I am happy to announce that the Teacher’s Manual is now available for my introductory textbook, Lessons for the Young Economist. It can be used by classroom teachers, but is also ideally suited to homeschooling instruction by parents who may not be confident in their own economics knowledge.

[Walter Block will be teaching a 6-week online course on his classic work, Defending the Undefendable, starting March 26, 2012. Enroll today.]

At first glance it is not hard to answer the question, “Is blackmail really illegitimate?” The only problem it would seem to pose is, “Why is it being asked at all?”

Do not blackmailers, well, blackmail people? And what could be worse? Blackmailers prey on people’s dark, hidden secrets. They threaten to expose and publicize them. They bleed their victims and often drive them to suicide.