Lenin, the Bolshevik Revolution, and the Soviet Union

Discontent was growing in Russia, and poverty and the Tsar’s incompetence only worsened the issue. A parliament, the Duma, was established in 1905 to Westernize Russia and make it more democratic. Still, Tsar Nicholas II held absolute de facto control over the Russian government. The heavy cost of WW1 continued to mount pressures domestically as … More Lenin, the Bolshevik Revolution, and the Soviet Union

Philip Dru: The Guise of Welfare and the Death of Liberty

Philip Dru: Administrator by Edward M. House follows a brilliant West Point graduate’s rise to political power. From the beginning of the book and throughout all of his conversations with Gloria, who he later marries, Philip Dru shows interest in the greater welfare of society. Unfortunately, Dru rests on the false assumption that salvation can … More Philip Dru: The Guise of Welfare and the Death of Liberty

Woodrow Wilson and WW1 Bias

With WW1 raging across Europe, the United States claimed neutrality, but the Wilson administration was far from neutral. Throughout the war, the U.S. (justly) demonized Germany for breaking international law but ignored Great Britain’s violations. This double standard continued beyond just the battlefield and onto the negotiating table.  In an effort to weaken the German … More Woodrow Wilson and WW1 Bias

Philip Dru and the 16th Amendment

Edward M. House, an influential advisor during Woodrow Wilson’s administration, wrote Philip Dru: Administrator (1912) during the beginning of the Progressive Era. Rapidly, U.S. politics became dominated by Progressive idealism and the hope for a brighter future. All of the country’s past classical liberal ideals regarding federalism, constitutionalism, limited government, free trade, non-interventionism, etc., were … More Philip Dru and the 16th Amendment