- Hardcover: 532 pages
- Publisher: Cato Institute; 1 edition (15 Aug 2009)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 1935308114
- ISBN-13: 978-1935308119
- Product Dimensions: 23.9 x 15.9 x 3.6 cm
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,174,568 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
Realizing Freedom: Libertarian Theory, History, and Practice
and over one million other books are available for Amazon Kindle .
Learn more
| ||||||||||||||||||
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Plus, get an extra £5 Gift Certificate when you trade in books worth £10 or more before June 30, 2012. Visit the Books Trade-In Store for more details. |
Product details |
More About the Author
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
Tag this product(What's this?)Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organise and find favourite items. |
Customer Reviews
There are no customer reviews yet on Amazon.co.uk.
5 star
4 star
3 star
2 star
1 star
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
8 reviews
15 of 16 people found the following review helpful
A Great Collection of Effective and Enjoyable Essays
2 Sep 2009
Format:Hardcover
Tom Palmer masterfully examines the ideas of liberty in Realizing Freedom: Libertarian Theory, History, and Practice. The breadth of this examination is remarkable. As the volume's subtitle suggests, the essays discuss both the theoretical and the practical, and Palmer effectively engages the reader regardless of whether he is writing for an academic or popular audience.
Readers with a general interest in political theory, economics or history will enjoy essays like "Twenty Myths about Markets," in which the author considers and answers common ethical and economic critiques of market economies. Another piece, "Why Socialism Collapsed in Eastern Europe," reflects on socialism's failed promises and its profound effect on the political culture of that region. The serious student of political philosophy ought to read "No Exit: Framing the Problem of Justice," wherein Palmer conducts a serious and rigorous analysis of John Rawls' theory and draws attention to some of its potentially illiberal implications.
Those more steeped in libertarian or classical liberal thought may appreciate "What's Not Wrong with Libertarianism," in which Palmer discusses the relationship between a theory of rights and the importance of evaluating consequences. While some critics charge that it is contradictory to promote a theory of natural rights and then employ empirical evidence to support those rights claims, Palmer deftly makes the case for compatibility and highlights the poor assumptions of such criticism. In an included book review, Palmer assesses an attempt to hijack the term "libertarian" by a proponent of "radically egalitarian redistribution." This book review, titled "John Locke Lite," illustrates Palmer's ability to communicate complicated theory clearly and convincingly. I even found it humorous!
This volume is a delight. Palmer has a wonderful talent for making deep ideas accessible. His passion for freedom is exceptional and leaves the reader inspired. These essays belong in your collection.
Readers with a general interest in political theory, economics or history will enjoy essays like "Twenty Myths about Markets," in which the author considers and answers common ethical and economic critiques of market economies. Another piece, "Why Socialism Collapsed in Eastern Europe," reflects on socialism's failed promises and its profound effect on the political culture of that region. The serious student of political philosophy ought to read "No Exit: Framing the Problem of Justice," wherein Palmer conducts a serious and rigorous analysis of John Rawls' theory and draws attention to some of its potentially illiberal implications.
Those more steeped in libertarian or classical liberal thought may appreciate "What's Not Wrong with Libertarianism," in which Palmer discusses the relationship between a theory of rights and the importance of evaluating consequences. While some critics charge that it is contradictory to promote a theory of natural rights and then employ empirical evidence to support those rights claims, Palmer deftly makes the case for compatibility and highlights the poor assumptions of such criticism. In an included book review, Palmer assesses an attempt to hijack the term "libertarian" by a proponent of "radically egalitarian redistribution." This book review, titled "John Locke Lite," illustrates Palmer's ability to communicate complicated theory clearly and convincingly. I even found it humorous!
This volume is a delight. Palmer has a wonderful talent for making deep ideas accessible. His passion for freedom is exceptional and leaves the reader inspired. These essays belong in your collection.
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful
A timely collection of brilliant and provocative papers in defense of open society.
16 Oct 2009
Format:Hardcover
In our time, the open society around the world has come under severe attack including in the United States, going back to at least Franklin Roosevelt's administration and continuing more recently with the administration of George W. Bush (who relied on state intervention "to save the free market" sic) and that of Barack Obama. Individual rights are being replaced by affirmative action; private property is undermined by socialist ecology; the war on drugs is destroying individual liberties; state education (as opposed to "public education" because private education is also for the public) has turned into indoctrination; public expenditure, federal debt and fiscal deficits are increasing at an exponential rate; compulsory bailouts with other peoples' resources are paving the way for another crisis; legislation is on its way to intensify socialized medicine; the so-called Social Security program will soon go bankrupt; the monetization of debt and the manipulation of interest rates by the Federal Reserve are destroying the dollar; and there are always new wars to fight in the name of security.
In this climate of affairs nothing could be more timely than the collection of brilliant and provocative papers by Dr. Tom G. Palmer, Realizing Freedom: Libertarian Theory, History and Practice, published by the Cato Institute. Civilization means understanding and endorsing certain values and principles, which in turn depends on an open debate of ideas. This collection of essays provides a unique and insightful perspective on classical liberalism. Palmer's arguments are powerful and combine the abstract with the tangible in unusually well written and thoroughly researched essays. They are a philosophical feast, touching on a board range of topics. It is an honest and outspoken voice. It is entertaining and enlightening. The essays are a sweeping blow to those who advocate collectivism and they reinforce the stand of those of us who believe that a free society is a much better place to live for all persons of good will.
Alberto Benegas-Lynch, Jr.
National Academy of Sciences
Buenos Aires , Argentina
In this climate of affairs nothing could be more timely than the collection of brilliant and provocative papers by Dr. Tom G. Palmer, Realizing Freedom: Libertarian Theory, History and Practice, published by the Cato Institute. Civilization means understanding and endorsing certain values and principles, which in turn depends on an open debate of ideas. This collection of essays provides a unique and insightful perspective on classical liberalism. Palmer's arguments are powerful and combine the abstract with the tangible in unusually well written and thoroughly researched essays. They are a philosophical feast, touching on a board range of topics. It is an honest and outspoken voice. It is entertaining and enlightening. The essays are a sweeping blow to those who advocate collectivism and they reinforce the stand of those of us who believe that a free society is a much better place to live for all persons of good will.
Alberto Benegas-Lynch, Jr.
National Academy of Sciences
Buenos Aires , Argentina
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful
One Of The Best Analyses of Freedom
3 Sep 2009
Format:Hardcover
Dr. Palmer's book, Realizing Freedom, is sure to become a must-read for all students of liberty, no matter their age. It accomplishes two distinct and particularly meaningful tasks in its exploration of the topic of freedom that fit its incredibly apt title. On the one hand, Palmer helps the reader realize the meaning of freedom by offering some of the most coherent and logical defenses of liberty against common misunderstandings and inaccurate arguments. On the other hand, Palmer lays out a sound strategy for realizing freedom in our life-time, not merely as an intellectual construct for academics to argue over, but as a value that guides policy decisions and right of people everywhere to enjoy.
The first task of explaining the meaning of freedom and defending it from common criticisms, is what most people will take away from the book and is one of its very clear purposes. Palmer clearly lays out just what the concept of freedom entails in all of its aspects from the structure of the book, anticipating many questions that readers would normally have. What's more, Palmer takes on some of the most difficult problems facing the philosophy of freedom and answers them head on from everything such as the Marxist conception of class conflict and the dominance of Rawlsian political theory today.
The second accomplishment of the book may be an indirect effort on Palmer's part, or at least something that seems to be pushed toward the end, but Palmer offers the reader a clear conception of how to realize freedom in our lifetime. Instead of relegating his work to the intellectual debates of what liberty would be in a hypothetical world, he presents freedom as something that we should and could see if properly defended and promoted in the real world. As Palmer writes in his introduction, he desires "to make a difference for freedom, for justice, for the rule of law, and for peace and toleration." The very tone of this book and the suggestions for policy improvements throughout make his dedication to realizing freedom clear and his strategy for doing so even clearer. What he offers as a strategy is perhaps the most appropriate: seeking to persuade others to the superiority of freedom over authoritarianism and working with others rather than intentionally alienating them.
In addressing both issues, Palmer has provided an ideal book for readers of any level of interest in the topic of freedom. Whether you are just beginning to intellectually explore the concept of liberty or if you are well-versed in classical liberalism, this book will provide you with an engaging and thought-provoking read.
The first task of explaining the meaning of freedom and defending it from common criticisms, is what most people will take away from the book and is one of its very clear purposes. Palmer clearly lays out just what the concept of freedom entails in all of its aspects from the structure of the book, anticipating many questions that readers would normally have. What's more, Palmer takes on some of the most difficult problems facing the philosophy of freedom and answers them head on from everything such as the Marxist conception of class conflict and the dominance of Rawlsian political theory today.
The second accomplishment of the book may be an indirect effort on Palmer's part, or at least something that seems to be pushed toward the end, but Palmer offers the reader a clear conception of how to realize freedom in our lifetime. Instead of relegating his work to the intellectual debates of what liberty would be in a hypothetical world, he presents freedom as something that we should and could see if properly defended and promoted in the real world. As Palmer writes in his introduction, he desires "to make a difference for freedom, for justice, for the rule of law, and for peace and toleration." The very tone of this book and the suggestions for policy improvements throughout make his dedication to realizing freedom clear and his strategy for doing so even clearer. What he offers as a strategy is perhaps the most appropriate: seeking to persuade others to the superiority of freedom over authoritarianism and working with others rather than intentionally alienating them.
In addressing both issues, Palmer has provided an ideal book for readers of any level of interest in the topic of freedom. Whether you are just beginning to intellectually explore the concept of liberty or if you are well-versed in classical liberalism, this book will provide you with an engaging and thought-provoking read.
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
|
