On the evening of Thursday 15th March, Mises UK held an event in London on the topic of China, its recent history, the failure of Socialist ‘planning’, and the state of economic freedom in different regions of this emerging geopolitical giant. Attendees were addressed by Dr Teng Li from Shanghai Normal University.
All of the speeches delivered at this year’s inaugural Mises UK Conference, held at the Amba Hotel at Charing Cross, are available to view in the Youtube playlist below:
Machiavelli and Modern Statism
A Speech to the Mises UK Conference
By Dr Matteo Salonia
at the Charing Cross Hotel
on 27th January 2018
The political philosophy of Niccolò Machiavelli does not appear to be a pressing problem. Yet, it is with a sense of urgency that I speak to you today. The reinterpretation, and actually, the misinterpretation of this sixteenth-century writer has reached such a level of absurdity in the academia and it starts to be so widespread in popular culture that it’s now influencing even conservative and libertarian circles.[1]
Since at least the 1970s a group of historians has rebranded Machiavelli as a sort of bleeding-heart republican, whom has been tragically misunderstood. In part, this direction in the scholarship on Machiavelli is influenced by the timeless temptation to downplay The Prince, or to set The Prince against other writings of the Florentine secretary, especially the Discourses. Read more
Welcome, fellow extremists!
Chairman’s Address to inaugural Mises UK Conference,
at the Charing Cross Hotel
27th January 2018
Extremism Disruption Orders
Former Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, said of the Government’s planned ‘Extremism Disruption Orders’, that they will go “beyond terrorism” and “eliminate extremism in all its forms.” The Government has said that these Extremism Disruption Orders will be introduced to tackle “harmful activities” of “extremist individuals” who “spread hate” but do not “break laws.” Read more
Schedule
10:45-11:00 – Arrivals
11:00-11:20 – Introductory remarks, Keir Martland
11:30-12:00 – Leftism versus humanity, Andy Duncan
12:00-12:30 – What can Mises UK learn from Auburn? George Pickering
12:35-14:20 – Lunch Break
14:20-14:50 – Machiavelli and modern Statism, Dr Matteo Salonia
14:50-15:20 – The metapolitics of libertarianism, Jakub Jankowski
15:20-15:50 – The Great British economy, Swithun Dobson
15:50-16:15 – Coffee Break
16:15-16:45 – Economic progress and decentralisation, Duncan Whitmore
16:45-17:15 – Libertarian Toryism, Dr Sean Gabb
17:15-17:20 – Closing remarks, Keir Martland
Libertarian Toryism
Speech to the Mises UK Conference
at the Charing Cross Hotel in London
27th January 2018
Sean Gabb
Though ultimately about the future, this will also be a speech that dwells on the past. The first past event that I wish to discuss is what happened in June 2017. When I stood down as Director of the Libertarian Alliance, I was asked if I had taken leave of my senses. I was not visibly broken down by age and ill health. I had evidently not run out of things to say. Why, then, was I steeping aside in favour of a young man who was nearly forty years my junior?
The answer to this question it to look about you. I ran the Libertarian Alliance for several years on life support. I did so with considerable success. One thing I could never do, however, was to arrange a conference – certainly not of this quality nor on this scale. As I stand here, I am more convinced than ever that Keir Martland is the right person to give the British libertarian movement a new start. Read more
