
A Rothbardian Case Against Bad Data Center Policy
From Guns and Butter by Connor O'Keeffe
May 20, 2026
About this episode
The episode discusses the implications of data center policies through a Rothbardian lens, advocating for a property-rights framework.
AI has created enormous demand for new data centers, and many communities do not want them nearby. The Rothbardian answer is not blanket permission or blanket prohibition, but a property-rights framework and the return of market forces that government policy has largely displaced. Read the article here: https://mises.org/mises-wire/rothbardian-case-against-bad-data-center-policy 2026 is the Year of Rothbard—Murray's 100th birthday—and we're celebrating by giving away free copies of Anatomy of the State through May 31. Grab yours today at https://mises.org/gabfreebook Be sure to follow the Guns and Butter podcast at https://Mises.org/GB
People in this episode
Host: Connor O'Keeffe
Topics covered
- data centers
- property rights
- market forces
- government policy
- AI demand
Keywords
- data centers
- Rothbard
- property rights
- market forces
- government policy
- AI
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Mises, Mises Wire
Books & works: Anatomy of the State
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