Learning From Tokyo

America’s post-9/11 foreign policies have damaged its image abroad, and this is particularly true in Japan, the home of LewRockwell.com columnist Mike (in Tokyo) Rogers. In his new book Schizophrenic in Japan, Rogers, an American expatriate living in Tokyo, provides a unique perspective on the average Japanese person’s view of American imperialism. His collection of … Continue reading “Learning From Tokyo”

The Forgotten Spirit of the Magna Carta

In 1215, disgruntled English barons unwittingly won a great victory for Western liberty. After King John waged several unsuccessful, senseless wars, the barons, sick of financing wars in which they had no interest, temporarily ended John’s despotism by forcing him to sign the Magna Carta. Though the Great Charter mostly reflected selfish baronial interests, it … Continue reading “The Forgotten Spirit of the Magna Carta”

‘Manly’ Teddy and the Neocons

In his essay “War is the Health of the State,” Randolph Bourne criticizes war as an enterprise that increases the state’s control over its subjects. During times of peace, people think less about the state and more about living their everyday lives. However, when war starts, the people and the state become one, and the … Continue reading “‘Manly’ Teddy and the Neocons”

The Human Cost of Hegemony

Though recent American presidents have pursued a policy of global hegemony, the Bush administration has pursued world dominance with a vengeance. The administration’s National Security Strategy, for example, calls for preemptive wars against potential threats to American security and commits America to forcefully preventing other countries from attempting to match it militarily. Many Americans are … Continue reading “The Human Cost of Hegemony”