Free Thoughts

Many Americans believe that foreign military intervention is central to protecting our domestic freedoms. But Christopher J. Coyne and Abigail R. Hall urge engaged citizens to think again. Overseas, our government takes actions in the name of defense that would not be permissible within national borders. Emboldened by the relative weakness of governance abroad, the U.S. government is able to experiment with a broader range of social controls.How do military contractors benefit greatly from U.S. militarism? What is “the boomerang effect”? What is the relationship between domestic citizens and political institutions in the time of increased militarization? What is the interventionist mindset? When did we develop our first SWAT team?Further Reading:Tyranny Comes Home: The Domestic Fate of U.S. Militarism, written by Christopher Coyne and Abigail HallLudwig von Mises on War and the Economy, written by Christopher Coyne and Anne Rathbone Bradley“Tyranny Comes Home” Book Panel, Mercatus CenterTyranny Surveillance S