Guest post by Stephan Kinsella. Originally published at LewRockwell.com, January 20th, 2004. Butler Shaffer’s recent LRC article, What is Anarchy?, prompted discussion on the Reason blog and inspired me to set down a few ideas I’ve also had along these lines. Libertarian opponents of anarchy are attacking a straw man. Their arguments are usually utilitarian…
Tag: libertarian
Chapter 16 – Agorist Living
Table of ContentsPrevious – Section Three – Chapter 15 – “Why Socialism Must Fail” by Hans-Hermann Hoppe 16 Agorist Living by Nicholas Hooton The idea of joining the Libertarian Party tempted me years ago when I first discovered libertarian philosophy, as I’m sure it has tempted many before and since. The Party website stared me…
Chapter 12 – What is the Free Market?
Table of ContentsPrevious – Section Three – Chapter 11 – “I, Pencil” by Leonard E. Read 12 What is the Free Market? by Murray N. Rothbard The Free Market is a summary term for an array of exchanges that take place in society. Each exchange is undertaken as a voluntary agreement between two people or…
Chapter 3 – Fundamentals of Voluntaryism
Table of ContentsPrevious – Section One – Chapter 2, “Coercivists and Voluntarists” by Donald J. Boudreaux 3 Fundamentals of Voluntaryism by Carl Watner Voluntaryism is the doctrine that relations among people should be by mutual consent, or not at all. It represents a means, an end, and an insight. Voluntaryism does not argue for the…
Chapter 9 – For Conscience’s Sake
Table of ContentsPrevious – Section Two – Chapter 8 – “The Historical Origins of Voluntaryism” by James Luther Adams 9 For Conscience’s Sake by Carl Watner George Smith, in his essay “Philosophies of Toleration,’’ reviews the history of freedom of religion and identifies the moral axiom of “righteous persecution,” which has been part of most…
Chapter 4 – The Anatomy of the State
Table of Contents Previous – Section One – Chapter 3, “Fundamentals of Voluntaryism” by Carl Watner 4 The Anatomy of the State by Murray N. Rothbard What the State Is Not The State is almost universally considered an institution of social service. Some theorists venerate the State as the apotheosis of society; others regard it…
Everything Voluntary – Introduction
Table of ContentsPrevious – Preface Introduction by Skyler J. Collins, Editor The mainstream political, education, and parenting philosophies all have one thing in common: promoting the domination of one group of people over another. In politics, this is the ruling class, ie. the politicians and bureaucrats, over the ruled. In education and parenting, this is…
Chapter 2 – Coercivists and Voluntarists
Table of ContentsPrevious – Section One – Chapter 1, “Persuasion versus Force” by Mark & Jo Ann Skousen 2 Coercivists and Voluntarists by Donald J. Boudreaux Categorizing a political position according to some simple left-right scale of values leaves something to be desired. Political views cover such a wide variety of issues that it is…
Chapter 1 – Persuasion versus Force
Table of ContentsPrevious – Introduction 1 Persuasion versus Force by Mark Skousen & Jo Ann Skousen Sometimes a single book or even a short cogent essay can change an individual’s entire outlook on life. For Christians, it is the New Testament. For radical socialists, Karl Marx’ and Friedrich Engels’ The Communist Manifesto is revolutionary. For…
Everything Voluntary – Preface
Table of ContentsPrevious – Foreword Preface If I may take a personal route, this book is the culmination of the last 7 years of my academic life. It’s been quite the intellectual journey. I’ve evolved from a progressive liberal to a free-market conservative to a laissez faire libertarian, and finally, a voluntaryist (or voluntarist). Of…