Smashing the State: Statists Have Volume But Lack Spine
The establishment mouthpiece The Politico, published by Robert Allbritton (media "maven," royalist, and of scandalous Riggs Bank infamy*), has just released a disingenuous review of Brian Doherty's Radicals for Capitalism that exhibits a strong scent of desperation. The reviewer seems to get a few things right, but seems to have misunderstood the entire purpose of the book.
It is a fun read if only for the sense of anxiety and desire to dismiss anything of substance in the book as irrelevant that one feels Mr. Klein had from the first moment he cracked the spine. If Mr. Klein is truly looking for books with great heft and spine as an introduction to the underpinnings of libertarian thought may I suggest The Production of Security, Principles of Economics, Human Action, Man, Economy, and State, and For a New Liberty.
Big donors, highly paid consultants, and foreign countries may not rule the roost for much longer as people learn the true history of the freedom movement and harness the power of the internet.
*To refresh your memory the Riggs Bank was caught up in various scandals including having bank accounts opened for two 9/11 hijackers with connections to former Saudi ambassador Bandar "Bush" that the FBI investigated for possible money-laundering and terrorist financing, hiding millions of dollars stolen by Augusto Pinochet from the Chilean people, and elaborate malfeasance concerning oil revenues from Equatorial Guinea going straight into the Riggs Bank accounts of dictator Obiang Mbasogo.
Comments (3)
What a lazy, poorly written review, in addition to a poor attempt to dismiss the uncomfortable prominence of libertarianism.
Published: March 23, 2007 9:49 PM
The review of the review is far worse than the review itself. I note that you did not single out anything in the review with which you disagreed or showed "desperation". Riggs Bank has nothing to do with the review, and your digression on it is possibly the most pathetic attempt at guilt-by-association I have ever seen.
You are also a fool if you think the majority of the people who purchase the book are not already libertarians, or that the book and/or the internet will cause libertarianism to topple establishment politicians. I could think of no one better than Ron Paul to hold the office of president, but he has no chance of winning the Republican nomination, much less the general election. Libertarianism is just not popular and is not going to be within our lifetimes. Attempts to wed libertarianism and populism (which unfortunately seem popular here and at lewrockwell.com) are doomed to failure.
Published: March 24, 2007 12:40 AM
TGGP, you might want to read the book, the review, the post, and the relevant background material again before you comment and bring out the non sequiturs.
Published: March 24, 2007 1:25 AM