Frenetic Intemperance The key to understand the economic crisis is to look for its cause. Deep inside the soul of modern man we find this cause: frenetic intemperance. This vice can be defined as a restless spirit inside certain sectors of modern economy that foments a drive within men to throw off legitimate restraints and … Read more
Sometimes the simple explanations are the best. People are not free when enslaved to their vices. As Russell Kirk explains, “People are born free only in the sense that they are born to the right to seek what suits their nature.” (Russell Kirk, The American Cause, Gleaves Whitney, ed., ISI Books, Wilmington, Delaware, 2002, p. … Read more
Charleston, and the book Return to Order, seem to fit together naturally. South Carolina’s premier city represents a traditional order of things that attracts people. Its splendid townhouses and restored downtown are proof that this order is not a relic of long ago but a dynamic force linked with its past that definitely has a … Read more
In a society where honor rules, the craftsman has a special place. He is not a person who makes things mechanically without skills or thought. Rather he is an expert who develops sophisticated skills that communicate an artistic element to that which is produced. What makes a craftsman? Richard Sennett writes that the standard measure … Read more
A return to order means a return to our roots. As a native Kansan, my recent book tour in the state represented something of this return. The late September weekend visit represented a homecoming of sorts since it served to help recall examples of many of the topics discussed in the book, Return to Order. … Read more
The Navy Yard shootings has reignited the controversy over guns in society. Once again, people are pondering over what went wrong. Many have asked why the behavior of this shooter and others has failed to raise red flags that might have alerted authorities and prevented the tragedies. The shooting incidents should indeed raise red flags … Read more
There is often the misconception that the medieval peasant had hardly any land upon which to make a living. Such a perception runs counter to the truth. The actual size of his holdings was rather large especially for the time. Author P. Boissonade notes that these holdings varied according to the fertility of the land. He … Read more
The book, Return to Order, describes how economy should not only satisfy physical needs, but also spiritual needs such as our appetite for beauty. In this way, both body and soul are satisfied. In addition, society as a whole benefits and culture develops. Thus, beauty and utility are complementary qualities in an economy. When goods … Read more
In our socialistic society, the trend is to punish those who lead and provide for society by subjecting their efforts to excessive regulation or taxes. At the same time, our egalitarian culture tends to discourage natural leaders by presenting unrepresentative characters as role models. Finally communities are decreasingly able to identify and support natural local … Read more
What is authentic progress? The book, Revolution and Counter-revolution by Prof. Plinio Corrêa de Oliveira gives some excellent insight as to what authentic progress is. He writes: “In its material aspect, genuine progress consists in the rightful use of the forces of nature according to the law of God, for the service of man. … Read more
