The Libertarian Mind: A Manifesto for Freedom by David Boaz (PDF)

Description

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.

User’s Reviews

Editorial Reviews: Review “The Libertarian Mind belongs in the canon with the writings of Nozick, Hayek, and Epstein. … Boaz’s manifesto for freedom presents as the contemporary gold standard of the libertarian creed.” ― Forbes”This is the most accessible book on libertarianism likely to be written—the best since Milton Friedman’s Free to Choose (1980). Boaz does not browbeat his readers. He avoids dudgeon. He writes brilliantly about American law,natural rights philosophy, and the history of freedom—so well, in fact, that his work ought to replace the ridiculouscivics textbooks in American secondary schools.” ― The Weekly Standard“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.” — Senator Rand Paul“The Libertarian Mind is so convincing critics will want to condemn it, regulate it, tax it, fleece it, and forbid it. Fortunately, good ideas haven’t been outlawed—yet.” — Peter Thiel, technology entrepreneur and investor, author of Zero to One“Back in the 1990s David Boaz published two of the very best books on freedom that I have ever read—Libertarianism: A Primer and The Libertarian Reader. 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. The Libertarian Mind is a brilliantly updated version of Libertarianism: A Primer that is very clearly written with quite reasonable and compelling arguments on behalf of human freedom. Boaz’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.” — John P. Mackey, Co-founder and Co-CEO, Whole Foods Market”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 law—spiced with just the right anecdotes—to bring alive a vital tradition of American political thought that deserves to be honored today in deed as well as in word.” — Richard A. Epstein, Professor of Law, New York University School of Law“David Boaz has been my guide to the history, economics, and politics of freedom for years.” — John Stossel“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.” — Jonathan Rauch, Senior Fellow, The Brookings Institution“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.” — P.J. O’Rourke About the Author David Boaz is executive vice president of the Cato Institute. He is the author of Libertarianism: A Primer (an updated edition to be released in 2015 called The Libertarian Mind),and his articles have appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and the Los Angeles Times. He lives in the Washington, DC, area. Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved. The Libertarian Mind Read more

Reviews from Amazon users which were colected at the time this book was published on the website:

⭐I am not a Libertarian. What I would like to do is better understand the libertarian mindset, but also explore at the foundation if Libertarianism is a rational, coherent and comprehensive political system of thought I can trust in.Years ago, I read ‘Atlas Shrugged’ by Ayn Rand. More recently, I began to learn about libertarianism by first reading ‘The Revolution’ by Ron Paul, then ‘Don’t Hurt People and Don’t Take Their Stuff’ by Matt Kibbe, and finally I just finished reading ‘The Libertarian Mind’ by David Boaz.I should note that at the same time I was finishing ‘The Libertarian Mind’ I was also reading ‘Strangers in Their Own Land’ by Arlie Russell Hochschild. This made for a very interesting compare and contrast as it relates to libertarian emphasis on decreased regulations and dislike of government and taxes.Here’s the thing, I approached all three libertarian books I mentioned above with an open mind and willing to be moved and persuaded. In the end, I have found there’s much I appreciate about Libertarianism as a political philosophy but it’s not a philosophy I am willing to put all my chips on the table for.Personally, I still believe in lean, solid government and that good governance is possible and normal. I don’t believe markets are ever really free, as they are highly manipulated. Reasonable taxes for public goods is still appropriate in my opinion. I still believe in the commons (Elinor Ostrom) and I still believe that the smallest individual unit in the kingdom of god- and evolutionary biology- is two, not one. Individuals matter, but not that much.Consistent with libertarian ethos, I encourage those interested to give the book a read. It’s readable, engaging, and covers a lot of ground. In Kibbe’s book, he spends a bit more time dishing on Obama and his biases come forth. In Boaz’ The Libertarian Mind, the writing is well thought out and presented rationally; there’s less noted bias.From here, I would like to read the Road to Serfdom and I am also likely to pick up ‘The Libertarian Reader’ by Boaz. As a political philosophy, I am on board with about 60% of Libertarianism. I am willing to keep reading and listening, but today, I am not completely sold.

⭐This is the first book on libertarianism I have ever picked up and read. While I was indeed already a libertarian beforehand, author David Boaz did an excellent job at giving me a greater appreciation for both the historical context and modern day applications of liberty. If you’re new to the concept of libertarianism as being a way of life, I recommend this book as a great starting point on your journey. What I think Boaz does best in this book is presenting everything on the basis of facts and statistics. All of his claims are backed up and make sense; it’s not just theory. My one complaint would be that at times, the book can feel a little dry. There are whole pages of the book where it just feels like Boaz is making citation after citation, quote after quote, with little elaboration in between. I am very happy with my overall experience with this book, and look forward to reading more libertarian texts in the future.

⭐It’s an amazing book on libertarianism not just from an economic standpoint, but philosophical and historical standpoint, and explains what libertarians believe on a lot of social issues. I think it’s a great starter guide for people wanting to understand libertarianism, or are libertarians themselves.

⭐What Boaz does here is bring down the tone when talking about libertarianism. We rarely hear anything but unqualified comments about libertarianism, lacking serious discussion of its implications. After reading this book, most people will at least agree they have some libertarian views. In an age where government officials’ actions are seen more nakedly than ever, The Libertarian Mind demonstrates to us that decentralization brings power to the people and can yield great prosperity.

⭐This book, so well written in a fashion that even a political dummy can understand, helped me to articulate intelligent arguments with my friends and family members regarding the Libertarian mindset. Reading this has helped solidify my decision to officially register as a Libertarian. It has also turned me on to further readings to continue my education. Excellent book.

⭐An excellent overall introduction to libertarian ideas. Despite what some folks might tell you, libertarian ideas are directly applicable to the complex issues that our society is facing. Boaz, while occasionally a little dry, does an excellent job of explaining libertarian ideas, their development through history and how they can be applied today in our Western society. Maybe you don’t agree with libertarianism for one reason or another. This book might or might not persuade you, but don’t rely on the oversimplified (and often strawman) arguments you may have heard against libertarianism. Read this book and find out what libertarian ideas actually are and how many libertarians would like to see them applied. If you’re already libertarian or leaning libertarian, read this book and get a secure footing in the ideas of liberty and human rights.

⭐As Libertarianism become more mainstream, anyone interested in American politics owes it to themselves to develop a working knowledge of the real thing rather than the cartoon versions floating around the media. Regardless of whether or not you accept libertarian ideas, at least make an effort to know what it is you embrace or reject.The Libertarian Mind is the best place to start. Cato is the acknowledged center of libertarianism in the US and David Boaz is one of, if not the, leading libertarian scholars writing today. If he cannot explain libertarianism, nobody can. He makes his case well and describes more of a philosophy than a party platform. Although the book may gain some converts to the libertarian cause, it’s greater value is that even readers who are less than fully convinced or who remain adamantly opposed, will at least be able to address their arguments to real libertarian ideals rather than the straw men too often put forward by those who do not understand or deliberately misrepresent libertarianism.

⭐Libertarianism is a horrid modern word for the classical liberalism that gave us the best of the modern world. The enemies of economic freedom stole the word “liberal” and so those of us who share Enlightenment values and Adam Smith’s economic analysis are reduced to using this ugly name. This is a good summary of our thought and calmly refutes the myths and lies propagated by those who want an ever greater state to facilitate their parasitism.

⭐Enlightening, really opens ones eyes to the flaw in the current system and potentially where the future lied

⭐A great and comprehensive introduction.

⭐Fantastic summary of Libertarianism, albeit from a fairly right and US viewpoint.

⭐Interesting introduction to american libertarian thought.

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