Todd Lewis (facetiously) defends the proposition that empires are justifiable and Keith Preston will oppose the proposition.
Tag Archives: Todd Lewis
Praise of Folly Podcast #39: Conversation with David Friedman on Defense 2
Todd is joined by David Friedman to discuss difficulties involved in Privatizing National Defense.
Contra the AltRight Part 2: Fake History or We Wuz VIKANGS! 1
Todd Lewis will be joined by Keith Preston and Anarcho Reign to discuss the altright’s of fake history.
Contra the AltRight Part 1: Altright or Old Left? Reply
Todd Lewis is joined by Keith Preston and Anarcho Reign to discuss why the Altright is actually left wing.
Can A Libertarian Society Provide National Defense? Reply
A former military officer weighs in.
By Zack Sorenson
Libertarian Institute
Arguing that libertarian society can offer defense “services”, Bob Murphy relies on the idea of insurance paying the costs of defense.
Arguing that a monopoly state should offer these services, Todd Lewis points out numerous historical examples in which government organized national defense is seemingly necessary.
I dislike this kind of discussion in general. My feeling is that there shouldn’t be such a thing as any kind of organized, politically driven, violence. The idea of private armies is as horrifying as the idea of a giant state army. However, this issue is obviously relevant, and worth addressing. I’m just going to address different issues in no particular order.
First, Todd Lewis mentions the Sengoku Jidai (“feudal” Japan), and also the Roman civil war between Marius and Sulla. He argues that these are examples of “private” defense, where mercenaries for hire end up fighting brutal wars that devastated each country. I don’t think he knows what he’s talking about.
Murphy 1, Shoguns 0 Reply
A specialist on Japanese military history weighs in on the Lewis-Murphy debate on private defense services.
Regarding my recent debate on the Tom Woods Show with Todd Lewis–regarding private defense–I got the following email (permission to reprint):
Dr. Murphy,
Following your recent debate with Todd Lewis I felt motivated to write the following based on my experience of living in Japan and studying its martial history for over 24 years.
Best regards,
—
Tim Haffner
==============================
Why Japan’s Sengoku period does not support monopoly security provision and actually makes the case for the private production of defense:
1. Feudal Japan was a peasant-based agrarian economy overseen by samurai landlords enforcing law and securing territory, ostensibly at least, on behalf of the emperor. Controlling land and the agriculture products yielded from the peasant farmers was essential to power. Taxation and trade were denominated in units of rice bushels. Modes of production, means of commerce, and centers of power have changed significantly since that time. One must be careful and selective when comparing pre-industrial revolution societies with modern theories of political-economy.
Problems with the Private Production of Defense Part 2: Mobilization 1
Todd is joined by Keith Preston and Will Mclean to discuss the problems of privatizing mobilization of armed forces.
Problems with the Private Production of Defense Part 1: Financing Reply
Todd Lewis joined by Logos to discuss the problems of financing problems of private defense.
Debate: Can the Free Market Provide National Defense? 5
This is a great discussion between Todd Lewis and Bob Murphy about the viability of non-state/private “national defense” services. I have an old essay about this topic here.
Economist Bob Murphy (Ph.D., NYU) and podcaster Todd Lewis square off in the central debate of anarcho-capitalism: is government truly necessary for national defense, or could the free market provide this service?
Praise of Folly Podcast #37: Analysis of the failure of Radical American political movements Reply
Todd Lewis and I analyze the failure the anarchist, libertarian and altright movements in the USA to achieve anything other than fringe marginal status.
Praise of Folly Podcast #37: October Revolution 100 Years in Review Reply
Todd Lewis is joined by Coach Red Pill and Keith Preston to discuss the October Revolution and its historical significance.
Praise of Folly Podcast Interview #12: Lierre Keith Reply
Todd Lewis interviews Lierre Keith on her reasons for leaving Veganism and BioRegionalism.
Veganism Refuted? Reply
Todd Lewis and guests say no to veganism.
I throw in some comments about 45 minutes into this discussion.
American Foreign Policy #5: The Interwar Period and WW2 Reply
Todd Lewis joined by Keith Preston to discuss US foreign policy during the interwar period and WW2.
Altright and ANTIFA showdown at Charlottesville and the Left’s Response Reply
Todd Lewis joined by Keith Preston and Musonius Rufus to discuss the Charlottesville riots, the altright and the left.
Round table Episode #4 Liberalism Reply
Todd Lewis is joined by Keith Preston (anarchist), Sean Gabb (classical liberal) and James Kalb (conservative) to discuss liberalism.
Round-table Episode #3: Economics Reply
Todd Lewis joined by Keith Preston (classical anarchism), Sean Gabb (classical liberalism), and Will Schnack (geo-mutualism) to discuss economics.
American Foreign Policy #2: Transition 1846-1865 Reply
Todd Lewis is joined by Keith Preston to discuss Part 2 of our series on US foreign policy spanning the Mexican War to the end of the Civil War.
American Foreign Policy #1: Beginnings 1760-1845 Reply
Todd Lewis and Keith Preston begin our series on US Foreign Policy.
American Foreign Policy #1: Beginnings 1760-1845 Reply
Todd and I will begin our series on US Foreign Policy.
Praise of Folly Podcast #32: State vs Anti- State Reply
Todd Lewis and I discuss the case for anarchism against the state.
Leftism vs. Traditionalism Reply
Anarcho-communist Brent Lengel and Christian conservative Todd Lewis demonstrate what civilized discourse between left and right actually looks like.
