Special Bibliographic Supplement (December 1971)

In this issue of The Abolitionist, we are happy to present two comprehensive bibliographies for those who would like to delve deeper into the questions of revisionist history of the Cold War period. The first has been specially prepared by Leonard P. Liggio, professor of history at City College, and has been designed to be of special interest to those who attended the New York Libertarian Convention of November 13-14 at Columbia University, and may desire to study further questions Professor Liggio raised at that time.

The second is a longer, more general, bibliography compiled by Walter E. Grinder, who teaches economics at Rutgers University. It too, was written in connection with the conference, but will serve as an excellant guide to anyone interested in further studying libertarianism.

by Leonard P. Liggio

Harry Elmer Barnes, ed., Perpetual War for Perpetual Peace, 1953. The outstanding collection of essays of the leading Old Right critics of New Deal Imperialism’s aggressive foreign policy, particularly regarding Japan.

Arthur Ekirch Jr., The Civilian and the Military, 1956. A description of the increasing militarization of American society.

Arthur Ekirch Jr., The Decline of American Liberalism, 1955. A most important study of the decline of freedom and growth of authority in America.

Arthur Ekirch Jr., ed., Voices in Dissent, an Anthology of Individualist Thought, 1964. A very good collection of critics of the American system.

D. F. Fleming, The Cold War and Its Origins, 1960. A basic although not complete history of the cold war.

Gabriel Kolko, The Politics of War, 1943-1945, 1969. A good analysis of America’s war time diplomacy, especially regarding the establishment of the New Deal’s world economic hegemony through international agencies and agreements.

Sidney Lens, The Futile Crusade: Anti-Communism as American Credo, 1964. Very useful analysis of how the Establishment plays off left and right to maintain its world objectives.

John Lukacs, A History of the Cold War, 1960. An interpretive approach which challenges the Establishment.

Charles C. Tansill, America Goes to War, 1938; Back Door to War, 1952. Studies of the background and causes for American intervention in two world wars by the dean of American diplomatic historians.

William Appleman Williams, The Tragedy of American Diplomacy, 1962. The finest single study of twentieth century American foreign policy.

by Walter E. Grinder

Libertarian Class Analysis

The State, by Franz Oppenheimer (London, 1923––reprint Arno Press 1971) The single most important class analysis theory work ever written. Makes the vital distinction between the only two possible means of gaining wealth: the “economic means” i.e., the peaceful production and exchange of goods and services, and the “political means” i.e., the plunder, looting and seizure of peaceful production and voluntary exchange. The “political means”, then, is the basis of all economic exploitation, both direct and indirect. Oppenheimer’s most important contribution is that the STATE is “the organization of the political means.” A great answer to the Marxists as well as to the more naive “pluralists.”

Our Enemy the State, by Albert Jay Nock (Caldwell Idaho, 1946––reprint Arno Press 1971) A brilliant application of the Oppenheimer class analysis to American history from the ideas and battles surrounding the unfortunate formation of the U.S. Constitution through the dreadful days of the New Deal. Nock, the erudite stalwart of the Old Right, combines Oppenheimer’s class analysis with the vision of Charles A. Beard to produce this masterpiece of political analysis and historical investigation. Nock’s work complements and might well be studied along with the following very important works: Charles and Mary Beard’s The Rise of American Civilization, Arthur A. Ekirch’s The Decline of American Liberalism, and J. Allen Smith’s all too long forgotten Spirit of American Government.

“Left and Right: The Prospects for Liberty” by Murray N. Rothbard; Left and Right Vol. I., No. I Spring 1965 (reprint Arno Press 1971) An incisive yet sweeping presentation of the libertarian historical perspective. An analysis and vision based on libertarian class analysis and a careful reading of history. Shows that libertarian class analysis predates the twisted Marxian analysis. Gives a clear presentation of the class analysis ideas of Charles Comte and Charles Dunoyer, the libertarian followers of the French classical economist J.B. Say. An absolute must for libertarians to learn their own heritage, to know where they are in the broad sweep of history, and to see where they can and should be headed.

“The State and the Ruling Class” by Vincent Ninelli; Libertarian Analysis, Vol. I. No. II., Spring 1971 A review of G. William Domhoff’s important The Higher Circles using the class analysis concepts developed by Oppenheimer, Nock, Rothbard, Comte, and Dunoyer.

Corporate, Financial, Labor, and Government Interrelationships

The Triumph of Conservatiam, by Gabriel Kolko (New York, 1963). A great pioneerung work in domestic United States history. Destroys the myths surrounding the very important watershed in American history, the Progressive Era. Shows that big business welcomed government intervention and regulation as a re]lacement for competitive, unhampered market capitalism and in fact sponsered much of this legislation in order to achieve a “rationalized,” stable domestic order.

The Corporate Ideal in the Liberal State, by James Weinstein (Boston, 1968) A work which complements Kolko’s work perfectly. A concentration on newly forming Big Business foundations, associations and research groups during the Progressive Era, keying in especially on the Carnegie, Morgan, Mellon run National Civic Federation and its role in sponsoring “social welfare” legislation. Also an important discussion of the relation between war, militarism and its consequent oppressive and interventionistic effects in the domestic economy.

The New Empire, by Walter La Feber (Ithaca, 1963) An important pioneering investigation into the economic and political roots of United States expansionism during the last quarter of the Nineteenth Century, an expansion which culminated in the infamous Spanish-American War and in many respects led, both directly and indirectly, to the First and Second World Wars. Especially important is the background which La Feber shows concerning U.S. relations in the Far East.

The Tragedy of American Diplomacy, by William A. Williams On the foreign policy side, this work is every bit as important as Kolko’s revisionism of domestic policy. A courageous reinvestigation of America’s interventionistic role into everyone else’s business. Covers the period from the turn of the century when U.S. government and business leaders began in earnest to apply the “frontier thesis” abroad, to the period which we call the Cold War when America had extended and consolidated its “frontier” to cover the whole “free world” portion of the globe.

The Decline of American Liberalism, by Arthur A. Ekirch, Jr. (New York,
1955) A brilliant tracing of the decline of the American people’s power over
their own lives, and the corresponding rise of nationalism, elitism, militarism and the consequent domestic garrison state. First rate.

America’s Sixty Families, by Ferdinand Lundburg (New York, 1937) Although this work predates his more recent The Rich and the Super Rich by some thirty years, it is the superior of the two and still very important in understanding the nature of America’s class structure. Shows how the very wealthy, financial aristocracy retain control over the “command posts” of the political economy and thus continue to maintain and extend their control and class position.

The Empire of High Finance, by Victor Perlo (New York, 1957) This work is written by a Marxist economist, but don’t let that scare you off. It is one of the most important investigations of the relationship between government and high finance ever written. Shows the blending together of Wall Street banking and Washington government to the point where it is impossible to tell one from the other. Finance capitalism was ushered in with the Federal Reserve System and remains in control of all the very important political–economic-military decisions to this very day––because of its protection by and symbiotic relation with the U.S. Government. The only problem with this work is that it badly needs to be updated. What was true in 1957 is even truer now.

Who Rules the Corporations?, by Robert Fitch and Mary Oppenheimer (New York, 1971) This book carries on the work started by Perlo, but does even more. It helps to destroy the current Marxist–Williamsite myth that inside financing has freed the corporations from “outside” financial control. On the contrary they show that “high finance” is in a stronger position than ever before.

The Higher Circles, by G. William Domhoff (New York, 1970) Beyond a doubt, the best sociological investigation of power and class relations in the United States to appear in decades. A brilliant masterpiece. A must for all libertarians. A great synthesis of the historical findings of Kolko, Weinstein, Williams etc.

The Roots of American Foreign Policy, by Gabriel Kolko (Boston, 1969) A marvelous little introduction into class and power relations in the United States, and, more importantly, how these power relations are used to effect a “favorable” foreign policy--favorable to the financial-corporate elite.

Corporations and the Cold War, edited by David Horowitz (New York, 1969) power relations in the United States, and, more importantly, how these power relations are used to effect a “favorable” foreign policy--favorable to the financial-corporate elite.

Corporations and the Cold War, edited by David Horowitz (New York, 1969) An excellent collection of articles exploring the relations between the corporations, financial institutions, the military and other government agencies. Several brilliant articles searching into the relation between corporate leaders and actual foreign policy decision making. Must reading.

American Labor and United States Foreign Policy, by Ronald Radosh (New York, 1971) An excellent investigation into the role of organized labor in promoting an expansionist, militant foreign policy throughout the globe. Covers the period from Gompers to Hillman and Lovestone. Shows how labor has become the willing junior partner in the power elite.

Architects of Illusion, by Lloyd Gardner (New York, 1971) A very important study of the men and ideas during the immediate post-war period. Along with Gabriel Kolko’s monumental Politics of War, this work becomes part of one of the very best one-two scholarly punches to come along in many a year. Discusses Roosevelt, Bullitt, Clayton, Acheson, Marshall and Kennen, among others.