Libertarianism, by Jason Brennan

I'll start with full disclosure.  I am a libertarian.  I have little patience for the statism coming from the Rs and Ds.  I have run for office as a Libertarian a couple of times.  So I was predisposed to like Jason Brennan's Libertarianism: What Everyone Needs to Know.  But, subjectivity aside, I think Brennan provides a terrific, accessible guide to modern libertarian political thought.

The structure of Brennan's book, a series of questions grouped by topic, make it a very useful reference.  It's worth reading straight through, but each short chapter can also stand alone, particularly the latter chapters addressing specific contemporary issues.  Covering libertarian foundations, political theory, economics, and modern problems, Brennan lays out the basics of libertarianism.

Starting with the basics, Brennan gives the core of what libertarianism is about: individual liberty, mutual consent, cooperation, tolerance, mutual respect, volunteerism, equality, responsibility, and radical freedom.  Answering the criticism that libertarians are too reliant on market solutions without acknowledging market failure, he points out that government also fail, and that while market failures eventually self-correct, government failure becomes entrenched.  Although markets and governments both fail, we should favor free markets and not government intervention, as governments stifle freedom and exercise their monopoly on coercive power.  Whether the issue is civil rights, poverty, the environment, crime, or international trade, government intervention, Brennan argues, is always the wrong choice.  He lays out the arguments in deceptively simple terms, but in such a way that demands further study and response.

If I have a quibble with Brennan, it is his tendency to homogenize the libertarian movement.  He does draw distinctions between some different types of libertarians, and occasionally notes alternative views, but most of the time it's "Libertarians believe. . . ."  I only bring this up because he fails to acknowledge that many libertarians are pro-life.  He writes, "Libertarians advocate women's reproductive freedom, including the rights to have an abortion, use birth control, . . ."  While it's true that many, probably most, libertarians do so, I wish he would acknowledge the view of some libertarians that an unborn child warrants the same protections as a newborn or an adult.

Libertarianism deserves a spot on the shelf of any libertarian or libertarian leaning reader, but it should also be on the shelf of Ds and Rs.  Pick it up, select a question, and be honest enough to compare your ideas with Brennan's on a given issue.  At the very least, you will come to appreciate the libertarian position.  If you're not careful, though, you may find that you agree with him.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary review copy.