III. The Free Market

What Is the “Free Market”?

Why Is This Relevant?

One might ask why I regard the free market, which appears to be merely an economic concept, to be relevant to a discussion of the state, which at first blush could be conceived of as a purely a political concept.

IV. Myths Justifying the Need for the State

If the above commentary about the state and the free market is true, then why does the state exist? This is a complex question, the answer to which has several aspects to it.

V. Busting the Myths about Libertarianism

Statists are very quick to dismiss libertarianism, but few statists, if any, spend much time studying libertarian ideas in depth. It seems odd that, even when presented with the opportunity to take a fresh look at the question of the state versus the individual, a statist wouldn’t first explore libertarian ideas before reaching a definitive conclusion. It’s almost as if the statist is afraid of what he might discover.

VI. Why Does It Matter?

Why is it even worth discussing libertarianism vs. statism? What is the point of debating political philosophies?

Minimizing Conflict within Society

Ultimately, political philosophy is about searching for the most just way to govern society. That seems to be a worthy end. As noted earlier, all conflicts in society are conflicts over scarce resources, whether human bodies or physical objects. We should all be interested in defining some acceptable, peaceful standard to govern human behavior with respect to such conflicts.

VII. Conclusion

The very nature of the state means that it is morally and efficaciously untenable, and it is only a matter of time before the state collapses on itself as it confronts reality. The libertarian views the process of moving to a stateless society like riding on a train from where we are now to where we want to be. Sometimes the train will be traveling faster, and sometimes slower; sometimes in a more circuitous route, and sometimes more directly. The libertarian’s key tasks are to try to accelerate the velocity and increase the directness of this train.

Afterword: A Personal Perspective

My conversion to libertarianism took place over the last few years. I began as a constitutional conservative, but my quest for intellectual consistency and a universal principle of justice wouldn’t let me rest there.

Reading Guide

I have set out below (in publication date order) a list of the books that I have read on philosophy, economics, history, and other subjects which provided me with the intellectual foundation to write this book.1

Rothbard
A to Z

Compiled by
Edward W. Fuller

Edited by
David Gordon