Defending the Undefendable

Walter Block, or "Doc Block", as I like to call him, provides a solid and refreshing application of the most basic laws of freedom to areas previously avoided by those who claim to support it. What Block does that makes this book unique is exactly what he purports to do in the description. He teaches the lessons of liberty by analyzing the actions of those who are supposedly less worthy of defense. And he does it with a flair that makes the book not just entertaining, but also thought-provoking. Whoever thought an analysis of liberty could be entertaining! Maybe more importantly, the lessons that Doc Block provides for one scapegoat flow smoothly and inexorably to the next. In fact, that's the real treasure of these analyses. The lesson(s) for each new "rogue" is exactly the same as it was for the last one, even though it might initially seem like the cases are vastly different. Lucky for us slow-learners, Block teaches the same lesson over and over again. By the time you hear it applied to such a wide spectrum of (ostensibly) illicit activity, you begin to "get it" relative to not only why freedom is so vital, but why it must be treasured, for all, even the scapegoats. This book should be required reading for anyone looking to understand what liberty is actually all about.

Another very good introduction to economics. The chapter titled "The (Non-Government) Counterfeiter" does a great job of explaning inflation, perhaps the most important topic and evil that the masses have no understanding of. Another one of my favorites was "The Middleman" where Dr. Block does a great job of talking about the importance of "knowledge" and how the middle men are what help spread this knowledge via the price system. Those two chapter alone make the book worth its price.

This book is famous for the favorable treatments given to pimps, drug addicts, litterers, counterfeiters, and the like. Those chapters are certainly worthwhile, but for me the best parts were the clear, concise explanations of why people like the often-vilified "slumlord" and "ghetto merchant" -- who charge high prices for low quality in the inner city -- are actually worthy of praise. The simple economic ideas so clearly explained here are essential for anyone who believes in free markets to understand.

I was expecting a standard Rothbardian treatment of vices and I was shocked at this short, easily read book. I bought it in San Francisco, CA, and was finished with it by the time I stepped onto Illinoisian soil. The arguments are straight Mises - amazingly simple, yet profound. It's hard to explain how such simplicity can be found in each chapter. If you are unconvinced, just read any chapter (many are only two pages long) - concerning the miser, the corrupt cop, the pimp, and the advertiser. This isn't Rothbardian in that Murray Rothbard will argue down to the very philosophic principles to prove his point. As an analogy, you don't need to know the quantum mechanics [Rothbard] of the transistors (semiconductors) to know the functions [Block] of your computer. Sorta.

Although many would describe this book as a "hardcore" or "radical" account of libertarian principles, there is nothing in the book that should be shocking or new to any consistent libertarian. Its main virtue is in its consistent and often even amusing application of basic libertarian concepts. I would say that anyone new to libertarianism should read this book, but if you are already acquanted with the standurd radical texts (Rothbard in particular) there is nothing very new here.