Hoppe, A Rothbard-Protege, Discusses The State

Dr. Hans-Herman Hoppe

Hans-Herman Hoppe is a man who has been painted as a kook, radical and many other epithets. These epithets are standard fare for those unwilling to deal argument. Ad hominem attacks are not refutations of ideas. merely the refuge of scoundrels promoting a logically indefensible agenda.

Hoppe is considered dangerous to big government because his ideas question the very purpose and validity of  government. He is philosophically an anarcho-capitalistst. Dr. Hoppe’s ideas are “extreme” when measured against the prevailing opinion of the time.  I find reading him thought-provoking and challenging, because it is difficult to refute his logic.

His take on the State is valuable. Like some of our founders and others before and after them, he considers the State an evil. From a philosophic standpoint, he believes that all functions of government can be better executed via private efforts, including even defense. For some, this position seems preposterous. Reading him and his mentor Murray Rothbard make these ideas seem not so unreasonable.

An overview of Hoppe can be obtained from this informative interview in The Daily Bell. It provides a taste of his positions and the logic behind them.

Whether one agrees or disagrees with Hoppe (and Rothbard), it is worth learning his positions, something no government school would encourage. Even if you disagree with most of what are considered his more extreme positions, his work will make you think, test your own ideas and understand the issues more clearly. Regardless of where you come out, he will put into perspective the Leviathan that our current government represents.

For those interested in pursuing Hoppe’s ideas further, he has authored many books. Most are available at mises.org and some are on-line.

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