Ep 318: The Reality and Prospects for U.S. Secession, with Ryan McMaken

In this episode, Doug Stuart is joined by author Ryan McMaken to discuss his book Breaking Away: The Case for Secession, Radical Decentralization, and Smaller Politics. After exploring the roots and history of secessionist movements, the conversation moves to a more conceptual discussion where Ryan explains the meaning of decentralization, its associated benefits, and alternatives. Doug then asks Ryan to elaborate on the relationship between localism and federalism and how the tension impacts universal rights. Acknowleding the recent relevance of secession, Doug and Ryan turn to practical considerations, rounding out the episode with a discussion on nuclear weapons, national debt, and the potential role of blockchain technology. Ryan McMaken is a senior editor at the Mises Institute and co-hosts the Radio Rothbard podcast. He earned his bachelor's degree in economics and master's degree in public policy and international relations from the University of Colorado.   Main Points of Discussion: 00:00    Introduction 06:20    Is secession an American or un-American idea? 08:44    What does it mean for the world to be “decentralized?” 10:50    Benefits of decentralization 14:19    Alternatives to secession 17:09    Was the original constitution secessionary? 19:05    Universal rights versus localism 22:13    Localism versus federalism 22:06    The case for secession 29:38    What are the common arguments against secession?  33:06    Christians for Liberty Network plug 33:35    Practical considerations: what about the nukes? 39:00    What happens to the debt?  41:44    Blockchain technology and it’s impact on geopolitical governance   Additional Resources: - https://mises.org/library/breaking-away-case-secession-radical-decentralization-and-smaller-polities  - https://twitter.com/ryanmcmaken Audio Production by Podsworth Media - https://podsworth.com  Come meet fellow Christian libertarians, sharpen your thinking, and be part of a growing movement rooted in faith and freedom at the Christians for Liberty Conference.Lunch is included in the price of the ticket. We will send out a form ahead of the conference requesting dietary preferences and restrictions.Learn more here.Use code LCI50 for 50% off your first order at Podsworth.com to clean up your voice recordings and also support LCI!Full Podsworth Ad Read BEFORE & AFTER processing:https://youtu.be/vbsOEODpQGs ★ Support this podcast ★