Lew Rockwell
Encyclopedia
Llewellyn Harrison "Lew" Rockwell, Jr. (born July 1, 1944) is an American
libertarian
political commentator, activist, proponent of the Austrian School
of economics, and chairman of the Ludwig von Mises Institute
.
, Massachusetts in 1944. His father was a "Taft Republican
", and Rockwell was exposed at a young age to military non-interventionism
. He was introduced to the laissez faire thought of the French Liberal
and Austrian
schools of economics when he received Henry Hazlitt
's Economics in One Lesson
as a gift from a family friend on his twelfth birthday. Later in his youth, Rockwell describes feeling alienated from mainstream conservatism,
from Tufts University
, and he went to work for Neil McCaffrey's Arlington House publishing company which had been founded in 1965. At Arlington House, Rockwell worked as an editor on books by authors including Bill Rickenbacker, Harry Browne
, George Roche
, and Henry Hazlitt. It was at Arlington House that Rockwell became acquainted with the works of Ludwig von Mises.
By the time that Arlington House was disbanded in the mid-1970s, Rockwell had gone to work at Hillsdale College
. George Roche, whom Rockwell met while at Arlington House, had become president of the college in 1971. In his time at Hillsdale College, Rockwell started the Hillsdale College Press, founded the school's monthly publication, Imprimis
, and worked in fundraising and public relations. Gary North praises Rockwell for successfully borrowing Leonard Read
's methods in creating Imprimis:
Rockwell met Murray Rothbard
for the first time in 1975, while working for Hillsdale. Rockwell credits Rothbard with convincing him to wholly reject statism
:
's congressional chief of staff from 1978 to 1982. He has maintained a working relationship with Paul over the years, as a contributing editor to "The Ron Paul Investment Letter"; as a consultant to Paul's 1988 Libertarian Party
campaign for President of the United States
; and as vice-chair of the exploratory committee
for Paul's spirited run for the 1992 Republican Party nomination for president.
In early 2008, libertarian publication Reason
published a story discussing several racially charged articles that appeared in the Ron Paul newsletter. The Reason piece asserted that "a half-dozen longtime libertarian activists—including some still close to Paul" had identified Rockwell as the "chief ghostwriter" of the Ron Paul newsletters published from "roughly 1989 to 1994." According to Reason, Rockwell has denied responsibility for the disputed material and has called the accusations "hysterical smears aimed at political enemies."
in Auburn, Alabama
and was its president until the summer of 2009, when he transitioned to the position of Chairman of the Board. He also is Vice President of the Center for Libertarian Studies
in Burlingame, California
and publisher of the political weblog LewRockwell.com
. Rockwell was closely associated with his teacher and colleague Murray Rothbard
until Rothbard's death in 1995. Rockwell's political ideology, like Rothbard's in his later years, combines a form of anarcho-capitalism
with cultural conservatism
and the Austrian School
of economics. He also advocates federalist
concepts as a means of promoting freedom from central government, and also advocates secession for the same political decentralist
reasons. Rockwell has called environmentalism
"[a]n ideology as pitiless and Messianic as Marxism
."
The Mises Institute published Rockwell's Speaking of Liberty, an anthology of editorials which were originally published on his website, along with transcripts from some of his speaking engagements. Rockwell and the Ludwig von Mises Institute
together publish the Journal of Libertarian Studies
.
, wrote in 1999 that Rockwell was one of the most influential proponents of the paleoconservative faction of "right-wing libertarianism."
features a selection of articles, including positions opposing war and imperialism
along with occasional articles criticizing the presidency of Abraham Lincoln
. The site also carries essays which argue against the participation of the United States in the Second World War, speculation about an end of the United States as a cohesive union and assertions the Western world is threatened by an intersection of fascism
and socialism alike as politicians and states centralize their power. These writings are sometimes controversial and have brought harsh criticism from some on the political right.
His web site also provides podcasts featuring Rockwell's interviews of various scholars and writers, including many affiliated with the Mises Institute.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
libertarian
Libertarianism
Libertarianism, in the strictest sense, is the political philosophy that holds individual liberty as the basic moral principle of society. In the broadest sense, it is any political philosophy which approximates this view...
political commentator, activist, proponent of the Austrian School
Austrian School
The Austrian School of economics is a heterodox school of economic thought. It advocates methodological individualism in interpreting economic developments , the theory that money is non-neutral, the theory that the capital structure of economies consists of heterogeneous goods that have...
of economics, and chairman of the Ludwig von Mises Institute
Ludwig von Mises Institute
The Ludwig von Mises Institute , based in Auburn, Alabama, is a libertarian academic organization engaged in research and scholarship in the fields of economics, philosophy and political economy. Its scholarship is inspired by the work of Austrian School economist Ludwig von Mises...
.
Life and work
Rockwell was born in BostonBoston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, Massachusetts in 1944. His father was a "Taft Republican
Robert Taft
Robert Alphonso Taft , of the Taft political family of Cincinnati, was a Republican United States Senator and a prominent conservative statesman...
", and Rockwell was exposed at a young age to military non-interventionism
Non-interventionism
Nonintervention or non-interventionism is a foreign policy which holds that political rulers should avoid alliances with other nations, but still retain diplomacy, and avoid all wars not related to direct self-defense...
. He was introduced to the laissez faire thought of the French Liberal
French Liberal School
The French Liberal School is a 19th century school of economic thought, that was centered around the Collège de France and the Institut de France. The Journal des Économistes was essential in promulgating the ideas of the School...
and Austrian
Austrian School
The Austrian School of economics is a heterodox school of economic thought. It advocates methodological individualism in interpreting economic developments , the theory that money is non-neutral, the theory that the capital structure of economies consists of heterogeneous goods that have...
schools of economics when he received Henry Hazlitt
Henry Hazlitt
Henry Stuart Hazlitt was an American economist, philosopher, literary critic and journalist for such publications as The Wall Street Journal, The Nation, The American Mercury, Newsweek, and The New York Times...
's Economics in One Lesson
Economics in One Lesson
Economics in One Lesson is an introduction to free market economics written by Henry Hazlitt and published in 1946, based on Frédéric Bastiat's essay .The "One Lesson" is stated in Part One of the book:...
as a gift from a family friend on his twelfth birthday. Later in his youth, Rockwell describes feeling alienated from mainstream conservatism,
"Over time, I became aware that I was not only dissenting from the left but also from the conservative establishment, which was embroiled in the Cold War as a first principle. I grew increasingly skeptical of the official right, especially during the war on Vietnam.... I had been a reluctant Goldwaterite in 1964, but by 1968 I worked briefly for Gene McCarthy."
Early career in publishing
Rockwell earned a degree in EnglishEnglish studies
English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language , English linguistics English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language (including literatures from the U.K., U.S.,...
from Tufts University
Tufts University
Tufts University is a private research university located in Medford/Somerville, near Boston, Massachusetts. It is organized into ten schools, including two undergraduate programs and eight graduate divisions, on four campuses in Massachusetts and on the eastern border of France...
, and he went to work for Neil McCaffrey's Arlington House publishing company which had been founded in 1965. At Arlington House, Rockwell worked as an editor on books by authors including Bill Rickenbacker, Harry Browne
Harry Browne
Harry Browne was an American libertarian writer, politician, and free-market investment analyst. He ran for President of the United States as the nominee of the Libertarian Party in 1996 and 2000....
, George Roche
George Roche III
George Charles Roche III was the 11th president of Hillsdale College, serving from 1971 to 1999. Although Roche led Hillsdale out of a near financial collapse and raised the college to national prominence, his contributions are often overshadowed by a scandal surrounding an alleged affair between...
, and Henry Hazlitt. It was at Arlington House that Rockwell became acquainted with the works of Ludwig von Mises.
By the time that Arlington House was disbanded in the mid-1970s, Rockwell had gone to work at Hillsdale College
Hillsdale College
Hillsdale College in Hillsdale, Michigan, United States, is a co-educational liberal arts college known for being the first American college to prohibit in its charter all discrimination based on race, religion, or sex; its refusal of government funding; and its monthly publication, Imprimis...
. George Roche, whom Rockwell met while at Arlington House, had become president of the college in 1971. In his time at Hillsdale College, Rockwell started the Hillsdale College Press, founded the school's monthly publication, Imprimis
Imprimis
Imprimis is the monthly speech digest of Hillsdale College, described by Salon.com as "the most influential conservative publication you've never heard of" and by Rush Limbaugh as "one of the best and most important publications that I read."-History:Imprimis was founded in 1972 by Clark Durant...
, and worked in fundraising and public relations. Gary North praises Rockwell for successfully borrowing Leonard Read
Leonard Read
Leonard E. Read was an American economist and the founder of the Foundation for Economic Education, which was the first modern free market think tank in the United States....
's methods in creating Imprimis:
"He applied Read's strategy when he launched Imprimis for Hillsdale College. The president of Hillsdale, George Roche, had worked for Read until he became president at Hillsdale in 1971. (I replaced Roche at FEEFoundation for Economic EducationThe Foundation for Economic Education is one of the oldest free-market organizations established in the United States to study and advance the freedom philosophy. Murray Rothbard recognizes FEE for creating a "crucial open center" that he credits with launching the movement...
.) He wanted The Freeman for Hillsdale, but of course could not get it. So, he hired Rockwell to start Imprimis. Hillsdale gives the newsletter away. As with The Freeman, the letter is based on ideas, not appeals for donations. This became the most financially successful fund-raising newsletter in history, raising several hundred million dollars for Hillsdale. It now has over 1.7 million subscribers. It is the college's lifeline."
Rockwell met Murray Rothbard
Murray Rothbard
Murray Newton Rothbard was an American author and economist of the Austrian School who helped define capitalist libertarianism and popularized a form of free-market anarchism he termed "anarcho-capitalism." Rothbard wrote over twenty books and is considered a centrally important figure in the...
for the first time in 1975, while working for Hillsdale. Rockwell credits Rothbard with convincing him to wholly reject statism
Statism
Statism is a term usually describing a political philosophy, whether of the right or the left, that emphasises the role of the state in politics or supports the use of the state to achieve economic, military or social goals...
:
"It was clear to me at the time that Murray Rothbard was Mises's successor, and I followed his writings carefully. I first met him in 1975, and knew immediately that he was a kindred spirit.... I cannot remember the day that I finally came around to the position that the state is unnecessary and destructive by its nature – that it cannot improve on, and indeed only destroys, the social and economic system that grows out of property rights, exchange, and natural social authority – but I do know that it was Rothbard who finally convinced me to take this last step."
Working for Ron Paul
Rockwell served as Ron PaulRon Paul
Ronald Ernest "Ron" Paul is an American physician, author and United States Congressman who is seeking to be the Republican Party candidate in the 2012 presidential election. Paul represents Texas's 14th congressional district, which covers an area south and southwest of Houston that includes...
's congressional chief of staff from 1978 to 1982. He has maintained a working relationship with Paul over the years, as a contributing editor to "The Ron Paul Investment Letter"; as a consultant to Paul's 1988 Libertarian Party
Libertarian Party (United States)
The Libertarian Party is the third largest and fastest growing political party in the United States. The political platform of the Libertarian Party reflects its brand of libertarianism, favoring minimally regulated, laissez-faire markets, strong civil liberties, minimally regulated migration...
campaign for President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
; and as vice-chair of the exploratory committee
Exploratory Committee
In the election politics of the United States, an exploratory committee is an organization established to help determine whether a potential candidate should run for an elected office. They are most often cited in reference to United States Presidential hopefuls, prior to the primaries.Exploratory...
for Paul's spirited run for the 1992 Republican Party nomination for president.
In early 2008, libertarian publication Reason
Reason (magazine)
Reason is a libertarian monthly magazine published by the Reason Foundation. The magazine has a circulation of around 60,000 and was named one of the 50 best magazines in 2003 and 2004 by the Chicago Tribune.- History :...
published a story discussing several racially charged articles that appeared in the Ron Paul newsletter. The Reason piece asserted that "a half-dozen longtime libertarian activists—including some still close to Paul" had identified Rockwell as the "chief ghostwriter" of the Ron Paul newsletters published from "roughly 1989 to 1994." According to Reason, Rockwell has denied responsibility for the disputed material and has called the accusations "hysterical smears aimed at political enemies."
Ludwig von Mises Institute
In 1982, Rockwell founded the Ludwig von Mises InstituteLudwig von Mises Institute
The Ludwig von Mises Institute , based in Auburn, Alabama, is a libertarian academic organization engaged in research and scholarship in the fields of economics, philosophy and political economy. Its scholarship is inspired by the work of Austrian School economist Ludwig von Mises...
in Auburn, Alabama
Auburn, Alabama
Auburn is a city in Lee County, Alabama, United States. It is the largest city in eastern Alabama with a 2010 population of 53,380. It is a principal city of the Auburn-Opelika Metropolitan Area...
and was its president until the summer of 2009, when he transitioned to the position of Chairman of the Board. He also is Vice President of the Center for Libertarian Studies
Center for Libertarian Studies
The Center for Libertarian Studies was a libertarian and anarcho-capitalist oriented educational organization founded in 1976 by Murray Rothbard and Burton Blumert, which grew out of the Libertarian Scholars Conferences...
in Burlingame, California
Burlingame, California
Burlingame is a city in San Mateo County, California. It is located on the San Francisco Peninsula and has a significant shoreline on San Francisco Bay. The city is named after diplomat Anson Burlingame. It is renowned for its many surviving examples of Victorian architecture, its affluence, and...
and publisher of the political weblog LewRockwell.com
LewRockwell.com
LewRockwell.com is a 501 libertarian web magazine operated by Burton Blumert , Lew Rockwell , Eric Garris , and others associated with the Center for Libertarian Studies ; its motto is "anti-state, anti-war, pro-market"...
. Rockwell was closely associated with his teacher and colleague Murray Rothbard
Murray Rothbard
Murray Newton Rothbard was an American author and economist of the Austrian School who helped define capitalist libertarianism and popularized a form of free-market anarchism he termed "anarcho-capitalism." Rothbard wrote over twenty books and is considered a centrally important figure in the...
until Rothbard's death in 1995. Rockwell's political ideology, like Rothbard's in his later years, combines a form of anarcho-capitalism
Anarcho-capitalism
Anarcho-capitalism is a libertarian and individualist anarchist political philosophy that advocates the elimination of the state in favour of individual sovereignty in a free market...
with cultural conservatism
Cultural conservatism
Cultural conservatism is described as the preservation of the heritage of one nation, or of a shared culture that is not defined by national boundaries. Other variants of cultural conservatism are concerned with culture attached to a given language such as Arabic.The shared culture may be as...
and the Austrian School
Austrian School
The Austrian School of economics is a heterodox school of economic thought. It advocates methodological individualism in interpreting economic developments , the theory that money is non-neutral, the theory that the capital structure of economies consists of heterogeneous goods that have...
of economics. He also advocates federalist
Federalist
The term federalist describes several political beliefs around the world. Also, it may refer to the concept of federalism or the type of government called a federation...
concepts as a means of promoting freedom from central government, and also advocates secession for the same political decentralist
Decentralization
__FORCETOC__Decentralization or decentralisation is the process of dispersing decision-making governance closer to the people and/or citizens. It includes the dispersal of administration or governance in sectors or areas like engineering, management science, political science, political economy,...
reasons. Rockwell has called environmentalism
Environmentalism
Environmentalism is a broad philosophy, ideology and social movement regarding concerns for environmental conservation and improvement of the health of the environment, particularly as the measure for this health seeks to incorporate the concerns of non-human elements...
"[a]n ideology as pitiless and Messianic as Marxism
Marxism
Marxism is an economic and sociopolitical worldview and method of socioeconomic inquiry that centers upon a materialist interpretation of history, a dialectical view of social change, and an analysis and critique of the development of capitalism. Marxism was pioneered in the early to mid 19th...
."
The Mises Institute published Rockwell's Speaking of Liberty, an anthology of editorials which were originally published on his website, along with transcripts from some of his speaking engagements. Rockwell and the Ludwig von Mises Institute
Ludwig von Mises Institute
The Ludwig von Mises Institute , based in Auburn, Alabama, is a libertarian academic organization engaged in research and scholarship in the fields of economics, philosophy and political economy. Its scholarship is inspired by the work of Austrian School economist Ludwig von Mises...
together publish the Journal of Libertarian Studies
Journal of Libertarian Studies
The Journal of Libertarian Studies is a scholarly journal published annually by the Ludwig von Mises Institute and Lew Rockwell. It was established in the spring of 1977 by Murray Rothbard who also served as its editor until his death in 1995...
.
Paleolibertarianism
In 1985, he was named a contributing editor to Conservative Digest. During the 1990s Rothbard, Rockwell and others described their views as paleolibertarian, but Rockwell no longer uses the term to describe his ideas. Jean Hardisty, founder of Political Research AssociatesPolitical Research Associates
Political Research Associates , named and known on the Web as PublicEye.org, is a non-profit research group located in Somerville, Massachusetts.-Mission:...
, wrote in 1999 that Rockwell was one of the most influential proponents of the paleoconservative faction of "right-wing libertarianism."
LewRockwell.com
Lew Rockwell's web siteLewRockwell.com
LewRockwell.com is a 501 libertarian web magazine operated by Burton Blumert , Lew Rockwell , Eric Garris , and others associated with the Center for Libertarian Studies ; its motto is "anti-state, anti-war, pro-market"...
features a selection of articles, including positions opposing war and imperialism
Imperialism
Imperialism, as defined by Dictionary of Human Geography, is "the creation and/or maintenance of an unequal economic, cultural, and territorial relationships, usually between states and often in the form of an empire, based on domination and subordination." The imperialism of the last 500 years,...
along with occasional articles criticizing the presidency of Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
. The site also carries essays which argue against the participation of the United States in the Second World War, speculation about an end of the United States as a cohesive union and assertions the Western world is threatened by an intersection of fascism
Fascism
Fascism is a radical authoritarian nationalist political ideology. Fascists seek to rejuvenate their nation based on commitment to the national community as an organic entity, in which individuals are bound together in national identity by suprapersonal connections of ancestry, culture, and blood...
and socialism alike as politicians and states centralize their power. These writings are sometimes controversial and have brought harsh criticism from some on the political right.
His web site also provides podcasts featuring Rockwell's interviews of various scholars and writers, including many affiliated with the Mises Institute.
Author
- Speaking of Liberty (2003; online e-book) ISBN 0-945466-38-2
- The Left, The Right, and The State (2008; online e-book) ISBN 978-1-933550-20-6
Editor
- Man, Economy, and Liberty: Essays in Honor of Murray N. Rothbard (with Walter BlockWalter BlockWalter Edward Block is a free market economist and anarcho-capitalist associated with the Austrian School of economics.-Personal history and education:...
) (1986; online e-book) ISBN 99911-786-2-7 - The Free Market Reader (1988; online e-book)ISBN 0-945466-02-1
- The Economics of Liberty (1990; online e-book) ISBN 0-945466-08-0
- The Gold Standard: Perspectives in the Austrian School (1992; online e-book), ISBN 0-945466-11-0
- Murray N. Rothbard: In Memoriam (1995; online e-book) ISBN 0-945466-19-6
- The Irrepressible Rothbard (2000; online e-book - Rockwell's introduction) ISBN 1-883959-02-0
External links
- LewRockwell.com
- "My Speech at the Antiwar Rally," LewRockwell.com, 25 September 2005
- "My Visit to DC: An Interview with Lew Rockwell." Mises.org Podcast. 9 December 2005.
- Lew Rockwell's Articles: at LewRockwell.com, The Free Market & more here, and WorldNetDaily.