283: Socialism: An Economic and Sociological Analysis by Ludwig von Mises

(During the month of September I'm recommending conservative titles with which every well-read progressive should be familiar.)

Socialism: An Economic and Sociological Analysis

Liberals and conservatives often have profoundly different understandings of the same concepts. However, each seems oddly unaware of those differences. If you want to understand why conservatives and liberals are down on socialism, and why they invoke the concept so much, read this book.

Why this is libertarian/conservative: Possibly the most influential economist and thinker for the free-market Libertarians. You can't really understand Libertarian economic arguments without understanding Mises.

Buy the Kindle version: Socialism: An Economic and Sociological Analysis



You can find a free version here.

288: The Revolution: A Manifesto by Ron Paul

(During the month of September I'm recommending conservative titles with which every well-read progressive should be familiar.)

The Revolution: A Manifesto

You hear about him, and it seems like everyone has an opinion, but how many have actually read his work? This book by Congressman Ron Paul lays out his libertarian vision for governance. While you may not agree with every point Paul makes, at least he's laying out an argument he'll stand by. No politician is perfectly principled, but Paul seems to stick by his principles more than most. Want to know what those principles are? Read The Revolution: A Manifesto.

Why this is libertarian/conservative: Paul consistently ranks high in Republican straw polls, and has a cadre of dedicated followers. He is probably the highest profile Libertarian in the US.

Buy the Kindle version: The Revolution: A Manifesto

297: The Road to Serfdom by F. A. Hayek

(During the month of September I'm recommending conservative titles with which every well-read progressive should be familiar.)

The Road to Serfdom: Text and Documents--The Definitive Edition (The Collected Works of F. A. Hayek, Volume 2)

The Road to Serfdom attempts to explain the rise of totalitarianism in European countries prior to WWII. For Hayek the answer could be found in the increasingly large role government played in the economy. The sort of centralized planning popular in Socialism and Communism would inevitably lead to totalitarianism, Hayek warned.

Why this is libertarian/conservative: This is one of the canonical texts shaping modern Libertarianism. Hayek makes the case for free markets and against central planning, and Socialism. Many contemporary Libertarian arguments are rooted in Hayek's argument, though often distorted. Hayek is a lot smarter than many of his followers, and, whether you agree with Hayek or not, you should make yourself familiar with the arguments set out in this book.

Buy the Kindle version: The Road to Serfdom

298: Capitalism and Freedom by Milton Friedman

(During the month of September I'm recommending conservative titles with which every well-read progressive should be familiar.)

Capitalism and Freedom

Thank PBS for Milton Friedman's outsized influence in modern politics. Friedman was a Nobel-prize winning economist notable for his advocacy of free markets and limited government interference. After winning the Nobel in 1976 Friedman co-created a 10-part series titled Free to Choose. He also served as an unofficial adviser to candidate Ronald Reagan and then served on Ronald Reagan's President's Economic Policy Advisory Board throughout the Reagan administration. Free to Choose aired repeatedly on PBS channels through the 1980s, creating a whole generation of fans.

Why this is libertarian/conservative: Friedman's work is one of the fundamental pillars of modern Libertarian economic thought. The idea that regulations are hurting businesses, that a free market can handle most economic problems, that the Federal Reserve hurts our economic interests, and that school vouchers are a panacea for our public education system can all be traced back to Friedman. If you're not familiar with Friedman, then you're not familiar with the arguments being echoed by today's Libertarian-influenced Republicans.



You can find the Free to Choose series in multiple places online. Here, for example.

345: Anarchy, State, and Utopia

Anarchy, State, and Utopia by Robert Nozick

Perhaps this book should have gone into the collection I've assembled for Conservative Month, or maybe I should have put together a collection for Libertarian month. Regardless, this book is important for progressives to understand, so they can better understand the arguments of Libertarians who argue for a smaller government.

This is a perfect companion piece to the more progressive A Theory of Justice by John Rawls.

In this well-argued, though somewhat dense, work of political philosophy, Nozick concludes that the government that governs least governs best. (While Nozick is in favor of small government, he does not support the anarchist dream of no government.)

There are many points where liberal political philosophy and libertarian political philosophy overlap, and many places in this book where liberals and progressives will find themselves nodding their heads in agreement.

However, progressives respond that Nozick is naive, ahistorical, and somewhat cold-hearted when it comes to human suffering.

A common adage among Libertarians is that a government big enough to give you anything you want is a government big enough to take away everything you have.

The progressive response is that a corporation big enough to give you anything you want is a corporation big enough to take away everything you have. To avoid corporate control of the political system it is essential that the government be larger than the corporation. This can happen either by having big business and big government, or by having small businesses and small government. When corporations are more powerful than the government then it become easy for them to take the reigns of government out of the hands of the people.

Note that Nozick eventually backed away from some of the arguments he made in this book:

"The libertarian position I once propounded," Nozick wrote in an essay published in the late '80s, "now seems to me seriously inadequate."

Why this is progressive/liberal: It isn't, but it's an important argument for progressives to understand.

BUY THIS BOOK

Buy the Kindle version of this book: Anarchy, State, And Utopia