Tens of millions of Americans, from
Generation X-ers to baby boomers and beyond, are
rediscovering libertarianism, a visionary alternative
to the tired party orthodoxies of left and right. In
1995 a Gallup poll found that 52 percent of Americans
said "the federal government has become so large
and powerful that it poses a threat to the rights and
freedoms of ordinary citizens." Later that year,
The Wall Street Journal concurred,
saying: "Because of their growing disdain for
government, more and more Americans appear to be
drifting—often unwittingly—toward a
libertarian philosophy."
Libertarianism
is hardly new, but its framework for liberty under
law and economic progress makes it especially suited
for the dynamic new era we are now entering. In the
United States, the bureaucratic leviathan is newly
threatened by a resurgence of the libertarian ideas
upon which the country was founded. We are witnessing
a breakdown of all the cherished beliefs of the
welfare-warfare state. Americans have seen the
failure of big government. Now, in the 1990s, we are
ready to apply the lessons of this century to make
the next one the century not of the state but of the
free individual.
David Boaz
presents the essential guidebook to the libertarian
perspective, detailing its roots, central tenets,
solutions to contemporary policy dilemmas, and future
in American politics. He confronts head-on the tough
questions frequently posed to libertarians: What
about inequality? Who protects the environment? What
ties people together if they are essentially self
interested? A concluding section, "Are you a
Libertarian?" gives readers a chance to explore
the substance of their own beliefs. Libertarianism
is must reading for understanding one of the most
exciting and hopeful movements of our time.
Libertarianism
is published by the Free Press, a division of Simon
& Schuster, and is available at most bookstores.
