Radicals for Capitalism: A History of Libertarianism

Radicals for Capitalism, a fascinating look at the history of the uniquely American political philosophy of libertarianism, is a very rewarding book on the early days of the libertarian movement and some of its founding members and supporters. Brian Doherty does an excellent job of writing a compelling history of the libertarian movement.

For anyone interested in small government politics, this book is not only informative, but also entertaining. While most people captivated by the libertarian movement have only a cursory knowledge of its beginnings, reading this book will develop your knowledge in an interesting and informative way. Ayn Rand? Everyone has heard of her, but what about Isabel Paterson and Rose Wilder Lane? The three women can be said to have laid the roots of today’s libertarian movement.

All three published important works in 1943, predating Hayeks Road to Serfdom and other seminal libertarian works. Rands The Fountainhead, Lanes The Discovery of Freedom, and Patersons The God of the Machine were published in 1943 and gave rise to many important ideas in the libertarian movement. In explaining American exceptionalism, defending the greatness of the founding documents, and defending the importance of individual liberties, these women are of great importance to anyone interested in liberty and liberty. While the Paterson and Lanes books are difficult to find, they can be located with a little research. Leaving it up to the books would be a good place to start.

Ayn Rands books are available almost everywhere. Covering the known as FA Hayek and the lesser known but influential (within the movement) as Murray Rothbrand, this book has all the bases covered. The chapter “Goldwater, objectivist laughter and the hippies of the right” had some laughs. This book, which covers the Austrian School of Economics and the Chicago School, explains sometimes mundane and complex topics in an interesting and understandable way. Milton Freidman is well covered and is one of the most popular libertarians besides Ayn Rand.