Thomas J. DiLorenzo: Nullification
21. Jul, 2009 
9 Comments
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Thomas J. DiLorenzo, published author and senior fellow at the Mises Institute, discusses the principle of nullification as a devolution of power away from the central government into the hands of the state or the people, Thomas Jefferson and the Kentucky Resolves as resistance to the Alien and Sedition Acts in 1798, ways nullification was put into practice all across the Union in the early days of the Republic, Andrew Jackson and resistance to the bank of the United States, the “Tariff of Abominations,” nullification of the fugitive slave act, the slander of racism that proponents of big government often throw out at supporters of decentralization, secession as the ultimate brake on government, the power and control of the IRS and the Federal Reserve, the Second Vermont Republic, and the progression of dictatorial powers through the Bush and Obama administrations.
Mentioned in this Show:
Nullification, A Constitutional History
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Wow, I never even thought of this as an option! I try to get federal reps to respond and they never do. But I feel like I can actually have a chance to get something done if I call and call and call with my state reps. It’s time we started using these state governments for something other than submission to the federal government!
Nullification is the middle ground, and is just what Jefferson and other prominent founders offered as what to do short of a general submission to everything national on one hand and secession or violent revolution on the other.
Nullification is certainly the “middle ground” – it lies between total federal tyranny on the one side and the potential choas of collapse on the other. It needs to be tried on a large scale before moving in either direction….
I agree with Michael and Jeff; whatever peaceful means are available to us must be put to effective use. I don’t think it’ll work, ultimately, although that is my fondest hope. And, indeed, something like that could actually turn into the impetus for a more … physical kind of rebellion, depending. But that doesn’t change the bare facts of the matter. The only way freedom-lovers can ever be justified in resisting government tyranny is by first exhausting every peaceful means of resistance available to us, insofar as it is left in our power to do so. In point of fact, I’m more apt to think that “nullification” on a personal level, and through a variety of means, would be more effective to accomplishing the goal than state level nullification. Albeit, I acknowledge that a primary function of the state governments should be the protection of the rights of their citizens and inhabitants against all enemies to those rights.
As the federal government nullifies the Constitution, the states and the people so to should the states and people nullify the federal government.
What a great concept and once again from the founders of the most free nation ever.
Right you are, Bob. DiLorenzo gives some interesting examples of this is a great American tradition – popular resistance to tyranny.
A few heads on a pike, just a few, would do more to rectify the situation than all the words in the world.
Violence just begets more violence, Rich.