Asher K. Sisneros Thomas E. Woods, Jr. Western Civilization Since 1493 October 7, 2024 The House of Hohenzollern ruled Brandenburg-Prussia, which became the most powerful territory in the Holy Roman Empire through the 17th century. Brandenburg’s power started dwindling after the rule of George William (r. 1619-1640) and the catastrophes of the Thirty Years’ War. … More Frederick William: The House of Hohenzollern
Asher K. Sisneros Thomas E. Woods, Jr. Western Civilization Since 1493 September 20, 2024 The War of Spanish Succession (1701-1714) was a war in Western Europe during the reigns of Louis XIV in France and Emperor Leopold in the Holy Roman Empire. As a result of the conflict, France lost its supremacy, and England rose … More Stakes in the War of Spanish Succession (1701-1714)
France was riddled with warfare under the reign of King Louis XIV. As a despotic absolutist, he used Mercantilism to afford these endless wars. It worked, for a time, and he sequestered power around the throne with an iron grip. But towards the end of his reign, he realized the futility of such military endeavors. … More The Price of War: The Costs of Louis XIV’s Wars
Asher K. Sisneros Thomas E. Woods, Jr. Western Civilization Since 1493 September 27, 2024 Mercantilist theory was born during the 16th century, and it came to dominate global trade policy in Europe by the 17th century. Colbert’s policies under King Louis XIV propelled Mercantilism to its highest point in French history. Similarly, the Navigation Acts … More Mercantilist Theory
Asher K. Sisneros Thomas E. Woods, Jr. Western Civilization From 1493 September 23, 2024 Absolutism was a rising political theory in the West during the 16th century. Monarchs favored it to justify the expansion of their power. But where absolutism thrived in one nation, constitutionalism gripped another. Thus the two competing philosophies warred, both on … More Thomas Hobbes and Absolutism
Asher K. Sisneros September 20, 2024 Western Civilization Since 1493 Thomas E. Woods Jr. Throughout the 16th century, the Spanish Empire was one of the most powerful and influential civilizations in the West, leading exploration in the New World. Their power probably culminated during the conquest of the Inca Empire. However, by the reign of … More The Fall of the Spanish Empire
In light of the Trump assassination attempts, the question of assassination seems to be at the forefront of everyone’s minds as they ponder its legitimacy. Americans seem to universally agree that it is perfectly legitimate to forcibly depose tyrants through assassination. Thus, the dispute between Trump sympathizers and Trump haters is not whether it is just to assassinate tyrants, but whether Trump is and/or will be a totalitarian tyrant. However, this is the wrong debate, and this presupposition defending assassination must be uprooted. … More A Disputation of Juan de Mariana: The Illegitimacy of Assassination
Date: September 12, 2024 Author: Asher K. Sisneros Teacher: Tom Woods Class: Western Civilization From 1493 John Locke was a 16th-century political philosopher who pioneered the modern understanding of property ownership and laid the groundwork for many libertarian economists like Murray N. Rothbard. Natural law—which he credited as coming from God—was the basis of his … More John Locke: Property Ownership, Monarchy, and the Purpose of Government
The Glorious Revolution was an English civil war to overthrow King James II. The entire ordeal was hardly a war, however. The Protestant forces moving to overthrow James saw little resistance from the Catholic monarch, hence the name “Glorious Revolution.” When James II ascended the throne, Protestant forces were highly skeptical. As a Catholic, they … More Glorious Revolution (1688-1689)
Contrary to popular belief and standard textbook education, the Levellers were not socialists who believed in common ownership. Rather, the Levellers—led by Richard Overton, John Lilburne, and William Walwyn—were a 16th-century classical liberal movement born during the English Civil War, giving inspiration to modern-day libertarianism. The root of their beliefs was in the principle of … More The Levellers
Asher Sisneros 