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Drew Orleans 
LSU Fan
Member since Mar 2010
13514 posts
| Book Suggestion (Libertarian) (Posted on 2/15/13 at 8:31 am)
Looking for a book suggestion on the advantages of capitalism, libertarianism and smaller gov't. I'd like to read one but I'd also like to eventually suggest it to my cousin who is in grad school and is reading books on Marx for class. He says it's for educational purposes only to understand his way of thinking but it is absolutely morphing his views.
Thanks. 
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Ace Midnight
LSU Fan
Ball, LA - Home, Sweet Home
Member since Dec 2006
14866 posts
| re: Book Suggestion (Libertarian) (Posted on 2/15/13 at 8:41 am to Drew Orleans)
Obviously Atlas Shrugged, by Ayn Rand is a starting point.
Capitalism and Freedom - Milton Friedman
Anything on economics by Thomas Sowell
(I guess I would suggest the newest edition of Basic Economics: A Common Sense Guide to the Economy as a starting point for Sowell on this topic, but really, just read everything by him on economics if you have the time.)
This post was edited on 2/15 at 8:44 am
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Drew Orleans
LSU Fan
Member since Mar 2010
13514 posts
| re: Book Suggestion (Libertarian) (Posted on 2/15/13 at 8:49 am to Ace Midnight)
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SundayFunday
LSU Fan
Member since Sep 2011
3028 posts
| re: Book Suggestion (Libertarian) (Posted on 2/15/13 at 8:51 am to Drew Orleans)
Shogun - James Clavell
Very long and Complicated story but incredibly rewarding.
Half of the story portrays someone trying to gain absolute power through deceit, violence, and reaching out to the hearts and minds of unflinchingly loyal of people.
Now that I look back on it, the very end (literally the last few pages) reminds me of how Obama got Elected. I'll leave it at that and let you decide if you see it too if you read it.
This post was edited on 2/15 at 8:54 am
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UGATiger26 
Georgia Fan
Athens, GA
Member since Dec 2009
1135 posts
| re: Book Suggestion (Libertarian) (Posted on 2/15/13 at 8:54 am to Ace Midnight)
quote:
Capitalism and Freedom - Milton Friedman
Good one. Quick read too. Like 120-30 pages or so.
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I B Freeman
Member since Oct 2009
2184 posts
| re: Book Suggestion (Libertarian) (Posted on 2/15/13 at 8:55 am to UGATiger26)
Another great one from Friedman is "Free to Choose" LINK
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Gmorgan4982
LSU Fan
Hattiesburg, Miss.
Member since May 2005
89711 posts
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| re: Book Suggestion (Libertarian) (Posted on 2/15/13 at 8:56 am to Ace Midnight)
quote:
Obviously Atlas Shrugged, by Ayn Rand is a starting point.
A starting point? That thing is like a million pages. 
I like Brave New World by Aldous Huxley.
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ragacamps
LSU Fan
Member since Jan 2011
1841 posts
| re: Book Suggestion (Libertarian) (Posted on 2/15/13 at 9:00 am to Drew Orleans)
Anything by Thomas Sowell
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RollTide4Ever 
Alabama Fan
Nashville
Member since Nov 2006
8120 posts
| re: Book Suggestion (Libertarian) (Posted on 2/15/13 at 9:06 am to ragacamps)
"Race and Economics" by Walter Williams
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CherryGarciaMan
Shakedown Street
Member since Aug 2012
240 posts
| re: Book Suggestion (Libertarian) (Posted on 2/15/13 at 9:18 am to Drew Orleans)
Begin with the original: "Rights of Man" by Thomas Payne.
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LSUnKaty
LSU Fan
Katy, TX
Member since Dec 2008
2267 posts
| re: Book Suggestion (Libertarian) (Posted on 2/15/13 at 9:38 am to Drew Orleans)
Capitalism and Freedom by Milton Friedman is a book that had a strong influence on my life after I read it, but his Free to Choose is a more comprehensive text that covers much of the same ground.
Economics in One Lesson by Henry Hazlitt
Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith
The Way the World Works by Jude Wanniski
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Zach
LSU Fan
Member since May 2005
55325 posts
| re: Book Suggestion (Libertarian) (Posted on 2/15/13 at 9:43 am to Drew Orleans)
Why Govt Doesn't Work by Harry Browne.
It's an interesting format. Each section starts with a question, like "Why are public schools so bad?" Then he goes into libertarian positions on the topic.
He ran for President on the Libertarian ticket twice. He died about 5 years ago but the book is still around.
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Joshjrn
LSU Fan
Baton Rouge
Member since Dec 2008
4175 posts
| re: Book Suggestion (Libertarian) (Posted on 2/15/13 at 9:47 am to LSUnKaty)
quote:
Economics in One Lesson by Henry Hazlitt
This is the starting point. Written for the layman, short and to the point.
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DonChowder
LSU Fan
Crockpot
Member since Dec 2012
1434 posts
| re: Book Suggestion (Libertarian) (Posted on 2/15/13 at 9:51 am to Drew Orleans)
Confessions of an Economic Hitman. It's the very violation of the N.A.P.
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The Cow Goes Moo Moo 
Georgia Tech Fan
Kenna Bra
Member since Nov 2012
605 posts
| re: Book Suggestion (Libertarian) (Posted on 2/15/13 at 10:08 am to Gmorgan4982)
quote:
That thing is like a million pages
Took me a solid 4 months to read that behemoth. 
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PrimeTime Money
Stetson Fan
Houston, Texas, USA
Member since Nov 2012
2319 posts
| re: Book Suggestion (Libertarian) (Posted on 2/15/13 at 10:09 am to Drew Orleans)
If you want a good, easy to read book about economics, I suggest "How An Economy Grows and Why it Crashes" by Peter Schiff.
It's not a long book, and it's fun to read because it's written as an allegory and is illustrated.
It's also relevant as it talks about principles of Austrian economics, and then relates it to what has been happening in our economy today.
It is the easiest, and most interesting book to read on the foundations of free market capitalism, written by a libertarian.
Economics in One Lesson by Hazlitt is also a good one. It's basic, easy to read, but is out dated. The book was written in the 1940's, but the principles still apply, and it's interesting to see how his arguments against big government, stimulus spending, minimum wage, etc. are directly applicable today. It's almost as if he could see the future.
It's a good read, but the reason I suggest "How An Economy Grows and Why it Crashes" is because not only is it very easy to follow and understand, but he relates the principles to what is going on currently with our economy. He talks about Obama, Bernanke, the Fed, etc. And the most important reason is that it is actually fun to read since it reads like a story. Most economic books are very boring, but this one was fun.
This post was edited on 2/15 at 10:32 am
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Ace Midnight
LSU Fan
Ball, LA - Home, Sweet Home
Member since Dec 2006
14866 posts
| re: Book Suggestion (Libertarian) (Posted on 2/15/13 at 10:25 am to RollTide4Ever)
quote:
"Race and Economics" by Walter Williams
Thomas Sowell also has a book with this same title. Maybe Walter's title is a homage, or maybe there's just no other way to say it?
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mule74
LSU Fan
Houston, TX
Member since Nov 2004
6160 posts
| re: Book Suggestion (Libertarian) (Posted on 2/15/13 at 1:16 pm to Drew Orleans)
Check Cato.org
Cato is a libertarian think tank in DC and they are always putting out current papers and books.
Ben
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Joshjrn
LSU Fan
Baton Rouge
Member since Dec 2008
4175 posts
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quote:
Took me a solid 4 months to read that behemoth.
I read it in a week when I was supposed to be writing my appellate brief 1L year of law school. Amazing what you can accomplish when you are procrastinating 
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joshnorris14 
Florida Fan
Florida
Member since Jan 2009
19492 posts
| re: Book Suggestion (Libertarian) (Posted on 2/15/13 at 1:22 pm to Drew Orleans)
I haven't seen anything by Rothbard suggested yet, these are MUSTS.
Man, Economy, and State (Rothbard)
The Machinery of Freedom (David Friedman)
Money and Credit (Mises)
Human Action (Mises)
The Ethics of Liberty (Rothbard)
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