Staff Pick
An updated edition of Boaz's authoritative Libertarianism: A Primer, The Libertarian Mind provides a clear working definition of Libertarianism, especially in relation to recent national policy and events like the 2008 financial crisis and the NSA surveillance program. Both thorough and accessible, The Libertarian Mind is a great introductory text to libertarian philosophy. (Featured Book, "Beyond the Headlines") Recommended By Rhianna W., Powells.com
Synopses & Reviews
A revised, updated, and retitled edition of David Boazand#8217;s classic book andlt;Iandgt;Libertarianism: A Primerandlt;/Iandgt;, which was praised as uniting and#8220;history, philosophy, economics and lawand#8212;spiced with just the right anecdotesand#8212;to bring alive a vital tradition of American political thought that deserves to be honored todayand#8221; (Richard A. Epstein, University of Chicago).andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Libertarianismand#8212;the philosophy of personal and economic freedomand#8212;has deep roots in Western civilization and in American history, and itand#8217;s growing stronger. Two long wars, chronic deficits, the financial crisis, the costly drug war, the campaigns of Ron Paul and Rand Paul, the growth of executive power under Presidents Bush and Obama, and the revelations about NSA abuses have pushed millions more Americans in a libertarian direction. andlt;Iandgt;Libertarianism: A Primerandlt;/Iandgt;, by David Boaz, the longtime executive vice president of the Cato Institute, continues to be the best available guide to the history, ideas, and growth of this increasingly important political movementand#8212;and now it has been updated throughout and with a new title: andlt;I andgt;The Libertarian Mindandlt;/Iandgt;. andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;Boaz has updated the book with new information on the threat of government surveillance; the policies that led up to and stemmed from the 2008 financial crisis; corruption in Washington; and the unsustainable welfare state. andlt;I andgt;The Libertarian Mindandlt;/Iandgt; is the ultimate resource for the current, burgeoning libertarian movement.
Review
and#8220;They say the libertarian moment has arrived. If you want to understand and be part of that moment, read David Boaz's The Libertarian Mind where you'll be drawn into the 'eternal struggle of liberty vs. power,' where you'll learn that libertarianism presumes that you were born free and not a subject of the state. The Libertarian Mind belongs on every freedom-lover's bookshelf.and#8221;
Review
and#8220;andlt;Iandgt;The Libertarian Mindandlt;/Iandgt; is so convincing critics will want to condemn it, regulate it, tax it, fleece it, and forbid it. Fortunately, good ideas havenand#8217;t been outlawedand#8212;yet."
Review
and#8220;Back in the 1990s David Boaz published two of the very best books on freedom that I have ever readand#8212;andlt;Iandgt;Libertarianism: A Primerandlt;/Iandgt; and andlt;Iandgt;The Libertarian Readerandlt;/Iandgt;. Both these books had a huge impact on how I think about both ethics and politics. I have hungered for many years now for Boaz to publish a new book and he finally has. andlt;Iandgt;The Libertarian Mindandlt;/Iandgt; is a brilliantly updated version of andlt;Iandgt;Libertarianism: A Primerandlt;/Iandgt; that is very clearly written with quite reasonable and compelling arguments on behalf of human freedom. Boazand#8217;s message is both timeless and extraordinarily relevant to the challenges that we are facing today. It deserves to be read carefully and thoughtfully by everyone who truly cares about creating a more ethical and prosperous world.and#8221;
Review
"In an age in which the end of big government is used by politicians as a pretext for bigger, and worse, government, it is refreshing to find a readable and informative account of the basic principles of libertarian thought written by someone steeped in all aspects of the tradition. David Boaz's book unites history, philosophy, economics and lawand#8212;spiced with just the right anecdotesand#8212;to bring alive a vital tradition of American political thought that deserves to be honored today in deed as well as in word."
Review
and#8220;David Boaz has been my guide to the history, economics, and politics of freedom for years.and#8221;
Review
and#8220;These days, you can't understand politics--and why so many Americans are so unhappy with it--without knowing what libertarianism is all about. The backlash against government is more than just a gut feeling; it is a philosophy, and one that demands to be reckoned with. For anyone who wants to explore the ideas that are energizing the right and exasperating the left, David Boaz's clear and often passionate book is the place to begin.and#8221;
Review
and#8220;America is a country full of people who feel personal liberty and individual responsibility in their guts. This book puts those guts into words. America is also a country full of politicians, academics, and self-possessed elites who mistrust liberty and responsibility to the bottom of their souls. This book plants a kick in that fundament.and#8221;
Review
"andlt;Iandgt;The Libertarian Mind andlt;/Iandgt;belongs in the canon with the writings of Nozick, Hayek, and Epstein. ... Boazand#8217;s manifesto for freedom presents as the contemporary gold standard of the libertarian creed."
Synopsis
A revised, updated, and retitled edition of David Boaz's classic book Libertarianism: A Primer, which was praised as uniting "history, philosophy, economics and law--spiced with just the right anecdotes--to bring alive a vital tradition of American political thought that deserves to be honored today" (Richard A. Epstein, University of Chicago).
Libertarianism--the philosophy of personal and economic freedom--has deep roots in Western civilization and in American history, and it's growing stronger. Two long wars, chronic deficits, the financial crisis, the costly drug war, the campaigns of Ron Paul and Rand Paul, the growth of executive power under Presidents Bush and Obama, and the revelations about NSA abuses have pushed millions more Americans in a libertarian direction. Libertarianism: A Primer, by David Boaz, the longtime executive vice president of the Cato Institute, continues to be the best available guide to the history, ideas, and growth of this increasingly important political movement--and now it has been updated throughout and with a new title: The Libertarian Mind.
Boaz has updated the book with new information on the threat of government surveillance; the policies that led up to and stemmed from the 2008 financial crisis; corruption in Washington; and the unsustainable welfare state. The Libertarian Mind is the ultimate resource for the current, burgeoning libertarian movement.
About the Author
David Boaz is executive vice president of the Cato Institute. He is the author of andlt;iandgt;Libertarianism: A Primerandlt;/iandgt; (an updated edition to be released in 2015 called andlt;iandgt;The Libertarian Mindandlt;/iandgt;),andlt;iandgt; andlt;/iandgt;and his articles have appeared in andlt;iandgt;The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post,andlt;/iandgt; and the andlt;iandgt;Los Angeles Times.andlt;/iandgt; He lives in the Washington, DC, area.