The history of libertarianism hasn’t enjoyed the same level of documentation as many other political movements. Any history written has been relegated to biographies of the founding fathers and texts written about the objectivist movement. And although these things are inherently libertarian in nature, they don’t cover the history of the actual movement, which reads like an economic history of America. It certainly has never been taught in public school, although historical figures like Thomas Jefferson held strong libertarian beliefs.
Brian Doherty, senior editor of Reason magazine, has undergone a massive undertaking in the form of his recent book, Radicals for Capitalism, which is an extensive history of the modern American libertarian movement. It covers well known intellectual figures like Ayn Rand, and lesser known activists like Leonard Read. The title of the book itself is a term Rand coined to describe herself and her followers. Radicals is at once a collection of mini-biographies of figure head libertarians and anarchists, and a telling of Doherty’s own personal beliefs. Which is really the only failing of the massive 700 plus page tome, that unlike other historical literature, the author makes no attempt to hide his libertarian beliefs. But it hardly makes it unreadable. In fact, knowing that Doherty’s passion lies within his book’s subject matter makes the entire read more satisfying; only someone with such a love for the subject matter could effectively convey the knowledge of it that Doherty does.
Chapter by chapter, Doherty chronicles the intellectual movement of libertarianism, giving short, journalistic descriptions of the movement’s people and beliefs. Doherty connects dots that historians normally don’t connect by likening the beliefs of Nobel prize winners like Milton Friedman to radical anarcho-economists like Murray Rothbard. Doherty delves beneath the mainstream political surface to prove that libertarian philosophers and economists come from every facet of human existence.
There are mini-economics lessons peppered throughout the first few hundred pages which provide the reader with references to authors and literature they may not previously been exposed to.
The most important thing about Radicals however, is not that it is explicitly libertarian, which it is, but that it provides a history of an almost underground movement which has been more consistent than any in fighting for personal liberties guaranteed to everyone who lives within America’s borders. It is a story of struggle against fascist bureaucracy and well-meaning dictators. It is a story of highly intelligent economic and liberty minded activists.
The book, for all that it is, is a Pulitzer-worthy volume that, like all other libertarian efforts, may never receive the understanding it strives to attain.
John C. Keyser
May 25, 2007