights from Mises, Hume, and La Boetie, Bob Murphy argues that even the worst tyrants ultimately stay in power because people obey them. If the people withdraw their support from a regime, it will fall.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Don Boudreaux is an economist at George Mason University who blogs at Cafe Hayek. He has a long history with the Austrian and Public Choice schools, and is in the trenches daily making the case for free trade.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Bob Murphy first explains a standard progressive viewpoint when it comes to dealing with issues like virus outbreaks, underage drinking, and prostitution. Yet, when it comes to dealing with people whose views they abhor, the progressives suddenly are “zero tolerance” and ignore the mechanisms they point to for the other issues.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Lyn Ulbricht is the mother of Ross Ulbricht, the founder of the Silk Road website. Contrary to the government’s assertions, Lyn argues that her son was hardly a criminal kingpin menacing society. Even taking the laws on the book at face value, Ross’ trial was a sham, and the government’s behavior was shocking.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
In Bob Murphy’s interview of Bryan Caplan, they briefly discussed Bryan’s essay criticizing Austrian economics. At listener request, in this episode, Bob presents a more comprehensive analysis of why he remains an Austrian economist, even after seeing top-notch neoclassicals in action during his own time in grad school.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Tareq Haddad was a (recently hired) reporter for Newsweek who was repeatedly rebuffed when trying to cover the emerging story of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) report on Syria. He eventually resigned. Tareq discusses how US authorities pressured the OPCW to change the report to fit their desired narrative, and how powerful groups control the corporate media.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Bob Murphy gives a pragmatic case for pacifism, appealing to Christians who would like to take "The Sermon on the Mount" literally, but are worried it would spell disaster.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Bob Murphy interviews Lindsay Goldwert on her years performing at and organizing stand-up comedy shows in NYC, the interaction between comedy and finance, and her new book, BOW DOWN.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Bob Murphy uses the media coverage of the December Inspector General (IG) report on the FBI to illustrate how the establishment is gaslighting America. Specifically, some of the FBI’s tactics when applying for permission to spy on the Trump campaign are jaw-dropping, and yet the corporate media have used the report to refute Trump’s “conspiracy theories” about an FBI plot against him.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Bob Murphy conducts a friendly but challenging interview of Bryan Caplan, focusing on his new book making the case for open borders. They also discuss Bryan’s essay, “Why I Am Not an Austrian Economist,” and close with some brief remarks on pacifism.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Bob goes through much more scandalous and corrupt activities from Presidents Clinton, Bush, and Obama, and why Hillary Clinton has a much worse record on self-dealing than Donald Trump.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
David Gordon is a Senior Fellow with the Mises Institute who has a long history in Austrian economics and libertarianism. He talks with Bob Murphy about his personal story, including taking an undergrad class at UCLA with Hayek as his professor. Then they turn to philosophical issues in economics, and end with an analysis of the Strauss/Jaffa critique of libertarianism.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Bob Murphy tackles a common objection from atheist libertarians: Doesn’t Mises (in Human Action) refute the very notion of the Biblical God? Specifically, why wouldn’t an omnipotent, omniscient being remove all uneasiness with one action?
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Dr. Sabine Hossenfelder is a Research Fellow at the Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies, where she heads the “Analog Systems for Gravity Duals” group. Bob first asks her to explain why physicists began using the concepts of “dark matter” and “dark energy” to explain their observations of galaxies. Then they discuss her June New York Times column in which she explained that existing computer models can’t tell us if climate change poses an existential threat or is merely an inconvenience.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Due to listener request, Bob Murphy offers further thoughts on Hoppe’s argumentation ethics, following his discussion with Stephan Kinsella. Bob then discusses Hoppe’s profound essays on praxeology, in which he argues that Mises has solved the famous mind-body problem in philosophy.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Wojciech Kopczuk is a Columbia economics professor who co-authored (in 2004) one of the leading estimates of wealth concentration in the literature, along with current progressive darling Emmanuel Saez. But, ever since Thomas Piketty’s bestselling book on wealth inequality, Saez has published research with Gabriel Zucman showing dramatically different results. Kopczuk explains why economists can disagree on the basic facts of wealth concentration, and why there is controversy about Saez and Zucman’s latest claim that billionaires pay a lower income tax rate than the working class.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Along with Carlos Lara, David Stearns, and the late Nelson Nash, Bob Murphy has been heavily involved in educating the public and financial professionals about the Infinite Banking Concept (IBC). This is a process of using a dividend-paying Whole Life policy as a cash management tool, to “become your own banker” (in Nelson’s famous words). Bob gives the quick explanation of how this works.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Greta, a college student in New York, is working on an honor’s thesis covering libertarian thought in America. In this short interview, she asks Bob what libertarianism is, his perspective on voting, and how he views the American political system.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Jeffrey Rogers Hummel joins Bob Murphy for an in-depth discussion of the economics of slavery, touching on subtleties such as the labor/leisure trade-off, and the recent claims by some historians that slavery was efficient. Bob also asks Hummel to explain the provocative claim in his book, that the Confederacy would have done much better militarily if it had used the same guerrilla warfare tactics that the American colonists had used against the British.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Bob Murphy and Stephan Kinsella debate Hans-Hermann Hoppe’s famous "argumentation ethics" case for libertarianism. Stephan defends Hoppe's claim that any attempt to justify a non-libertarian system would result in a performative contradiction, while Bob clarifies the argument and raises concerns about it.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Bob Murphy evaluates four different campaigns where people pushed-back against the State: The National Opt Out Day in 2010, Free Keene’s “Robin Hood” parking meter approach, the “Taxation Is Theft” approach to tipping, and the “Epstein Didn’t Kill Himself” meme campaign. He then crystallizes his remarks into 7 Lessons for Libertarians.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Rob Bradley is the world’s leading expert in energy economics in the Austrian tradition. His treatise Oil, Gas, and Government is the definitive record of U.S. government intervention in the oil and gas markets. Rob chose Murray Rothbard as the chair for his dissertation in Political Economy. At one point in his career, Rob served as a speechwriter for Ken Lay, CEO of Enron, which afforded Rob a firsthand view of the skullduggery that would later be wrongly blamed on capitalism.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Justin Clark explains the intriguing strategy of a committed group of Texans to restore the sovereignty of their Republic: Like the Baltic states did with respect to the Soviet Union, argue to the UN that Texas has been occupied by a foreign power.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Longtime libertarian journalist Bretigne Shaffer explains the de facto mandatory vaccinations now enforced for school children in California, and the concerned parents who are protesting the policy. She also discusses her fictional books that will appeal to libertarian readers.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Titus Gebel has a PhD in international law, and has written a book, Free Private Cities: Making Governments Compete For You. Bob discusses Titus’ proposal and how it differs from other types of abstract libertarian theorizing.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Dan Sanchez discusses his provocative article for FEE, in which he explained how Jordan Peterson’s message could help the Joker deal with the genuine suffering in his life without turning to destructive outlets. Although seemingly fanciful, the conversation touches on very weighty matters that are of the utmost relevance in today’s charged political climate.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Economic historian Mark Thornton has published several peer-reviewed articles on the economics of slavery in the American South. In this episode, he and Bob Murphy discuss the various ways in which government intervention propped up slavery and masked its inefficiency.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
In this whimsical episode, Bob Murphy tells stories about cashiers giving him too much change, as well as the recent time he had somehow convinced himself that the Fed was engaging in the opposite of what everybody was assuming, in the repo markets. He also explains what gave away the troll who wanted AOC to adopt “Eat the babies!” as her campaign slogan, and why the people comparing Trump to the Godfather are misquoting the movie.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Economist Richard Vedder discusses his new book Restoring the Promise: Higher Education in America, which diagnoses what’s wrong with higher education and how to fix it.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
In a 2006 journal article, “On Hayekian Triangles,” Walter Block and William Barnett list 14 separate objections to the popular device used (in various forms) by Hayek, Rothbard, and Roger Garrison to illustrate how artificially low interest rates lead to an unsustainable boom. Block concludes that the Hayekian triangle can be salvaged, while Barnett thinks it should be abandoned altogether.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Jeff Snider is Head of Global Research at Alhambra Investments. He talks with Bob about the recent spike in lending rates in the repo markets, and how the Fed’s attempted solution fails to address the real problem. He then relates the repo problem to the global monetary system, which has suffered from major imbalances going back to 2007 that have yet to be corrected.
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Bob Murphy asks a series of tough (but fair, he hopes) questions for conservatives, ranging from tariffs to impeachment to drug prohibition.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Economist Nicolas Cachanosky specializes in the overlap between capital theory in traditional economics and the capitalization of cash flows in finance. He explains the relevance of these concepts to understanding the business cycle. Then, Nicolas and Bob have a friendly disagreement over Mises’ views on fractional reserve banking. The conversation closes with Nicolas’ view on central banking policy since the financial crisis of 2008.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Online rock artist and music blogger Matthew Bankert walks Bob Murphy through his picks for the Top Ten Libertarian Rock Bands.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Bob analyses the 2014 film Transcendence, starring Johnny Depp and Morgan Freeman. Besides making his case that Depp’s character was in the right, Bob explores some of the economic and even religious elements of the film.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Julie Borowski (LibertyJunkies.com) has a very popular YouTube channel producing funny videos that teach free market economics and libertarian principles. She joins Bob Murphy to discuss her new children’s book, Nobody Knows How to Make a Pizza.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Bob Murphy asks a series of tough (but fair, he hopes) questions for progressives, ranging from abortion to the minimum wage to climate change.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Bob Murphy analyzes Dave Chappelle’s Netflix special, “Sticks & Stones.” Bob applauds one bit and criticizes another, but overall thinks Chappelle has done his duty as the court jester.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Marsha Familaro Enright founded the Council Oak Montessori School in Chicago, and is currently the President of “The Great Connections,” a gap-year program for students also located in Chicago. She has written on how education would work in a free society, and she warns that government voucher programs may backfire and ruin what independence private schools still retain.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Bob Murphy uses some samples from Dan Carlin’s amazing podcast, Hardcore History, to illustrate the flaws with state-provided military services. Bob concludes that minarchists have nothing to fear, and they should embrace the full vision of a voluntary society with no institutional coercion.
Mentioned in the episode: Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History series on World War 1. Audio excerpts in this episode came from Parts IV and V in the series.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Robert Anthony Peters is a professional actor as well as a promoter of liberty. His most recognizable film roles were appearances in The Pursuit of Happyness (with Will Smith) and Steve Jobs. His latest creation is the short film Tank Man.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Bob Murphy gives a quick explanation of the Mises-Hayek theory of the boom-bust cycle, and how Bob used it to forecast the financial crisis in 2008 a year ahead of time. He then explains the significance of an "inverted yield curve," and shows how the Austrians can understand its predictive power much better than Keynesians like Paul Krugman can.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Patrick Frey has more than two decades of experience as a Los Angeles prosecutor. Although he is an enthusiastic fan of Austro-libertarianism, Frey comes on the show to challenge Bob’s views on plea deals and AnCap society.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Bob Murphy explains a common rhetorical dodge that he’s encountered from both the progressive Left and the conservative Right. On the issue of slavery and reparations, the Left will argue that modern whites benefited from the institution. When someone like Murphy points out that slavery actually made the average white person poorer, the leftist may object that this isn’t about economics, but about privilege and social hierarchy. Likewise, when Bob pointed out that Tucker Carlson’s “economic nationalism” would hurt the national economy, right-wingers responded that they cared about culture, not just prices at Walmart.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Robby Soave, a writer at Reason, was the first journalist to shatter the original narrative about the Covington Catholic students caught in the infamous face-off with Native American Nathan Phillips. But Soave has also tried to correct the unfair coverage of Ilhan Omar.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
In a fitting act of reciprocity, Tom Woods has Bob Murphy on his show for episode 1307 (which originally ran in December 2018), much like Bob had Tom on his show for episode 1. Bob explains how he got into Austrian economics and libertarianism.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Hannah Cox is National Manager of the organization Conservatives Concerned About the Death Penalty. She is conservative/libertarian on standard policy issues, and is a strong advocate of the 2nd Amendment, but even so—perhaps surprisingly to some—she is also very alarmed with the State’s abuses in the criminal justice system.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Bob Murphy analyzes John Carpenter’s 1988 cult classic They Live, starring Roddy Piper. After making some general observations about the major thematic elements, Bob critiques the main character’s strategy for dealing with an alien takeover of the media and government.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Economist Patrick Newman relays his adventurous tale of deciphering Murray Rothbard’s handwritten manuscript on early American history. Needless to say, Rothbard’s take is not what you learned in school.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Bob Murphy explains some of the most important points in his new QJAE article on the fractional reserve banking debate. Bob shows why Mises thought any issuance of fiduciary media caused the boom-bust cycle, and he points out a major flaw in George Selgin’s defense of fractional reserve banking.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Ben Powell, head of the Free Market Institute at Texas Tech, discusses his newly-released book Socialism Sucks (co-authored with Robert Lawson). Powell and Lawson toured countries around the world to observe firsthand life under ACTUAL socialism—in places like North Korea and Venezuela—versus places that merely have large welfare states (like Sweden). They concluded that, well, socialism sucks.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Michel Accad practices cardiology and general internal medicine in San Francisco, and holds a part-time clinical faculty appointment at the University of California San Francisco. This episode continues the discussion that Bob had with Dr. Michel Accad back in Episode 43. There, Bob reviewed the development of concepts like “efficiency” and “market failure,” so that now he and Michel (in the current episode) could understand the pioneering 1963 article from Kenneth Arrow on healthcare economics. Specifically, Arrow outlines reasons that (in his mind) a free market in healthcare and health insurance won’t work very well.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Steve Patterson—host of “Patterson in Pursuit”—talks to Bob about one of his recent essays, in which Patterson challenges the standard Misesian/Rothbardian view of economics. Specifically, Patterson claims that you can’t get very far with pure a priori reasoning—even pretty basic economic laws rely on empirical assumptions.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Michel Accad practices cardiology and general internal medicine in San Francisco, and holds a part-time clinical faculty appointment at the University of California San Francisco. This episode reproduces a discussion Bob had on Michel’s podcast, where they discussed the development of “welfare economics” in mainstream theory, in preparation for their subsequent discussion of Kenneth Arrow’s famous paper critiquing free-market healthcare delivery.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Like the Matrix, you cannot be told about a three-hour conversation with Donnie Gebert; you must hear it for yourself. But here’s the blurb from his book, A Direct Republic: The Null Hypothesis of Politics:
All members of a direct republic sign… the constitution/social contract. This contract states you will not engage in murder, rape, theft, and basic crimes against humanity. Once signed, the individual becomes their own representative and places social contributions directly into the funding pools for the social projects they approve of.
NOTE: Bob Murphy erroneously describes Gebert as an “intelligence officer” in the introductory remarks, but in fact Gebert was a sergeant. The mistake was Murphy’s, not due to Gebert.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Bob Murphy has a friendly discussion and debate with Karl Smith. First, Bob pushes Karl to clarify the conditions under which government deficit spending could, even in theory, help a depressed economy. Then, they switch to the economics of climate change, and Bob’s view that the case for a carbon tax is much weaker than most economists admit.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Tucker Carlson gives unambiguous approval for Elizabeth Warren’s call for “economic nationalism,” saying her proposal sounds like “Trump at his best.” Carlson pillories American companies for outsourcing their operations to other countries, and blames Republican leadership for its dedication to doctrinaire libertarianism and Austrian economics. (Not a joke.) Bob disagrees with this take.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Bob talks with Stephan Kinsella about the basis of libertarian law, and how we could have justice without a coercive State. They then discuss Stephan’s pathbreaking work making the case that property must be in tangible things, rendering “intellectual property” an incoherent and dangerous concept.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Bob replays a recent Contra Krugman episode covering a Paul Krugman column on infrastructure spending. In addition to getting the economics wrong (as usual), Krugman also makes a shocking admission about his willingness to harm the country, as long as it denies Trump a political victory.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Keith Smith is an anesthesiologist who founded the Oklahoma Surgery Center and the Free Market Medical Association. He is a medical doctor, but also a student of economics. Bob and Keith discuss the recent FMMA conference in Dallas, and explain how patients and doctors right now can break out of our broken healthcare-insurance system.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Bob Murphy points out a common fallacy among even self-described anarcho-capitalists, when they blame a social problem on “too little government.” For example, in standard arguments over drug prohibition, sometimes libertarians will argue, “A drug dealer can’t call the cops if he gets robbed, so this leads to more violence in the industry.” Bob explains what’s wrong with this way of thinking.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Scott Horton returns to the podcast to share his wealth of knowledge on a variety of topics. Bob first gives Scott the opportunity to express his unhappiness with the recent episode on Ilhan Omar. Then, they discuss the economic crisis in Venezuela, the carnage in the Middle East, the Mueller Report, and finally answer questions from the BMS Secret Facebook Group.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Bob brings on special guest Avi Loeb, who is the Frank B. Baird Jr., Professor of Science and Chair of the Astronomy Department at Harvard University. Among other positions, Professor Loeb is founding Director of the Black Hole Initiative, and is thus ideally suited to explain the recent images of a massive black hole circulating on social media. Loeb also has been at the center of media discussion concerning the strange object in space named ‘Oumuamua, which has several properties that make Loeb hypothesize that it might not be a strictly natural phenomenon.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Bob goes solo to explain why the common practice of “offering a plea deal” is a horrible practice, which gives us little reason to trust that those convicted are actually guilty of the crimes to which they confess.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Bob brings on Mises Institute founder Lew Rockwell to primarily discuss Lew’s article in defense of Lori Loughlin (“Free Lori Loughlin and All Political Prisoners”). Why is the FBI involved in a college admission scandal in the first place? And why is Lori Loughlin’s behavior so much worse than all the other cheating that happens systematically? Bob and Lew then discuss the chilling role of the FBI in American life, as well as various methods by which the CIA takes care of business. Bob also asks Lew questions submitted in the Bob Murphy Show Facebook group.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Bob finishes his three-part series by first reviewing the contributions of Böhm-Bawerk, Fetter, and Mises to the modern Austrian explanation of interest, namely the “pure time preference theory” (PTPT). Then Bob explains some of the problems for the PTPT, especially for Austrian economists. Instead, Murphy offers a much more straightforward—and Austrian!—approach, which explains interest as the premium placed on present versus future units of money.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Bob brings on Robbie “The Fire” Bernstein, host of Run Your Mouth and junior host to Dave Smith on the popular libertarian podcast Part of the Problem. Bob and Robbie discuss the NYC stand-up comedy scene, and give a tutorial on jokes using some examples. Bob asks Robbie whether the mocking campaign against AOC might backfire, and then Robbie turns the tables by asking Bob about the coming economic crash.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Bob Murphy critiques an article by Conor Friedersdorf, in which Friedersdorf mocks the right-wing outrage over Rep. Ilhan Omar's 9/11 remarks as a tempest in a teapot. Why, if someone on the right made a similar slip of the tongue, Friedersdorf would expect the right-winger to be forgiven. This is of course ludicrous nonsense, as Bob explains.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Bob continues his series on capital and interest theory. In this episode he explains Böhm-Bawerk's solution to the problem of interest, namely that present goods are more valuable than future goods. Bob also explains Böhm-Bawerk's three separate causes for the higher valuation of present over future goods, including the notorious third cause, which is the higher physical productivity of more roundabout processes. Finally, Bob addresses the criticism of Böhm-Bawerk's theory coming from Keynes, Fisher, Frank Fetter, and Mises.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
In this re-broadcast of a recent Lara-Murphy Show episode, Bob Murphy and co-host Carlos Lara discuss the yield curve from an Austrian perspective. Carlos explains why a business owner who practices the Infinite Banking Concept (IBC) would want to retain ownership of the life insurance policy in his or her own name (rather than the company owning it). Their discussion is part of a series, which is tied to the upcoming seminar in Nashville, Tennessee, on May 10, 2019.
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Bob begins his three-part series devoted to Capital and Interest Theory in the tradition of the Austrian School. This is his area of expertise, and the focus of his doctoral dissertation. In this episode, Part 1, Bob explains Böhm-Bawerk's critique of the "naive productivity theory" of interest, and also reconciles it with the standard approach in modern economics models of equating the real rate of interest to the "marginal product of capital."
For more information, see BobMurphyShow.com. The Bob Murphy Show is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and via RSS.
Bob shares an interview he did on C. Jay Engel’s podcast, Austro-Libertarian, where they discussed Doug Henwood’s critique of MMT that ran in the socialist publication, Jacobin magazine. Henwood’s article was an excellent summary of the academic roots of MMT, and thus supplements the pragmatic discussions (from the perspective of Warren Mosler) that have recently been featured on The Bob Murphy Show.
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By popular demand, Bob explains some of his major disagreements with the views Warren Mosler expressed back in Episode 18 ("Warren Mosler Defends the Essential Insights of Modern Monetary Theory (MMT)"). At that time, Bob was just having a friendly discussion, not a debate; but, in this episode, Bob explains where he thinks Mosler went wrong.
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Austrian economist Peter Klein talks with Bob about his unusual (for a Rothbardian) career path, including his time working for the Council of Economic Advisors to Bill Clinton. They discuss Klein’s work on entrepreneurship, and how his views differ from those of Israel Kirzner.
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Liberty musician Jordan Page discusses the plight of Schaeffer Cox, an Alaska liberty activist and militia leader who is being held by the federal authorities in a high-security prison. There were many irregularities in the case, with the original verdict having been vacated and the case sent to a lower court for re-sentencing. Cox’s supporters argue that he was targeted for his political views.
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Bob goes solo to discuss a particular aspect of outrage mobs on social media, in which people intentionally spread misleading or outright false smears against their opponents. He covers the fate of Scott Alexander (who had to shut down a subreddit thread because of online harassment accusing him of supporting Nazis), Nick Sarwark’s latest (feigned) ignorance of Tom Woods’ views on prostitution, the hatchet job on Bob’s Wikipedia entry, the smears of Jordan Peterson, and—in the interest of fairness—some examples of overreach by “his side” too. Bob wraps up by explaining the harm of this behavior, and how comedians are the only ones left who can speak the truth.
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Nelson Nash is the developer of the Infinite Banking Concept (IBC), which uses properly designed whole life insurance policies as a cashflow management vehicle. Although Bob (along with Carlos Lara and David Stearns) has worked closely with Nelson over the years in building the Nelson Nash Institute, this interview focuses on some of Nelson’s charming stories about learning to fly and being mentored by FEE’s founder, Leonard Read. The conversation then turns to the pernicious role that commercial bankers have played in history, and how IBC allows individuals to secede from that evil system.
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In order to motivate his upcoming debate on the Contra Cruise against Tom Woods, Bob goes solo in describing his vision of a Rothbardian society. Without taking a stand on the morality involved, Bob simply explains as an economist why he predicts that the major companies and property owners in an anarcho-capitalist framework would quickly adopt policies that minimized violence, even against criminals.
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Bob brings on MMT superstar Warren Mosler to explain—not to debate!—his understanding of Modern Monetary Theory. After summarizing Mosler’s interesting background, the two discuss the assumptions behind MMT and its implications for economic policy.
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Alex Tabarrok is a professor of economics at George Mason University and co-author (with Tyler Cowen) of the very popular blog, Marginal Revolution. Bob and Alex cover a wide range of topics, including his early experience with Rothbardians, the brief window when economics blogs were the center of discussion, problems with the FDA, how a kidney market might work, and why Bitcoin is not as secure as some of its fans believe.
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Joe Salerno is Academic Vice President of the Mises Institute and one of the world’s leading economists in the Rothbardian tradition. He discusses his intellectual roots, as well as his scholarly work on money and banking. But Bob also asks Joe to recount some of his funny adventures with Murray Rothbard.
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David Gornoski is the creator of ANeighborsChoice.com, a media platform that tells the stories of victims of State violence and which provides healthy alternatives to a violence-based society. David hosts the Orlando-based “A Neighbor’s Choice” radio program on WFLA 93.1 FM and 540 AM. Much of his work is an application of René Girard’s mimetic theory.
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Bob gives the context for his children’s book, The Three Lads and the Lizard King. He covers a wide range of related issues, including Jim Carrey’s Illuminati “warning” (?), nonviolence, and the sovereignty of God.
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Standup comic and host of Part of the Problem Dave Smith joins Bob to talk about the theory and practice of comedy. They also discuss Dave’s discovery of Austrian economics, hypocritical leftists, the exasperating Tucker Carlson, and how the birth of his daughter led Dave to God.
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Gene Epstein, former Barron’s economics editor and founder of the Soho Forum, joins Bob for a lively discussion covering a variety of topics. Gene explains that his mother, a card-carrying member of the Communist Party, had an FBI file and was responsible for Gene’s original position as a democratic socialist. It was only through his reading of Murray Rothbard’s Man, Economy, and State that Gene became a free-market libertarian. Gene recounts his experiences teaching economics and working on the New York Stock Exchange, and shares examples of the abuse of economic statistics as detailed in his book Econospinning. Finally, Gene offers Bob some advice for his upcoming debate with Tom Woods.
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Bob provides an introductory framework on how to analyze the economics of immigration, as well as the politics involved in this controversial topic. The point isn't to pick sides, but to sharpen everyone's arguments. For example, make sure your arguments about immigration don't "prove" that having babies makes a country poorer.
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Bob explains what he means when he tells crowds, "Back in the fall of 2008, as the financial crisis hit, the Fed began paying backs to not make loans to their customers." Specifically, Bob explains the new Fed procedure of "paying interest on reserve balances." As of the Fed's December 2018 meeting, the Fed now pays the banks $40.8 billion on an annual basis—to not make loans to their customers.
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Norman Horn is the founder and president of the Libertarian Christian Institute. He and Bob have a provocative conversation that will enlighten both believers and skeptics alike. They critically analyze the tendency of American Christians to support war, in its domestic and foreign applications. Norman gives Bob the best, succinct analysis of Romans 13 he has ever encountered. Bob ends (playing devil's advocate) by challenging Norman to explain why the Church isn't just as exploitative as the State.
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David R. Henderson underwent a personal odyssey in his discovery of free-market economics. David tells Bob the story of his recruitment by Harold Demsetz, and how David ended up at UCLA during its glory days. The conversation turns to David's time on the Council of Economic Advisors to Ronald Reagan, as well as David's unusual position as a professor at the Naval Postgraduate School while he was a columnist for Antiwar.com.
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In 1931 Kurt Gödel published his now-famous "incompleteness theorems," which showed the limitations of axiomatic systems of mathematics. Specifically, Gödel showed: (1) there are true statements about numbers that humans will never be able to prove, and (2) a mathematical system that is internally consistent (i.e. doesn't generate contradictions) cannot prove its own consistency. These results have been widely cited not just in mathematics but also philosophy and computer science, as they completely revolutionized our understanding of knowledge itself. It this episode Bob gives an intuitive explanation of what Gödel precisely did and how he did it.
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Steve Landsburg went to Chicago to do his graduate work in mathematics but was intrigued by the economics taught by Milton Friedman, George Stigler, Gary Becker, and other luminaries. We discuss the essence of Chicago price theory, the time when Steve was picketed by campus feminists, how Steve can climb aerial silks like Batman (while Bob looked more like the Penguin), and puzzles from his new book.
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Antiwar hero and all-around genius Scott Horton joins Bob for a lengthy discussion covering the siege and massacre at Waco, the motivations and perverse logic of the U.S. government's interventions in the Middle East, and how Donald Trump staved off the establishment at the Republican convention and after the general election.
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Bob talks to Jeff Deist, president of the Mises Institute and former chief of staff to Ron Paul. In addition to discussing the prospects for liberty, Bob and Jeff talk about Jeff's past as a tax attorney, and the corrupting role of low interest rates. Jeff also reveals that Congress is a lot more boring than you think.
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In this episode, Bob tackles Tucker Carlson's intuitive—yet wrong—claim that Jeff Bezos is unloading his labor costs onto the taxpayer. If anything, food stamps and other government assistance programs cause Amazon to pay its workers higher wages.
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Bob brings on his other podcast co-host for a lengthy but lively discussion. They discuss Carlos' move from Mexico as a young boy, his story about JFK, his lawsuit against the Marines, his career as a workout consultant, his meeting Nelson Nash, his discovery of Austrian economics, and his PowerPoint presentation for bankers. Bob and Carlos end their discussion with the provocative topic: Who runs the world?
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In this inaugural episode, Bob hosts libertarian hero and legend Tom Woods. They discuss nerdiness in junior high, Tom's doctoral dissertation, his conversion to Catholicism, public speaking tips, and much more.
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