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The Best Libertarian Books of the Decade

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Andrew Cain Posted: Fri, Jan 1 2010 11:39 AM

An interesting article by David Gordon concerning the best libertarian books of the decade.

What do people think? Here

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bearing01 replied on Fri, Jan 1 2010 12:03 PM

The only book I've read on that list is Meltdown.

I think the book that should be #1 on that list, that isn't there at all, is Rothbard's "For a New Liberty".

I also liked "The Market for Liberty" by Tannehill

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scineram replied on Fri, Jan 1 2010 12:08 PM

Where is Radicals for Capitalism?

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bearing01:

The only book I've read on that list is Meltdown.

I think the book that should be #1 on that list, that isn't there at all, is Rothbard's "For a New Liberty".

I also liked "The Market for Liberty" by Tannehill

But those aren't written last decade...

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Its a damn shame there are no libertarian novels that have come out in like the last 20 years.... And I think Ron Paul's stuff should be higher up there.

"Lo! I am weary of my wisdom, like the bee that hath gathered too much honey; I need hands outstretched to take it." -Thus Spake Zarathustra
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I've read 6 of them ("The Revolution", "Meltdown","Against Leviathan", "Democracy: The God that Failed", "The Political Incorrect Guide to Capitalism", "Rothbard vs The Philosophers").

I tend to disagree with Gordon, however. The Political Incorrect Guide to Capitalism is a good introduction, but I wouldn't consider it 'on o the best'. Rothbard vs The Philosophers was a good laugh, but doesn't improve libertarianscholarship that much. Meltdown gives a good insight in the financial crisis, but I don't know if it really qualifies as libertarian (even though the author is one). The revolution was a political manifesto; I'm not sure If I would qualify that one either. Against Leviathan is a really good book and could, indeed, qualify.

Democracy is a good book and possibly could qualify, although I disagree with the immigration point of view. I can't speak over the ones I didn't read, but the 'Norms of Liberty' and 'Elements of Justice' ones are books that many people hold in high regard: I'm looking forward in reading them.

I'm not an expert on all the books published the last decade (I tend not to give much attention to the original date of publication), but 'In Defense of Global Capitalism', 'Anarchy and the Law', 'The Voluntary City", "A Life of One's Own", "Time and Money" and some others definitly deserve praise.

There should be a list somewhere of all the classical liberal-libertarian books published the last decade, so it would be easier to select. :p

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