Review: A Medieval Black Comedy With No Monarch
The state is almost completely absent in 'The Decameron. The characters don't exactly handle this responsibility well.
History
Looking at Reagan Through the Lens of Trump
Max Boot's biography of Ronald Reagan is deeply researched and informative, but it sometimes stumbles when it tries to use the past to make sense of the present.
Mike Rowe on Patriotism, Paul Harvey, and American Progress
"We're never going to be finished. Our country is a work in progress," says the producer of the new Something to Stand For documentary.
Empires Thrive on Pluralism, Not Brutality
Empires with more room for cultural difference were more successful, anthropologist Thomas Barfield argues.
A Czech Clock's Forgotten Pasts
The Olomouc clock's changing design reflects history's victors and their legacies.
The Libertarian Pioneer Who Wrote for America's Biggest Black Newspaper
To Rose Wilder Lane, African Americans' achievements were all the more amazing given their disadvantaged starting point.
No, Trump-Style Tariffs Do Not Grow the Economy
The America of the past grew in spite of tariffs, not because of them.
We Still Live in the Physical World
The digital world has not effaced our humanity, no matter what social critics like Christine Rosen say.
The Fantastical Scenarios of Yuval Noah Harari: From the Roman Past to the AI Future
In his haste to cram complex events into crisp little episodes, the historian passes over inconvenient details.
How Inflation Breaks Our Brains
From salt riots to toilet paper runs, history shows that rising prices make consumers—and voters—grumpy and irrational.
When Leftists Were Free Traders
In Pax Economica, historian Marc-William Palen chronicles the left-wing history of free trade.
Review: A Satirical How-To Guide for Imperialists
Freedom "requires you to curtail freedom of speech and freedom of the press," the book declares.
When Attacks on Anarchists Accidentally Improved Free Speech Law
After the crackdown on anarchists died down, it became more difficult to imagine anyone could go to jail in America solely for political heresy.
The Republican Radical Who Helped Launch the Gay Rights Movement
Dorr Legg saw the government as homosexuals' enemy.
What Causes Capitalism?
British economist Geoffrey M. Hodgson argues private property and individual enterprise fueled the Great Enrichment.
Review: James Retells Huckleberry Finn From Jim's Perspective
Author Percival Everett reimagines Mark Twain's novel from the enslaved character's point of view.
'Heritage Americans' Were Unassimilated Immigrants Once Too
Ellis Island arrivals maintained close ties to the Old World for generations. Nativists want us to forget that.
Dan Carlin on Podcasting, History, and Hero Worship
"The past is there to teach us what can happen," the Hardcore History podcaster tells Reason's Nick Gillespie.
Review: Blowback Podcast Exhumes the Seeds of the Afghan Conflict
Hosts Noah Kulwin and Brendan James explain how proxy war fighters can become America's enemies.
Mike Rowe: Make America Stand for Something Again
The Dirty Jobs host talks about patriotism, history, and his new movie for Independence Day 2024.
The Best of Reason: What If the U.S. Cuts Off Aid to Israel?
Ending U.S. aid would give Washington less leverage in the Middle East. That's why it's worth doing.
A Brief, Biased History of the Culture Wars
Kliph Nesteroff's book Outrageous turns into a screed against conservatives.
Reflections on Juneteenth
Juneteenth celebrates a great American achievement, and a triumph for the nation's Founding principles. Also, the culture war over the holiday is lame, and hopefuly coming to an end.
The Dark Side of Alexander Hamilton
The first treasury secretary's plans would have created cartels that mainly benefited the wealthy at the expense of small competitors.
Review: Charles Fort's Underrated Influence
The eccentric writer cast a long shadow, leaving a mark not only on the world of Bigfoot hunters and UFO buffs but in literature and radical politics.
The Black Panther Who Was Banned From the Ballot
A segment of American voters want insurrectionist candidates. Who are election officials to deny them?
What If the U.S. Cuts Off Aid to Israel?
Ending U.S. aid would give Washington less leverage in the Middle East. That's why it's worth doing.
David Boaz, RIP
The longtime Cato Institute executive vice president was one of his era's most effective explainers of libertarianism.
'An Embarrassing Mistake': Neil Gorsuch Rails Into Florida's Use of 6-Person Juries
The Sixth Amendment was originally seen as vital to preserving liberty. Yet it has been consistently watered down.
The Great Black Pope and Asian Nazi Debacle of 2024
Exciting new AI tools are still being shaped by human beings.
Biden Spreads Misinformation About Trump Calling for a 'Unified Reich'
Where are the fact-checkers?
An American Gangster at 100: J. Edgar Hoover's Authoritarian Legacy
Hoover’s reign at the FBI compromised American civil liberties and turned the FBI into America's secret police.
The Best of Reason: The Future of AI Is Helping Us Discover the Past
Historical teaching and research are being revamped by AI.
The Future of AI Is Helping Us Discover the Past
Historical teaching and research are being revamped by AI.
Dungeons & Dragons at 50: You Can't Copyright Fun
How lax intellectual property rules created a nerd culture phenomenon
Nick Gillespie: Keep America's Borders Open
"We should be building a wall around the welfare state, not the United States," Nick Gillespie argued at a recent immigration debate.
Review: Here There Are Blueberries Investigates a Nazi Photo Album
"Where is the line between complacency, complicity, and culpability?” asks producer Matt Joslyn.
Does the Constitution Protect the Right To Get High?
Columbia law professor David Pozen recalls the controversy provoked by early anti-drug laws and the hope inspired by subsequent legal assaults on prohibition.
How To Be the President's Kid
From Alice Roosevelt to Hunter Biden, we've never been sure how to reconcile American democracy with American dynasties.
Why We Remember Columbine
Some crimes linger in public memory and some crimes fade away. The Columbine massacre didn't just stay with us—it created a script for future murders.
Another Day, Another Doomed Plan To Defund NPR
We've seen this saga so many times before.
Review: Fun Police Podcast Exposes the Nanny State
Don't trust the do-gooders campaigning against drinking, smoking, and gambling.
Review: An Anime Reboot About Japan's Transition From Feudalism
The protagonist's adversaries eventually embrace modernity.
