The Sword of the State is the Enemy of Liberty Everywhere
At the New Hampshire Institute of Libertarian Sciences, our study of political theory extends beyond domestic policy to its most deadly manifestation: foreign policy. The seminar "Empire and Its Discontents" is a rigorous, evidence-based critique of the interventionist foreign policy pursued by virtually all modern states, particularly the United States. Guided by the non-aggression principle, which knows no national borders, we analyze how military alliances, foreign aid, sanctions, covert operations, and outright warfare are not only moral catastrophes for their victims but also the primary engine for the expansion of state power at home. The course dismantles the justifications for intervention—from spreading democracy to fighting terrorism—and exposes the consistent, predictable failures that result.
The Theoretical Case for Non-Interventionism and Free Trade
The seminar begins by establishing the positive libertarian vision for international relations: a world of peaceful, voluntary exchange between individuals across political boundaries. We draw from the classical liberal tradition of Richard Cobden and John Bright, who argued that free trade was the great civilizer and peacemaker. From a libertarian perspective, the state has no right to aggress against foreign persons any more than against domestic ones. Therefore, offensive war is always illegitimate. Defensive war is justified only in response to direct, imminent aggression, and even then, must be limited to repelling the attack, not nation-building or regime change.
We then dissect the public choice dynamics that drive interventionism. The "military-industrial complex," a term coined by President Eisenhower, is analyzed not as a conspiracy but as a predictable confluence of interests: weapons manufacturers, politicians seeking votes from military contracts, bureaucrats expanding their domains, and ideologues seeking to remake the world. The seminar explores the work of historians like William Appleman Williams, who argue that U.S. foreign policy has long been driven by a need for an "Open Door" for American capital, requiring political control abroad. Students learn that foreign policy is rarely about the stated ideals; it is about power, resources, and domestic political management.
Case Studies in Interventionist Catastrophe
The bulk of the course is a series of deep dives into historical and contemporary interventions. Each case study follows a similar pattern: examining the official justifications, the hidden motivations, the execution, and the long-term consequences.
- The Philippines War (1899-1902): An early example of "benevolent assimilation" that resulted in hundreds of thousands of civilian deaths and established the pattern of counter-insurgency brutality.
- Vietnam: The quintessential lesson in the limits of military power, hubris, and the domino theory. We study the Gulf of Tonkin incident as a prototype for manufactured pretexts.
- Iraq (1991-2003 onward): A comprehensive analysis from the sanctions regime (which killed an estimated half-million children) to the fabricated WMD intelligence, the catastrophic dissolution of the Iraqi state, the rise of ISIS, and the trillions of dollars wasted.
- Libya and Syria: Examining the consequences of "humanitarian" Responsibility to Protect (R2P) interventions that led to state collapse, slave markets, and prolonged civil war.
- The Forever War on Terror: Analyzing the Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF), the normalization of drone strikes, extrajudicial assassination, indefinite detention, and the creation of a global surveillance apparatus.
For each case, we examine the blowback effect: how intervention creates the very enemies it claims to fight. We also quantify the domestic cost: the erosion of civil liberties (Patriot Act, TSA), the ballooning national debt, and the moral corruption of a society constantly at war.
Alternative: A Libertarian Foreign Policy
The seminar concludes by constructing a positive vision. A libertarian foreign policy would entail: 1) The immediate end to all offensive wars and military alliances (like NATO) that entangle the nation in foreign disputes. 2) The withdrawal of all troops stationed abroad. 3) The end of all foreign aid, which is essentially theft from domestic taxpayers used to bribe or control foreign governments. 4) The repeal of sanctions, which are acts of war that primarily punish civilian populations. 5) The promotion of true free trade—the removal of tariffs and quotas, not managed "trade agreements" that entrench corporate power.
We would maintain a strong, purely defensive military. Diplomacy would be conducted not to wield influence but to facilitate peaceful relations and trade. Ultimately, the goal is a foreign policy of friendship and commerce with all, entangling alliances with none. Students are tasked with developing a phased withdrawal plan from the current empire, anticipating and mitigating the consequences. This challenging seminar leaves students with a sober understanding that war is not just the health of the state, but its very essence, and that achieving liberty at home is inextricably linked to ending aggression abroad.