The Ethics of Liberty - by Murray N Rothbard

About the Book

Book Synopsis

The authoritative text on the libertarian political position

In recent years, libertarian impulses have increasingly influenced national and economic debates, from welfare reform to efforts to curtail affirmative action. Murray N. Rothbard's classic The Ethics of Liberty stands as one of the most rigorous and philosophically sophisticated expositions of the libertarian political position.

Rothbard's unique argument roots the case for freedom in the concept of natural rights and applies it to a host of practical problems. And while his conclusions are radical--that a social order that strictly adheres to the rights of private property must exclude the institutionalized violence inherent in the state--Rothbard's applications of libertarian principles prove surprisingly practical for a host of social dilemmas, solutions to which have eluded alternative traditions.

The Ethics of Liberty authoritatively established the anarcho-capitalist economic system as the most viable and the only principled option for a social order based on freedom. This classic book's radical insights are sure to inspire a new generation of readers.

Review Quotes

"Ernst has provided an amazing window into contemporary welfare organizing and the challenges faced in a political context that urges unitary rather than intersectional frames of social justice. Without a doubt she has provided an important book relevant to scholars and welfare organizers alike."
-Ange-Marie Hancock, author of "The Politics of Disgust and the Public Identity of the 'Welfare Queen'"

"In this important and courageous book, Rose Ernst shows how the discourse of colorblindness limits the progressive possibilities of the welfare rights movement. One must know the monster one is fighting if one wishes to slay it 'for real.' Otherwise, as Ernst's data demonstrates, one ends up feeding the monster. Bravo for a job well done!"
-Eduardo Bonilla-Silva, author of "Racism without Racists: Color-BlindRacism and the Persistence of Racial Inequality in America"

"Rose Ernst's book is well-written, with a nuanced theoretical frame that grows out of the relevant literature; it provides an important empirical contribution based poignantly on the voices of the women activists themselves."
-Sanford Schram, author of "Welfare Discipline: Discourse, Governance and Globalization"

"This penetrating and thoughtful work confronts the challenges, conflicts, and opportunities in the fragile coalitions that compose the welfare rights movement today. Written with fidelity to the cause and an empirical eye, Ernst demonstrates how the false construction of a 'post-racial' America warps the discourse and activities of welfare rights organizers. A passionately written text that brings these women and this movement to life, The Price of Progressive Politics analyzes the welfare rights movement from within and without using the intersectional lens of race, ethnicity, and class. This timely, fascinating, and intricate book moves forward our understanding of colorblindness and intersectionality."
-Andrea Y. Simpson, author of "The Tie That Binds: Identity and Political Attitudes in the Post-Civil Rights Generation"

-D. R. Imig, "Choice Magazine"