A Review
The Books to be reviewed
- Rothbard, Murray N. (1962). Man, Economy & the State, with Power & the
- Market. Scholar’s Edition. Auburn (AL): Ludwig von Mises Institute.
- Rothbard, Murray N. (2005). The Ethics of Liberty. Auburn (AL): Ludwig von Mises Institute.
- Rothbard, Murray N. (2015). The Case against the Feds. Auburn (AL): Ludwig von Mises Institute.
Murray Rothbard—there may be no need for an introduction for this household name not only amongst (very online) Libertarians but also more proactive Conservatives, party members as well as non-parliamentarian Conservatives, such as feature writers and columnists. (“Leitartikler” in German, but the English language lumps all opinion writers together, as if they didn’t differ[1]) Whilst fewer have read them, most of them know him, and about his philosophy. The latter accounts even for those who may not relate to the general idea of right-winged Liberalism or the more extreme, subordinated concept “Mr. Libertarian” figuratively represents as both its spiritus rector and best-known thinker. Like von Mises, he also inspired writers and thinkers alike to come, by alternating degrees. To some, Hans Herrmann Hoppe, who himself states to have dominantly been inspired by von Mises, might come to mind as they share a common radicalism of denouncing the state and its regulatory functions altogether (While Rothbard stuck to analysing the state and its institutions from a sober perspective, compiled in books like his “Man, Economy & the State”, which we will discuss later on, or his “Anatomy of the State”, Hoppe was more radical and even declassified Democracy, a common and favoured shape of stately order as a “failed God” in his best-known work, a collection of essays), while others might think of… Well, it is hard to think of any other thinkers in the modern days. But the idea should be clear: He was one of the most influential Libertarian thinkers, whose reputation precedes him unto this day.