Cliches.org: the Book

Cliches of Politics is an anthology of 83 short essays. Each essay focuses on one particular cliché (a trite phrase or opinion) and identifies the flaw, illogic, or immorality of the saying. What's the point? To get you to think more deeply about what people tell you and to question claims that often go unchallenged. Even if you don't agree with everything you read here, the process of questioning and challenging the status quo will make you a more informed, and more interesting, person.

about the authors and editor


Human Rights and the Nature of Government	...more from this topic
I have a right! by Charles W. Baird We have a right to this service by Lawrence W. Reed Human rights are more important than property rights by Paul L. Poirot In a just society, food is a right by Cecil E. Bohanon Don't I have a right to a job? by John Hospers


Government Planning and Regulation	...more from this topic
Government regulators know best by Matthew B. Kibbe All we need is the right people to run the government by Melvin D. Barger No one advocates censorship, but what's wrong with government control of the economy? by Gary North An unregulated economy was part of the horse-and-buggy era by Murray N. Rothbard Pass a law! by Lawrence W. Reed


Private Enterprise, Government Spending, and Human Welfare	...more from this topic
Politicians are to blame for the fiscal mess in government by Hans F. Sennholz There is too much inequality of wealth and income by Lawrence W. Reed Americans no longer need to worry about how to produce goods and services by John Hospers But we already tried cutting the budget by Llewellyn H. Rockwell, Jr. The size of the national debt doesn't matter because we owe it to ourselves by Paul L. Poirot


The Competitive Process	...more from this topic
Mankind was born for cooperation, not competition by Llewellyn H. Rockwell, Jr. Business is entitled to a fair profit by Leonard E. Read We need antitrust laws to prevent monopoly by D. T. Armentano Advertising is immoral and wasteful, and debases taste by Ronald H. Nash General Motors is too big by Dean Russell


Labor and Employment	...more from this topic
Government should create and protect jobs by Richard B. McKenzie The government must guarantee a job for everyone by Tibor R. Machan Every employee is entitled to a fair wage by C. W. Anderson Women are at a disadvantage in the marketplace by Jean L. Baker Employees often lack reserves and are subject to 'exploitation' by capitalist employers by Paul L. Poirot


The Health-Care Markets	...more from this topic
The government should provide free medical care by Lawrence W. Reed Health care is 'unique' and should not be left to the market by Terree P. Wasley For safety's sake, government must regulate the market for medical products by Robert Higgs National health care is working in Canada by Terree P. Wasley


The Arts, Media, and Education	...more from this topic
We can rely on the media to bring us an unbiased political outlook by Melvin D. Barger Public finance of the arts advances a nation's culture by Paul A. Cleveland & Benjamin L. Crawford Government grants are required to perpetuate the arts by Melvin D. Barger We ought to have sex education in the schools by Walter Block


Foreign Trade and the World Economy	...more from this topic
International trade is different and thus requires government management by William H. Peterson America consumes too much of the world's resources by Lawrence W. Reed In order to develop, Third World countries need foreign aid by David Osterfield Industrialization assures progress in undeveloped countries by Henry Hazlitt Foreign imports destroy jobs by Russel Shannon


Resources and the Environment	...more from this topic
Government is the key to protecting the environment by Lawrence W. Reed Private enterprise leads to pollution by Walter Block Only government is farsighted enough to protect resources for future generations by Richard L. Stroup & Jane S. Shaw


Philosophical and Ethical Perspectives	...more from this topic
Private enterprise panders to greed and selfishness by Ronald H. Nash I prefer security to freedom by Sanford Ikeda Society is to blame, not I by Benjamin A. Rogge All people should perform some type of national service by Tibor R. Machan If government doesn't relieve distress, who will? by Leonard E. Read

The Agricultural Industry

...more from this topic