On this episode of Minor Issues, Mark Thornton replays two short interviews: one recorded with Daniela Cambone weeks before the outbreak of war in the Middle East, and another with Dunagun Kaiser recorded days ago as the conflict escalates. Mark breaks down why precious metals are unusually volatile, how war and interventionism collide with inflationary fiat regimes, and why rising interest rates and commodity prices point to a more dangerous long-run trend. He also connects the dots between the Fed’s “liquidity” talk, a deeper leverage problem in finance, and the way wars can be used to divert attention from economic failures at home.

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On the latest episode of Minor Issues, Mark Thornton tackles the “Austrians don’t care about the poor” smear, arguing that Austrian monetary theory is designed to explain how political elites rig the system against working people. From Cantillon’s original gold mine thought experiment to today’s Fed-driven credit expansion, Mark explains how cheap money concentrates wealth and fuels the “K-shaped” economy, while a market-based monetary system would sharply limit this dynamic and restore more durable wage growth and stability.

"Share of Net Worth Held by the Top 1%" (Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis): https://mises.org/MI_168_Graph

"Monetary Metals 101: How Gold and Silver Work in a Free Market" (Minor Issues, Episode 141) https://mises.org/MI_141

"The K-Shaped Economy" (Minor Issues, Episode 150): https://mises.org/MI_151

"Past Tense" (Minor Issues, Episode 83): https://mises.org/MI_83

"The Fed vs. the Real Economy" (Minor Issues, Episode 58): https://mises.org/MI_58

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On the latest episode of Minor Issues, Mark Thornton appears on Arcadia Economics with Chris Marcus during a volatile week for gold and silver amid the escalation with Iran. They unpack the risks and “unintended consequences” of the conflict, along with what all of this means for markets, the dollar, and investor psychology. Mark closes with a hard look at the Fed-fueled, fifteen-year bubble of credit and debt, the growing stress in sovereign debt markets, and why central bankers can’t “magic away” the structural problems that created this mess.

The original episode is available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQn1GenrMyQ

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On this episode of Minor Issues, Mark Thornton appears on Reinvent Money with Paul Buitink for a “state of the system” conversation. Mark breaks down the US economy as an “everything bubble,” explains what’s really behind the trade deficit and the dollar’s reserve status, and grades Trump’s first-year economic agenda. He closes with a practical Austrian roadmap toward sound money: real savings, capital accumulation, and removing tax penalties on interest, dividends, and long-term gains.

The original episode is available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgqsHCQxSrw

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On this special episode of Minor Issues, Mark Thornton shares his recent interview with Darrell Thomas on VRIC Media. Mark explains how Keynesian ideas normalized chronic deficits and a debt-financed state. They discuss tariffs and policy volatility, how inflation has been partly masked by cheap imports, and why distorted price signals hit entrepreneurs and small businesses hardest. The conversation also covers rising interest costs, pressure for renewed yield-curve suppression, and what it all implies for gold, silver, and commodities.

The original episode is available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eI9Y-lITpnQ

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In this episode, Mark Thornton offers a practical “seven-word” framework for navigating economic life, especially when policy chaos and uncertainty make long-term planning harder. Mark connects everyday action (work, learning, planning, saving, spending, giving, and prayer) to core Austrian themes: purposeful choice, psychic profit, time preference, entrepreneurship under uncertainty, and the distortions created by inflation and debt-driven policy.

Donate today to celebrate 20 years of Mises Media on YouTube. Donate $30 or more and we’ll send you a free, physical copy of Hunter Lewis’s book, Crony Capitalism in America: http://mises.org/youtube20

"Billionaires, Workers, and the Exploitation Theory" by Bob Murphy (Human Action Podcast, Episode 534): https://mises.org/MI_164_A

Human Action by Ludwig von Mises: https://mises.org/MI_164_B

Man, Economy, and State by Murray N. Rothbard: https://mises.org/MI_164_C

The Quotable Mises edited by Mark Thornton: https://mises.org/MI_164_D

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Mark Thornton sits down with Ben Mumme of Living Your Greatness for a wide-ranging, long-form conversation, starting with gold and silver’s run-up and sudden correction, zooming out to inflation, saving, and why Austrian economics matters for everyday life.

Watch the original interview at https://livingyourgreatness.org/podcast

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In this special episode, Mark Thornton presents a timely interview with Elijah K. Johnson that underscores how quickly “melt-ups” can flip into sharp corrections. Mark frames the discussion around three themes: why investors should temper expectations after a major run-up; why political and financial elites will move aggressively to protect their interests when markets wobble; and why soaring gold and silver prices (however tempting) ultimately signal deeper economic and social distress rather than a clean “win” for the private sector.

Join us for the Mises Institute's first event of 2026, featuring Keith Smith, Caitlin Long, Ryan McMaken, Per Bylund, and Timothy Terrell: "Entrepreneurship Beyond Politics: Mises Circle in Oklahoma City." Register today at https://mises.org/okc

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