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Toward a Libertarian Society

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Toward a Libertarian Society

by Block, Walter
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An account of libertarianism from a leader in libertarian thought.
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Walter Block has for decades been one of the most effective and indefatigable defenders of libertarianism. One feature in his writing stands out, from his classic Defending the Undefendable to the present. He consistently applies the principles of libertarianism to every situation in a bold and original way. Readers of Toward a Libertarian Society, a collection of his articles from lewrockwell.com, will find this feature abundantly on display.

Block believes that libertarianism has three components: foreign policy, economic policy, and policies on personal liberties. He devotes a separate part of the book to each of these components.

In foreign affairs, Block is a resolute non-interventionist. He is an anarchist who rejects the state altogether; but, so long as a state exists, it should confine its foreign policy to defense against invasion. Doing so is in line with the tradition of Washington and John Quincy Adams. In our own day, Ron Paul has been the foremost champion of non-intervention; and Paul has few, if any, more ardent advocates than Walter Block.

In economic policy, Block defends the free market against all types of interference. One issue especially concerns him: the activities of labor unions. Against union advocates, Block emphasizes that wages depend on workers’ marginal productivity. Block is equally decisive in macroeconomics. He calls for the total abolition of the Fed.

Block, never one to avoid controversy, argues that much in the contemporary feminist movement is antithetical to libertarianism. Readers will learn his views about abortion, stem-cell research, and punishment theory. He is a firm advocate of the possibility and desirability of political secession.

Reading Toward a Libertarian Society is the equivalent of a college course in libertarianism, taught by a master teacher.

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Contents

Preface

Introduction

I. Foreign Policy

1. Libertarian Warmongers: A Contradiction in Terms

2. Bloodthirsty “Libertarians”: Why Warmongers Can’t Be Pro-Liberty

3. Thirteenth Floors

4. Let’s Go Commie, Well, Kerry

5. Kill ’Em All: Let’s All Turn Libertarian Warmonger

6. Let the South Go: St. Abraham’s War and Current Foreign Policy

II. Economics

A. Microeconomics

7. Market vs. State: It Is the Overriding Distinction in Economics and Politics

8. What Do Boxing and Business Schools Have in Common?: The Problem of Ratings

9. The Motor Vehicle Bureau; Confronting It

10. Want To Help the Poor and Oppressed? Encourage Laissez-Faire Capitalism, You Bleeding-Heart Liberal, You

11. Want To Cure Poverty? Get the Government Out of the Market

12. Airport Insecurity

B. Macroeconomics

13. Keep the Penny, Toss the Fed: On the Criminals Who Killed This Once-Useful Coin

14. Private Enterprise and the Fed; What Should Be the Relationship?

C. Environmental Economics

15. Heroic Hunt Farms

16. Me and Hurricane Ivan: Thanks A Lot, Government

17. Me and Katrina: Weather Socialism

18. Clean, Cool Private Water: Government Water Means Trouble

D. Labor Economics

19. The Evil of Unions; In the Public As Well As the Private Sector

20. Is There a Right To Unionize? It All Depends

21. In Defense of Scabs; The Limited Justification for Trade Unions

22. The Yellow Dog Contract; Bring Back This Heroic Institution

23. Stop Whining About Jobs; It’s Production That Counts

III. Personal Liberties

A. Feminism

24. Four Firemen Die in Socialist Fire; Worse, Two of Them Were Woman

25. Arm the Coeds

26. Don’t Take Your Daughter To Work and Other Un-PC Thoughts

27. Feminist Sports Fraud; High School Boys Are Better Than The Top Women Athletes

28. Term Limits Hurt Female Politicians; A Silver Lining

B. Drugs

29. Second Thoughts on Drug Legalization: It Means More Loot For the State

30. The Libertarian Case For Drug Prohibition

C. Charity

31. Celebrities Engaged in Legalized Theft

32. Don’t Donate To the Red Cross

33. Social Justice; A Scary Concept

D. Medical

34. Stem Cells: A Libertarian Compromise?

35. Dr. Government; The Bureaucrat With the Stethoscope

IV. Libertarian Theory

A. The Basic Premises

36. Turning Their Coats For the State

37. The Libertarian Axiom and Jonah Goldberg, Neo-Con

38. Compassionate Conservatism

39. Ideas Rule; For Good or Ill: The Importance of Ideology

40. Sex, Drugs, & Rock ‘n’ Roll; and Libertarianism

B. Secession

41. If at First You Don’t Secede, Try, Try Again

42. Secession and Slavery

C. Punishment Theory

43. The Death Penalty

44. A Silving Lining in Unjust Executions?

D. Politics

45. Term Limits Make Me Sick; A Hoppean Analysis

46. Federalism: Is It Libertarian?

Thanks, Mr. Libertarian

Index

ISBN 9781610165952
eISBN 9781610166294
UPC 1610165950
Publisher Mises Institute
Publication Date 5/1/2014
Binding PB
Page Length 220
Dimensions 6x9

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