I read somewhere once that a benevolent dictatorship might actually be the best form of government. Hoppe's views on the failings of democracy certainly make a case for this.
Personally, I would rather fix our republican form of government than turn to either extreme of pure democracy or monarchy. How do we do that? I would say by embracing what our founding father's created, rather than the perversions of their ideals that we now live under.
Justin's "Suicide of the West", provides an interesting counter-point to Tom Piatek's article on the apparent decline of the U.S. While I support Justin's fight against the "war party" (I have even donated financially to antiwar.com), and while I do have a libertarian streak in me as it pertains to social issues, I am, for lack of a better description, a paleo-conservative when it comes to economic matters. Therefore, I find myself in agreement with Pat Buchanan on trade issues, to give an example of a pundit that shares my mindset.
That is not to say that I am against trade, far from it. I own plenty of foreign made goods, some by choice, some because, unfortunately, there are no more choices. But I base my choices on quality of product, which to me should be the defining factor of why someone would choose a foriegn made product over an American made one.
Unfortunately, American businesses in collusion with our government have embraced the short term gains they have acquired rather than the long term returns that should be their goals (one of which is, how does the native population afford the goods they need to buy when they no longer produce those goods).
Which kind of brings us back full circle to Hoppe's argument that a king need not overly worry about such short term gains because he is in it for the long term: he wouldn't sell himself out for a quick buck because that could devalue his assets.
This in turn reminds me of the original addage of Life, liberty, and
property. Ownership. Can we have liberty without property, don't we have to have something to lose in order to value it? Ok, I am rambling now

, I'll stop here.