The Libertarian Reader

by David Boaz (Editor), Thomas Paine, Adam Smith

: Classic & Contemporary Writings from Lao-Tzu to Milton Friedman. Gathers the writers and works that represent the building blocks of libertarianism, including Thomas Paine, John Stuart Mill, Ayn Rand, Milton Friedman, and John Perry Barlow.

Genres: Politics, Philosophy, Economics, Nonfiction, History, Political Science, Reference

480 pages, Hardcover

First published January 15, 1997

Reviews

[Angel]

I am not rating it low because it was a bad book. I am glad to have read through it because it gave me some exposure to ideas I do not often get exposed to. These days, it is very hard to tell apart conservatives, libertarians, classical liberals, and other labels. If you want to get a good sampling of what it is to be libertarian and what readings and authors helped to create and influence libertarianism, then this is a good primer to go. It contains a selection of short pieces by writers including but not limited to Friedman, Locke, Paine, von Mises, and Mencken. So, there are the authors you would expect, but there are also some you may not think of as libertarians right away. The book is organized by themes, which I think may help some readers find what they may be really interested in, say "individual rights" (part 3) or "free markets and voluntary order" (part 5). I would say this is a book to pick up, read a bit here, another bit there. It is not really a book to read cover to cover. Some of the essays can be a bit dry and the prose a bit thick. So, take it small doses, and as a reader, that was why I gave it the two stars. This is not a book that will take off when you get to it. But, with an open mind and going a little at a time, you may learn a thing or two. If you want exposure to the ideas, but you don't want to go find the full works of these authors and thinkers, this is the book for you. However, if you do feel encouraged to read more from these authors and thinkers, that can only be a good thing. I think this, along with similar books on other political ideas, belongs in every library, especially public libraries and then academic libraries.

[Michael Scott]

This book offers a foundation overview of Libertarian philosophy. This is your "go-to" book if you're seeking to expand your knowledge of individualism, free markets and other ideas that Libertarians espouse.

[Rsoeffker]

Absolutely nothing bad to say about the book. Short writings from people who are smarter than you. High re-readability!

[Bryant]

This book is, simply put, nothing less than brilliant. Both easily accessible for those unfamiliar with the philosophical foundations of liberty and comprehensive enough to satisfy more experienced readers, this volume of essays and selections covers a host of critical topics such as spontaneous order and individual rights. Many of the authors are those one might expect to see, such as Milton Friedman, Frederick Hayek, and John Locke, but I was particularly surprised to discover brief selections from Lao-Tzu and the Bible. Though no one book could possibly cover the entire depth and breadth of libertarian thought, The Libertarian Reader is a commendable effort. I highly recommend it- 5/5.

[David Robins]

A thorough overview of libertarian thought and development; I will be adding books written by many of the essay writers to my reading list (notably Nozick's Anarchy, State, and Utopia). Herbert Spencer's essay "The Right to Ignore the State" was particularly inspiring; but in all, a great book for anyone curious about the traditions, philosophy, nature, and consequences of liberty.

[Jennifer Townsend]

Excellent selection of essays on Libertarianism, if perhaps a bit too focused on the market. Also surprising was the lack of any specific Ayn Rand essay, just the Playboy interview with her and an analysis on her views. Boaz's reasoning for not including any of her specific work seemed weak to me, and I hope in future editions he reconsiders.

[The Bookman]

A Very Valuable Source

Another must read for those exploring the libertarian school of thought, all the important names are mentioned or quoted, all the necessary books referred to.

[Ronaldparlato]

I have picked this book out of many, just to highlight the Cato Institute, a Libertarian think tank in Washington (www.cato.org). Cato is not, as many think, to the far right of the Far Right. On the contrary it holds many positions (free speech, civil liberties, privacy, anti-war) that are those of Liberals. Libertarian thought is based on two principles: 1) the absolute primacy of the individual; and 2) a limited role for government. This last is important for the misunderstanding it has generated. Cato believes that there many in fact be many roles for government; however, one must objectively demonstrate that they are the ONLY vehicle through which specified products and services can be delivered.

[Melissa]

I received this book as a Good Reads first read. I didn't read this cover to cover but I skimmed through and read many of the essays. It's a good mix of essays of varying length. Everything is short enough that you can get the point of the essay without being lost in the terminology or politics. There are works by Frederick Douglas and John Locke, an interview with Ayn Rand, a short section with ideas from Lao Tzu. You won't get weighed down with dry, heavy language. This book is designed to be easy to read and to get the point across while keeping your attention. Recommended.

[Armando Alves]

A great introduction to Libertarian thinking

From Adam Smith to Friedman, dozens of writings present the cornerstones of libertarianism: Life, Liberty and Property. Also useful are the recommended readings

[Randy L. Smith]

This book for me is an excellent reference with a thorough sample of all the libertarian thinkers over the centuries. I find reading 18th and 19th century writings difficult and therefore some essays are a chore. A bibliography and index would be advantageous.

[John]

i liked this at the time..

[Erik]

Still slogging my way through. More a collection of short essays all separated into chapters with a common theme. I'm trying to understand the past so I can figure out the future.

[Jeffrey]

Sweet Book. It is actually a collection essays from clasical and contemporary thinkers on issues such as, markets, liberty and freedoms.

[Craig Bolton]

The Libertarian Reader: Classic and Contemporary Writings from Lao Tzu to Milton Friedman by David Boaz (1998)

[Ambrose Miles]

Apparently politics is not one of my strong suits. I slogged along trying to stay interested and awake. Lots of good stuff here for someone else.

[Kevin J. Rogers]

It took me a while to work through this one, thanks to a side trip through the thicket of our healthcare system. Dealing with the administrative end of things during my personal crisis took up the time I would normally spend reading for pleasure. But we finally got through to the end.

As a collection, this is a fine and well-considered volume. If you're looking for a thorough primer on libertarian thought (or at least what passed for it before the corruption of the Libertarian Party), you can't go wrong here. The roots of American libertarianism are fully explored.

But ultimately, it all got a bit repetitious. The problem may be with the thought itself; it kind of felt like intellectual plainsong by the end.

Which is fine as far as it goes. After all, one of the strengths of libertarianism is its fidelity, at least among its principled adherents, to a single socio-cultural principle. It should come as no surprise to have that principle return over and over again. And admittedly, thanks to the insistent reinforcement, by halfway through you've either gotten the point, or you're never going to.

(Full disclosure: I was a card-carrying member of the Libertarian Party for many years, until coming to the conclusion I'm actually a Whig at heart. I left the LP in 2012 or so.)

That doesn't mean you shouldn't read to the end, though. Despite the single focus, there is still a wealth of good thinking here, and a lot of the arguments made throughout the anthology may be more important to consider now than ever. At a time when the raw thirst for power is so nakedly pronounced, keeping liberty at the front of mind can only help.

For that reason, I recommend this book. There is much to dispute with it, and with libertarianism specifically, in my opinion. But engaging with these themes is crucial if we are to preserve our liberty, even as our understanding of what liberty means may differ. That alone makes this offering worth the time.

[mark propp]

i only read about 1/3 of this - even that might be a little generous.

i am not an intellectual, not all that bright (but a little above avg maybe), and i found most of the essays to be a bit of a slog.

i think it's better if i let someone explain hayek to me, rather than going right to the source.

if you're a smarty-pants, you may get a lot out of this.

myself? i'm glad i checked this out of the library rather than buying it as i'd planned, cuz i found this exhausting and humiliating.

i'll still give it a 4 as i'm sure that's what it deserves, but it's way out of my league.

[Pranjal Awasthi]

One of the most approachable and comprehensive introductions to the core tenets of libertarianism and liberal political philosophy in general. Highly recommend it for anyone interested in how capitalism works, how centralized planning does not make sense and the fundamental arguments in favor of free markets both economically and sociologically. Of notable mention - Adam Smith's essays on the man of system, Fredric Bastiat's candlemakers petition and everything by Hayek.

[Chad]

A perfect introduction to the main themes, writings, and thinkers in the libertarian tradition. Given the year it was put together, this book badly needs a new edition in light of recent historical events.

[Stilgar]

Good overview of libertarian thought. Not terribly exciting though. As non-native speaker I had trouble with some of the earlier writers who use old English and strange expressions

[Gerry]

A rather motley crew with varying quality contributions and a spectrum of understandings of what libertarian ism is.

[Roger James Delavera]

Loved this. I read this after Libertarianism, and it clarified many of the questions I had (in particular, economic calculations). Recommended

[Aaron Makepeace]

An absolutely sublime collection of essays outlining Libertarian principles and their foundations.

If you want a broad introduction to libertarianism, this would be a great place to start.

[Joe]

Excellent compilation of classical liberal writings.

[Steve. g]

A Great collection of essays and writings on liberty, and things like that...

[Anna]

read a few selections from this book for Philosophy, Politics, and Economics