Lecture series · recorded 2004
Economy, Society, and History
Economy, Society, and History is a free lecture series (10 recordings, 14.8 hours) you can stream or download at freecapitalists.org, with Hans-Hermann Hoppe.
Hans-Hermann Hoppe presents a thorough reconstruction of the foundation of economics, social theory, and politics. Sweeping in scope and powerfully persuasive, these ten lectures are the basis of a grand treatise in the Misesian-Rothbardian tradition.
Legal SystemThe EntrepreneurMoney and BanksMedia and CultureWar and Foreign PolicyStrategy
Read the book: Economy, Society, and History by Hans-Hermann Hoppe, free to download here.
Cover painting: Louis XVI, in the red cap of liberty, faces the crowd that invaded the Tuileries, Paris, 20 June 1792. See every painting in the art gallery.
-
01
1:28:23 Download MP3
The Nature of Man and the Human Condition: Language, Property, and Production 2004
What condition does mankind find itself in? Language, property and production are elements unique to mankind. Humans are social animals. Cooperation is normal. Language permits direct communication. Animals can’t abstract in the way humans can. They can form sounds but not words. Animals cannot make inferences explicitly. Animals do not have what we call self-consciousness (reflection).
Political TheoryPraxeologyLegal System
Read the transcript 8,212 words
Read the book chapter 6,236 words
-
02
1:22:41 Download MP3
The Spread of Humans Around the World: The Extension and Intensification of the Division of Labor 2004
Humans across the globe develop the division of labor. Hunter gatherers had limited association with each other. Languages were many and varied. Division of labor was only within their tribes. Agricultural life allowed many more people to live in settlements and capital could be accumulated for the first time.
Political TheoryLegal System
Read the transcript 7,538 words
Read the book chapter 5,668 words
-
03
1:32:17 Download MP3
Money and Monetary Integration: The Growth of Cities and the Globalization of Trade 2004
The next element in human development is that of money and the growth of cities and trade. Why is there division of labor and why is there money? Hoppe covers why people do not remain in self-sufficient isolation even when they could and even if everybody hated everybody else. As long as every person wants to have more rather than less, division of labor occurs.
EntrepreneurshipMonopoly and CompetitionThe Entrepreneur
Read the transcript 9,197 words
Read the book chapter 6,729 words
-
04
1:25:49 Download MP3
Time Preference, Capital, Technology, and Economic Growth 2004
The theory of time preference, capital, technology and economic growth will be viewed through both theoretical and historical elements. People have a preference for satisfaction earlier as compared to satisfaction later. Capital goods allow greater production, but this requires saving now, not consuming now.
Capital and Interest TheoryMoney and BankingMoney and Banks
Read the transcript 7,852 words
Read the book chapter 6,808 words
-
05
1:33:52 Download MP3
The Wealth of Nations: Ideology, Religion, Biology, and Environment 2004
Ideological factors, especially comparative religions, are considered. Until 1500, China was the most developed region on the globe. Confucianism has no promise of an afterlife. There are no miracles for them. They are realistic and rational. Confucius is not a god or prophet. He is revered as a great teacher. His teachings are compatible with capitalism.
Philosophy and MethodologyMedia and Culture
Read the transcript 8,109 words
Read the book chapter 9,954 words
-
06
1:24:51 Download MP3
The Production of Law and Order: Natural Order, Feudalism, and Federalism 2004
Correlations between IQ and GDP of countries exist. Without the state, what natural order evolves? Details of the theory of private property are given as the means for society to survive. People own themselves and have never doubted that the instruments that they produce are theirs as well. This extended visibly to certain land territories.
Political TheoryLegal System
Read the transcript 7,421 words
Read the book chapter 5,801 words
-
07
1:32:05 Download MP3
Parasitism and the Origin of the State 2004
Exploitative behavior of the state is studied. Brainwashing was required to build states up. Unlike productive activities via division of labor, parasitic activities like cannibalism, slavery, fraud and robbery did not lead to social cooperation.
Political TheoryLegal System
Read the transcript 9,209 words
Read the book chapter 7,249 words
-
08
1:27:44 Download MP3
From Monarchy to Democracy 2004
The transition from monarchy to democracy deals with how humans create more freedom than is currently had. The role of monarchs in the pre-state societies and their positions as heads of state since the feudal (1100-1500 AD) period and into the absolute monarchies were the more typical form of rulers. Democracies are rare events in history.
Political TheoryLegal System
Read the transcript 9,001 words
Read the book chapter 7,544 words
-
09
1:39:00 Download MP3
State, War, and Imperialism 2004
Lack of intelligence, lack of division of labor and violent ideologies are three factors which contribute to states, wars, and imperialism. Fighters in wars were vassals of the Lords, or mercenary groups who could be hired. Fights were frequent but small and they had rules of knightly honor.
Political TheoryWar and Foreign Policy
Read the transcript 9,444 words
Read the book chapter 7,811 words
-
10
1:21:32 Download MP3
Strategy: Secession, Privatization, and the Prospects of Liberty 2004
The institution of the State is not normal or natural. We will pay for making this error. There are not different and unequal laws applying to masters and individuals. Once you accept, incorrectly, unilateral taxation and ultimate jurisdiction in the hands of the state you are stuck.
Austrian Economics OverviewPolitical TheoryStrategy
Read the transcript 8,493 words
Read the book chapter 4,101 words
People in this series
Speakers
Recording dates, summaries and topics for 10 of these 10 lectures come from the Mises Institute's page for Economy, Society, and History, checked 2026-07-23.
Community
Discussed on the forum
Threads on Mises Community, this archive's companion forum, whose titles name this course. These are reader conversations, not part of the archive.
Questions
About this series
- Is Economy, Society, and History free to listen to?
- Yes. All 10 mirrored recordings stream in the browser or download as audio, at no cost and with no signup.
- How long is Economy, Society, and History?
- 10 recordings, 14.8 hours in total.
- Who lectures in Economy, Society, and History?
- Hans-Hermann Hoppe.
- When was Economy, Society, and History recorded?
- 2004, per the recording dates recovered for this series.
- Is the book behind Economy, Society, and History available here?
- Yes. Economy, Society, and History by Hans-Hermann Hoppe is in this archive as a free download, on its own page.
- Is there a transcript of Economy, Society, and History?
- Yes. Every lecture in the series has one, 84,476 words in total, free to read on each lecture's page and searchable in the browser.
Playback speed
Keyboard shortcuts
- Space or K
- Play or pause
- J or left arrow
- Back 15 seconds
- L or right arrow
- Forward 30 seconds
- , and .
- Slower and faster
- N and P
- Next and previous lecture
- ?
- This list