Murray Rothbard

For a New Liberty: The Libertarian Manifesto

19:26 min
Economics, Philosophy, Politics, History
338 pages, 1973

What if the greatest threat to human freedom isn't foreign enemies or natural disasters, but the very institutions we're taught to trust? Murray Rothbard reveals how states rob citizens through taxation, force them into military service, and restrict their choices under the guise of protection. From education monopolies to environmental destruction, this short demonstrates that government intervention consistently produces the opposite of its stated goals. Rothbard presents a compelling alternative: a society built on voluntary cooperation and free markets, where private competition replaces government coercion in providing everything from roads to courts. Through clear reasoning and historical evidence, Rothbard shows that true liberty requires not reforming the state, but abolishing it entirely in favor of purely voluntary human interaction.

Murray Rothbard

Murray Rothbard was an influential American economist, political theorist, and historian who helped establish the modern libertarian movement in the United States. As a key figure in the Austrian School of economics and founder of anarcho-capitalism, Rothbard developed comprehensive theories challenging state intervention in markets and advocating for natural law as the foundation of liberty. Throughout his career as a professor and scholar, he synthesized economic thought with political philosophy to create a systematic framework for understanding free markets and individual sovereignty. Rothbard's prolific writings and academic work continue to shape libertarian thought and Austrian economics decades after his death in 1995.

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Libertarian ideology emphasizes individual rights and property ownership while advocating for drastically reduced government power, representing America's original founding principles.
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Cover of For a New Liberty: The Libertarian Manifesto