Fight the Power
In For A New Liberty: The Libertarian Manifesto, Murray Rothbard proposes a once-and-for-all escape from the two major political parties, the ideologies they embrace, and their central plans for using state power against people. Libertarianism is Rothbard's radical alternative that says that individual liberty can be the sole organizing political principle of society, while state power is unworkable and immoral and ought to be curbed and finally overthrown. Here is Lew Rockwell's introduction to a delightfully dangerous book, newly available from the Mises Institute. FULL ARTICLE .
Comments (9)
TGGP
Republicans more than Democratic Presidents have expanded the state? Well, I suppose there have been more Republican presidents and they've served longer terms, but the main figure on that side changing the role of government is Lincoln. Wilson, FDR and LBJ seem to me hard to top as individual presidencies.
Published: May 19, 2006 12:17 PM
Curt Howland
TCCG, he specifically states "since LBJ".
Anyway, I'm very pleased to see this being done in audio-book form. Thank you!
Published: May 19, 2006 1:14 PM
Brett Celinski
Though, sometimes I keep reminding myself that Woodrow Wilson wasn't a member of PNAC, he was so similar to today's neocons.
Published: May 19, 2006 2:44 PM
M E Hoffer
Brett,
Something tells me that "Neocon" is just a new name, blanketing the same strain, of Fabian Socialists that have been in power for many moons...
I wonder if I'm mistaken.
Published: May 19, 2006 2:53 PM
Elliot
Is this version of For A New Liberty printed in hardback?
I'd assume it is, but I just want to make sure.
Published: May 19, 2006 7:07 PM
jeffrey
It is hardback. The production values are smashingly good.
Published: May 19, 2006 8:21 PM
TGGP
Whoops, my mistake! But that makes for a pretty small sample space, with just Carter and Clinton as democrat presidents.
Published: May 20, 2006 12:47 AM
M E Hoffer
TCCG:
the money quote, from para. 6 :"American conservatives may not adore the welfare state or excessive business regulation but they appreciate power exercised in the name of nationalism, warfarism, "pro-family" policies, and invasion of personal liberty and privacy. In the post-LBJ period of American history, it has been Republican presidents more than Democratic ones who have been responsible for the largest expansions of executive and judicial power."
Reading, passe`, it may be, is not, yet, without merit.
Published: May 20, 2006 7:47 AM
potts
Murray N. Rothbard remains the state's greatest living enemy? Well, unfortunately, no.
As a dead enemy of the state, he's now up against a different (larger, better) line-up to become the state's greatest dead enemy. But who's really ranking these folks (particularly the dead ones)? That he remains an enemy of the state is sort of metaphysical - he could hardly do otherwise - his WORK remains a powerful enemy of the state AMONG THE LIVING, and that's what's important.
Better that this, and all, enemies of the state might remain alive today and forever, not only to oppose the state themselves, but to continue producing influential work that should, over time, bring ever more (of the living) into our fold. Fortunately, we retain their legacies. One of the jobs we anti-statists might well undertake is to add to the legacy, and do all we can to spread its influence.
Published: May 21, 2006 4:31 PM