Libertarianism: A Primer

In Libertarianism: A Primer, David Boaz presents the basics of this philosophy of freedom in clear, understandable, and compelling language. I recently read that over 600 Libertarians are now serving in elected office across the country, a fact that speaks powerfully of the disgust Americans increasingly feel with Big Brother in Washington. Read this book as an education in the liberties this country used to have, what has been taken away from us by both Democrats and Republicans, and what we can have again if we motivate ourselves to action.

How refreshing! A political philosophy that puts its faith in the ability of people to accomplish things without the oversight of some gargantuan government. Boaz does a wonderful job of laying out the basic ideas of Libertarianism without getting at all technical. Libertarianism espouses the freedom of the individual, harkening back to the bedrock philosophy of this country's founders. Boaz describes Republicans as your father - always telling you what to do because he knows best; and Democrats as your mother - wiping your nose and trying to do everything for you because you can't handle it. Libertarians, says Boaz, want to treat you as an adult. Perhaps the best thing about this book is that it gives you a different perspective from which to look at today's most contentious issues. What you discover is that we assume a whole lot that we shouldn't - frequently what we assume in an argument about how the Government should handle something is that they should be handling it in the first place! Boaz and Libertarians argue that in all but a tiny handful of instances the answer is absolutely not. Highly recommended for anyone who is frustrated with the current system and is looking for a more satisfying alternative, or for anyone who just wants another perspective on our system.

I was quite fed up with America's two party system, and the anti-American machine that went along with disagreeing with its politics. I was tired of seeing a trend of big government destroy the voice of the individual. I was sick of seeing the mob rule of democracy decide who would rule us for the next term. I knew what I believed but wanted a name for it. I've since found this name in many theories, one such theory is Libertarianism. David Boaz writes with phenomenal clarity on the basics and in depth look at what it means to be a libertarian. He takes many questions that might be asked in our two party system and applies them to libertarianism, and shows how libertarians would handle those questions. If you are looking for a new name to what you believe, and/or if you're a student of government I recommend this book.

As an introduction to libertarianism, David Boaz's "Libertarianism: A Primer" is often compared with Charles Murray's "What It Means to Be a Libertarian" which also came out in 1997. They are both excellent, but completely different in style and approach. Where Murray's book is "a personal interpretation," David Boaz ranges widely, with lots of references to the many contributors to libertarian thought. Murray's book is more concise and a quicker read, but Boaz packs in a lot more material, making a more overwhelming argument. Both are modern explanations of libertarianism, with refined arguments benefiting from the experience and academic developments of recent years.For someone completely new to libertarianism looking to get started, I would recommend Murray's book first, then David Boaz's Primer, and finally Boaz's Libertarian Reader.

Boaz effectively combines historical and current events with principles of economics and law to present a thorough, air-tight case for libertarianism. In his book, Boaz takes us through the evolution of libertarianism, discusses the libertarian virtues of individualism, limited government, free markets, spontaneous order, etc., and applies them to contemporary issues -- social security, education, racism, poverty, etc. Boaz proves overwhelmingly that the libertarian beliefs of freedom and individualism are the way to go in the next century. A must read for anyone interested in politics, philosophy and economics.