Freedom and Democracy

Prof. Pavel Yakovlev talks about freedom and democracy:

Glenn Greenwald Speaks

Glenn Greenwald addresses the 2014 Young Americans for Liberty National Convention:

H/T: The Daily Paul

Wyndham at 151

151 years ago today, George Wyndham – the “die-hard” Commons opposition leader to Parliament Act 1911 – was born.

To quote:

When [the Prime Minister] came to this point in his speech yesterday he was kind enough to say that he did not challenge the sincerity of those who believe—as we do sincerely believe—that this measure will erect a despotic Single Chamber rule, and becoming more and more impressive in his manner he wound up that portion of his speech by saying that this was the most unsubstantial nightmare that had ever affected the imagination. As his manner became more and more impressive so did the matter which he was unfolding become less and less convincing.

Goethe at 265

265 years ago today, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was born.

This year marks the 225^th anniversary of the entry into force of the U.S. Constitution and the outbreak of the French Revolution. It also marks the bicentennial of the Norwegian Constitution. And not least the centenary of the outbreak of the war that was to be known as the war to make the world safe for democracy.

On this occasion we have a fitting quote:

Legislators and revolutionaries who promise equality and liberty at the same time are either psychopaths or mountebanks.

And another fitting one:

None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free.

Stossel on the Thought Police

Rights Declared

225 years ago today, the National Constituent Assembly adopted the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen.

Monckton and Stossel on Climate Change

A Prince of France

A baker's dozen score years ago today, the future Louis XVI was born.

Vive le Roi de la France!

Police State USA

Cheryl K. Chumley has recently written Police State USA: How Orwell's Nightmare is Becoming our Reality.

Ms. Chumley is interview by Mike Huckabee:

More related videos:

H/T (videos): The Daily Paul (and here)

Stossel: Equality vs. Liberty

Popeye and the Taxman

In Popeye, Popeye – with Robin Williams in the role – handles the taxman:

H/T: Scott Lazarowitz, The LRC Blog

Peter Schiff on the Madness

Franz Josef 184

Four squared years short of two centuries ago today, Archduke Franz Josef was born.

Gott erhalte und beschütze den Kaiser!

Archduke Charles

127 years ago today, Archduke Charles of Austria – later Emperor-King – was born.

Gott erhalte und beschütze den Kaiser!

National Day in Liechtenstein

Happy National Day!

Today is also the tenth anniversary of Hereditary Prince Alois as permanent regent.

Hoch leb' der Fürst vom Land!

The Convention of Moss

Two hundred years ago today, the Convention of Moss was signed. Two centuries have passed without war between any Nordic countries.

Snowden Interview

Rogers on the Money Madness

Virginia Burgesses

Half a decade short of four centuries ago today (July 30 in the Julian Calendar), the first elected legislature in America – the Virginia House of Burgesses – convened. In this year of 225 years since the outbreak of the French Revolution and the entry into force of the U.S. Constitution.

On a personal note, BTW, every time I do such a foolish thing as to taste an M&M, or any other form of chocolate for that matter, I spit it out.

Nagasaki at 69

69 years ago today...

The war to make the world safe for democracy on steroids...


Elsewhere: The LRC Blog


Previously: Hiroshima at 69, Nagasaki Bombed

FreedomFest 2014

The Las Vegas 2014 FreedomFest took place over a few days in the first half of July. Here are some videos from the event:

More FreedomFest videos from 2014 – and 2013.

The Great War a Crusade?

Over at The American Conservative, Richard Gamble reviews Philip Jenkins' The Great and Holy War: How World War I Became a Religious Crusade.

Vienna against St. Petersburg

Two years short of a century ago today, following the first day of battle, the Austro-Hungarian Empire declared war on the Russian Empire.

The successor to the Western Roman Empire and the successor to the Eastern Roman Empire were at full war with each other.

The old order was at each other at gunpoint. To paraphrase, Sir Edward Grey, the lights were indeed going out.

Hiroshima at 69

A year short of seven decades ago today...

Over at LewRockwell.com, Dr. Gary G. Kohls laments the dropping of the bombs.

War Loose in Europe

A century ago today, the first battle of the Great War began.

Over at Taki's Magazine, says Theodore Dalrymple:

For myself, I believe that the assassination was disastrous in effect and furthermore a wicked act. Franz Ferdinand was not a bad man, if not always an attractive one, and his dying words to his dying wife—“Sophie dear, don’t die, stay alive for the sake of our children”—still have the power to move, as has his insistence that his wound was nothing. A man may be tender in his personal relations and stoical in the face of suffering, and yet be a monster politically, but Franz Ferdinand was no political monster.

Writes The Guardian:

The Royal Armouries has verified that silk has bullet-stopping capabilities – but Archduke Franz Ferdinand forgot to wear his the day he was assassinated.

Elsewhere on the war: The Mad Monarchist, Ad Orientem (more)

Empires at War

100 years ago today, the bête noire of this weblog proclaimed neutrality in the Great War.

Also on the same day, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland declared war. Sir Edward Grey had given a speech in the House of Commons about the lamps the night before:

The lamps are going out all over Europe, we shall not see them lit again in our life-time.

It was only a week after Bad Ischl.

Abolition of Feudalism

225 years ago today, the National Constituent Assembly moved to abolish feudalism.

Franco-German Conflict

A century ago today, Imperial Germany and the Third French Republic declared war on each other.

Faber on the Money Madness

Randoms of the Summer

Writes Dr. Gary North over at his website:

It wound up with a military dictator, Oliver Cromwell: 1649-1659. He was replaced by a new king in 1660. But the Parliament continued to centralize its power, and the Glorious Revolution of 1688 and 1689 stripped much of the power of the King, but it did not reduce government power; it simply transferred it to Parliament. Parliament adopted a theory of parliamentary sovereignty second to none in the history of tyranny. It claimed, and it still claims, that it has final sovereignty over all aspects of British life. There was no written constitution to restrain it. There was only the common law to restrain it. That was something important, but the centralization continued. It continues today.

The Mad Monarchist is probably the most prolific for the pan-monarchist cause in the blogosphere. He has published his thoughts on his future as a blogger and has announced a strike. Let's hope he does in some way continue his great contribution in near future.

The Mad Monarchist writes:

It is true that, ultimately, considering what are known as alternate histories is a waste of time. We can never know for sure what would have happened, what might have been or how this or that would have worked out. However, if kept in its proper place, such speculation can be of at least some benefit. As well as providing some creative exercise that might generate valuable ideas, I also have found it a good tool for bringing people to an understanding of free will, that the way the world is today did not just happen inexorably but was the result of past decisions. If different decisions had been made, we would be living in a different sort of world. Actions have consequences and this is a point that can be brought home by considering alternate possibilities.

[...]

As we recently saw the annual celebration of America’s Declaration of Independence, it may be worthwhile or at least entertaining to consider what might have happened if such a declaration had never been made. Likewise, if it had, what might have happened if Britain had won the war and the American colonies remained in the British Empire?

First of all, despite the way most people make it sound, America would not be some sort of oppressed, downtrodden land of miserable tyranny. Under the British Crown the American colonies already had a higher standard of living and more individual freedom than most people in the world. King George III was no tyrant, he did not get his way all the time and he never refused Royal Assent to any acts of Parliament.

In an earlier post he writes:

Today Americans celebrate Independence Day but, of course, as is usual with such cases, the ideas that are celebrated are more myth than reality.

And back in mid-June he wrote:

Based on what I have seen, this usually comes down to the idea that, since libertarians think anyone should have the freedom to do whatever they want, it is absurd to say they do not have the right to choose their head of state. I must confess, that sort of “logic” never made sense to me. I thought libertarianism was about having the right to make decisions for yourself, not for other people. That is what democracy is all about; 51% of the herd making decisions for the other 49%.

[...]

The closest the world ever came to a privatized society was in the monarchial Middle Ages and while it is, in theory, at least possible that a more libertarian society could come about in a monarchy, it is impossible to believe that a democracy could ever be libertarian when everyone is always just one vote away from having it all come crashing down.

Asks Mr. Theodore Harvey over at his weblog Royal World:

[I]f the Regicide of 1793, undeniably one of the most horrible acts in History, was truly a "point of no return," how was it that France had various monarchies for two thirds of the following century?

Royal World also brings some thoughts on monarchism.

Tea at Trianon has a note on the French court and the American rebels.

Ad Orientem has an old quote from Gerald Warner.

Franz Josef 184 this Month

Later this month the 184^th birthday of HLIRM Emperor-King Franz Josef I will be celebrated. The celebration is annual.

There is the celebration in Bad Ischl August 11 through 18. L'Associazione Culturale Mitteleuropa is not celebrating its festival but still organizing a ceremony at a cemetery August 22.

From last year's event in Bad Ischl:

Kaiserfest is a tradition also in other towns of the Habsburg lands. Amongst the towns that have been having such festivals are Görz, Millstatt, and Maria Wörth.

Melville

Five years short of a couple of centuries ago today, Herman Melville was born.

In this year of the 225^th anniversary of the outbreak of the French Revolution – and bicentennial of the Norwegian Constitution – we remember: In Mardi: And A Voyage Thither Melville wrote:

Better be secure under one king, than exposed to violence from twenty millions of monarchs, though oneself be one of them.

August 1914

A century ago today, the Great War broke out in Europe.