What was the major political event in the last two decades? The Fall of Berlin Wall! Today we celebrate twenty years since the fall of the Berlin Wall. Even though the Berlin Wall fell between Eastern and Western Germany, the whole world was affected. But the fight for freedom, democracy and free market is not over yet! We can still see hubris of the Berlin Wall further to the East as well as all over the world.
I usually like to make reference to the Economist to make my point clear. And I looked forward to this week's issue. But I am honestly disappointed with the Economist's dull celebration of the greatest political event in the world's modern history.
George Mason University's Professor Peter Boettke has much more interesting blog post on the Fall of the Berlin Wall (including very cool YouTube video):
"November 9th 1989 --- forgive me if I still get choked up about it 20 years later -- is a critical date in modern history whose significance should never be forgotten. Those of us who believe strongly in the freedom of the individual and in the power of voluntary civil associations (including the profit motive of the market) to resolve social dilemmas instead of relying on the coercive power of the state have lost much of the ground we gained in the 1980s and 1990s during the time since 9/11, and especially this past year. But we still can rejoice in this shining example of the victory of the individual over the collective. Freedom was celebrated that day by people who were oppressed by their government for far too long."
Btw, I highly recommend you reading another post by Richard Ebeling.
If you are interested in the political economy of the Soviet Perestroika and post-Soviet transition, I also recommend you reading these books by Dr. Peter Boettke: Calculation and Coordination and Why Perestroika Failed. These both books are always on my desk.
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