Central to this volume are the views of Ludwig von Mises on war and foreign policy. Mises argued that war, along with colonialism and imperialism, is the greatest enemy of freedom and prosperity, and that peace throughout the world cannot be achieved until the central governments of the major nations become very limited in scope and power.

In the spirit of these theorems by Mises, the contributors to this volume consider the costs of war generally and assess specific corrosive effects of major American wars since the Revolution.

Deeply rooted in the ideals of the Founding Fathers, The Costs of War is unique in its combination of historical scope and timeliness for current debates about foreign policy and military intervention. It will be of interest to historians, political scientists, economists and sociologists. The contributors include Paul Fussell, Robert Higgs, Murray Rothbard, Paul Gottfried, and Clyde Wilson - among other distinguished figures.