The Ethics of Liberty

Murray N. Rothbard

Published by New York University Press 2015

The Ethics of Liberty

Murray N. Rothbard
With contributions by: Hans-Hermann Hoppe

https://doi.org/10.18574/nyu/9781479895496.001.0001

Overview
Contents

About this book

This updated edition of a classic defense of libertarianism includes a new introduction.

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.

Author / Editor information

Rothbard Murray N. :

The author of numerous books, the late Murray N. Rothbard (1926-1995) was the S. J. Hall Distinguished Professor of Economics at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and Academic Vice President of the Ludwig von Mises Institute.Hoppe Hans-Hermann :

Hans-Hermann Hoppe is Professor of Economics at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.The author of numerous books, the late Murray N. Rothbard (1926-1995) was the S. J. Hall Distinguished Professor of Economics at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and Academic Vice President of the Ludwig von Mises Institute.

Topics

Frontmatter Publicly Available Download PDF	i
CONTENTS Publicly Available Download PDF	vii
INTRODUCTION Hans-Hermann Hoppe Publicly Available Download PDF	xi
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Publicly Available Download PDF	xlv
PREFACE Publicly Available Download PDF	xlvii
PART I: INTRODUCTION: NATURAL LAW
1. Natural Law and Reason Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	3
2. Natural Law as "Science" Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	9
3. Natural Law versus Positive Law Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	17
4. Natural Law and Natural Rights Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	21
5. The Task of Political Philosophy Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	25
PART II: A THEORY OF LIBERTY
6. A Crusoe Social Philosophy Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	29
7. Interpersonal Relations: Voluntary Exchange Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	35
8. Interpersonal Relations: Ownership and Aggression Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	45
9. Property and Criminality Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	51
10. The Problem of Land Theft Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	63
11. Land Monopoly, Past and Present Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	69
12. Self-Defense Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	77
13. Punishment and Proportionality Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	85
14. Children and Rights Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	97
15. "Human Rights'' As Property Rights Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	113
16. Knowledge, True and False Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	121
17. Bribery Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	129
18. The Boycott Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	131
19. Property Rights and the Theory of Contracts Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	133
20. Lifeboat Situations Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	149
21. The "Rights" of Animals Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	155
PART III: THE STATE VERSUS LIBERTY
22. The Nature of the State Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	161
23. The Inner Contradictions of the State Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	175
24. The Moral Status of Relations to the State Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	183
25. On Relations Between States Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	189
PART IV: MODERN ALTERNATIVE THEORIES OF LIBERTY
26. Utilitarian Free-Market Economics Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	199
27. Isaiah Berlin on Negative Freedom Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	215
28. EA. Hayek and The Concept of Coercion Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	219
29. Robert Nozick and the Immaculate Conception of the State Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	231
PART V: TOWARD A THEORY OF STRATEGY FOR LIBERTY
30. Toward a Theory of Strategy for Liberty Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	257
BIBLIOGRAPHY Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	275
INDEX Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	295

Language: English
Publisher: New York University Press
Audience: Professional and scholarly;

eBook

Published: July 4, 2015
ISBN: 9781479895496