It is for the most part, social commentary. It’s not about attacking an argument in a scientific basis as it is about making observations about society. FWIW, it’s at the scholarly level of most contemporary “socialist/progressive” writings. I don’t think it’s fair to hold Mises to a harsher standard in comparison to other writers of today. Let the guy make some social commentary.
No doubt is about on par w many pop progressives. I just happen to be in that category he is describing, so it gets personal. I would not recommend it for anybody as a learning tool, personally.
Tho I am not anti-capitalist, I’m a capitalist-skeptic. Capitalism > Feudalism/mercantilism
After I saw your reply, I suspected I touched a nerve. I was right.
Since you do not recommend The Anti-Capitalistic Mentality, I redouble my recommendation for anyone like the OP who is attempting to understand economics. Erroneous economics (interventionism) leads to erroneous political thinking (redistribution).
Okee Dookey. So you’re a skeptic, I’m not (but I used to be, in fact my understanding of economics and politics was very similar to yours many years ago).
I’ve been on this forum, tho as a lurker, for a few years now. I’m going to have to say no on you “thinking much like me.” Perhaps I’m wrong, but I think I would have taken notice of you.
Anti-capitalist mentality does not in any way deal with anything relevant to economics or politics. It merely says anybody who questions capitalism is jealous of someone above him.
And seriously, where is the methodological individualism in a view like that?
Thank you for the compliment, but when I said I used to think like you “years ago”, I meant many years ago, as in the last two decades of the 20th century.
Too bad my thinking was so off base for such a long time. It makes me sick to think I held socialist views for 10 years, then interventionist views for 15 years. 25 years shot. 23 of those years were spent voting, first the D’s then the R’s. Again, so much wasted time.
If I had discovered the long lost Anti-Capitalistic Mentality when I was in college, my life would have changed for the better.
“the top 2% of the country could fund food &shelters, and education courses, and never even feel the pinch.”
You realize, of course, that here in the U.S. the “top 2%” has had a significant fraction of what they made taken from them on the way up, right?
We have nonzero income, corporate, and capital gains taxes already. So what you’ve said is clearly false. They’ve already felt the pinch, and it hasn’t fixed the problem. If you have some evidence that they haven’t, give the IRS a call, I’m sure they’ll be interested, but until you do, leave the baseless accusations for another forum.
Ignoring the fact that these rich people have already given about half of what they’ve made to a government that already spends basically all of its revenue on poverty relief programs (revenue, not total spending–the government borrows, too!) and the problem has not improved will lead you to incorrect paths of thought. The temptation to take just a little more among them.
For every dollar of poverty relief spending, two things happen:
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One dollar that might be used to fund the production of capital goods is consumed, obstructing the generation of more productive means, which enrich everyone.
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One dollar that someone labored to make, is taken away, thus disincentivizing productive labor directly.
whoa, tons of replies 
some stuff came up at work so i’ve been busy for a few days. I have some reading to do
and then i will come back and learn some more. I do appreciate the thought put into the replies and the recognition that though i have different views - i am only looking for what make sense. if that means everything i think is wrong… so be it 
the truth is more important… hopefull it’s not that severe though
i’ll be back though, just didn’t want everyone to think i disappeared.