Brief introduction and hello!
Decided to finally register here to hopefully take part in some enlightening discussions and broaden my knowledge about a variety of subjects.
I'm relatively new to Austrian economics, libertarianism and the like but I find that lately I've become more and more drawn into the philosophies and histories therein. I haven't always been very interested in politics, and back in high school I think I went to maybe 2 classes out of a whole semester of economics... so needless to say, economics didn't really interest me all that much either.
A few years after getting out of high school, however, I really started taking an interest in politics. I started paying attention to political news, exercising my right to vote (not that it seems to do much good, typically), doing a bit of leisurely research, reading more political oriented literature, and participating in political discussions on forums and such over the internet. As it turns out, I suppose I've always been something of a closet-libertarian, even before I really knew what a libertarian was, despite the fact that I'm a registered republican. Along with all of this, in the last Presidential election, Ron Paul caught my attention big time and I eventually wound up here at Mises.org, reading articles and blogs, listening to audio lectures and ultimately becoming enamored with Austrian economics, and free market capitalism... all the while doing my damnedest to debate with liberals/socialists
So yeah, I guess that's about it. Anyway, currently reading Ron Paul's Revolution: A Manifesto, and wondering what might be some good literature to bring a newbie up to par in terms of Austrian economics/free market capitalism. I've taken a particular liking to Thomas E. Woods Jr. from the audio lectures I've heard thus far, so I have something of a start I suppose. But any direction or suggestions from here would be much appreciated.
Love the site by the way... very easy to navigate, and aesthetically appealing with tons of great content.
Welcome, I hope your "mises education" continues fruitfully into the future.
I like your avatar, by the way, there's a brilliant section in that (comic) book about spontaneous order, which V calls "ordnung" (german for order, which, strangely given its usage here, has strong connotations to do with the Obrigkeitsstaat i.e. the authoritarian state in Germany since German unification under Bismarck and the Wilhelms)
The difference between libertarianism and socialism is that libertarians will tolerate the existence of a socialist community, but socialists can't tolerate a libertarian community.
Cabal: I've taken a particular liking to Thomas E. Woods Jr. from the audio lectures I've heard thus far, so I have something of a start I suppose. But any direction or suggestions from here would be much appreciated.
I started off with Thomas Woods too. He is a good historian. Top three I think. The first being Ralph Raico and the second being Joseph Stromberg.
I would say when you are done with Woods, move onto Raico's lectures on the history of liberty.
They can be found here.
'Men do not change, they unmask themselves' - Germaine de Stael
Awesome, thanks Laughing Man, I'll be sure to check it out for sure.
Hey Cabal, welcome.
Cabal:currently reading Ron Paul's Revolution: A Manifesto, and wondering what might be some good literature to bring a newbie up to par in terms of Austrian economics/free market capitalism. I've taken a particular liking to Thomas E. Woods Jr. from the audio lectures I've heard thus far, so I have something of a start I suppose.
For money I'd recommend, "What Has Government Done to Our Money?" then it really depends on what aspects / areas you want to learn more about.
Political philosophy I am guessing?
For that I would recommend For a New Liberty and Ethics of Liberty.
Conza88: Hey Cabal, welcome. Cabal:currently reading Ron Paul's Revolution: A Manifesto, and wondering what might be some good literature to bring a newbie up to par in terms of Austrian economics/free market capitalism. I've taken a particular liking to Thomas E. Woods Jr. from the audio lectures I've heard thus far, so I have something of a start I suppose. For money I'd recommend, "What Has Government Done to Our Money?" then it really depends on what aspects / areas you want to learn more about. Political philosophy I am guessing? For that I would recommend For a New Liberty and Ethics of Liberty.
Great, thanks for the suggestions, I'll check them out.
Cabal:what might be some good literature to bring a newbie up to par in terms of Austrian economics/free market capitalism.
Someone else suggested Rothbard's What Has Government Done to Our Money? as a good text. I concur.
I'd also recommend Bastiat's Economic Fallacies (also called Economic Sophisms) which can be found here. He wasn't an "austrian" since he predated the Austrian school by about half a century, but he's definitely libertarian old guard.
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David Z
"The issue is always the same, the government or the market. There is no third solution."
David Z:I'd also recommend Bastiat's Economic Fallacies (also called Economic Sophisms) which can be found here. He wasn't an "austrian" since he predated the Austrian school by about half a century, but he's definitely libertarian old guard.
Bastiat is just great, and there's an anti-Austrian stigma, even among libertarians, which doesn't hold towards Bastiat and other 19th century french liberals -- useful for suggesting reading.