Government and Politics

Government—the institution that claims a legitimate monopoly on the use of force in a given region—seems to involve itself in almost every aspect of modern life. When we buy or sell something, we pay taxes to government. In whichever sector we happen to work, we must deal with government employment and workplace safety laws. We follow news about government elections and legislative proposals. And we talk about governments and their actions endlessly. Government, we are taught, is necessary for maintaining social order and providing for essential public goods including a common defense. In the Western tradition, much thought has been devoted to how best to limit the power of government, so that it serves the people rather than becomes their master. Independent Institute fellows have examined the benefits of limited government over an expansive one, including greater personal autonomy, a rising economic tide that lifts all boats, and more peace and harmony at home and abroad. They have also studied the threats to limited government, such as wars and economic depressions, and the trajectory of the growth of government.

Books

How to Run Wars

A Confidential Playbook for the National Security Elite
Christopher Coyne, Abigail R. Hall
Buy Now

The New American Anti-Semitism

The Left, the Right, and the Jews
Benjamin Ginsberg
Buy Now

The New Deal’s War on the Bill of Rights

The Untold Story of FDR’s Concentration Camps, Censorship, and Mass Surveillance
David Beito
Buy Now

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April 11, 2025 | News Article
President Trump’s protectionist policies are erratic, ill-defined, and incoherent.
Phillip W. Magness
April 11, 2025 | News Article
More delays and double standards for Los Angeles fire victims.
K. Lloyd Billingsley
April 10, 2025 | News Article
The Trump administration can bypass bureaucratic delays and roll back costly...
Ross Marchand
April 10, 2025 | News Article
Illinois court shows need to lay the issue to rest.
Stephen P. Halbrook
April 8, 2025 | News Article
The third time isn’t the charm.
Stephen P. Halbrook
April 8, 2025 | News Article
A weird view of capitalism
Kenneth W. Costello
April 8, 2025 | News Article
Instead of focusing on improving their products, entrepreneurs use their creative energies to reduce...
Abigail R. Hall
April 8, 2025 | News Article
Security forces continue pattern of abductions and secret detentions with little global scrutiny
Alvaro Vargas Llosa
April 7, 2025 | News Article
President Donald Trump’s new tariff campaign, imposing heavy taxes on imports...
William F. Shughart II
April 6, 2025 | News Article
By March 24, Los Angeles had issued only four rebuilding permits for fire victims.
K. Lloyd Billingsley