Liberty in Troubled Times: A Libertarian Guide to Laws, Politics and Society in a Terrorized World

by James Walsh

Using a question and response format, James Walsh (Silver Lake Publishing's editorial director) introduces the fundamental beliefs of libertarians as well as how they view issues such as gay marriage,... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1563437783
• ISBN13: 9781563437786
• Release Date: February 2015
• Publisher: Silver Lake Publishing
• Length: 344 Pages
• Weight: 1.11 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.1" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Bigger Government is Not the Answer

If you're unsatisfied with Republican abuse of power, then don't expect the Democrats to save the day with an even more powerful government on which the people are even more dependent. That's the unifying theme of this insightful overview of libertarianism. Do you ever wonder what's in the Patriot Act? Do you ever wonder why the Democratic Party, for all its railing against statist Republican policies, did little to oppose them, and why the Democrat-controlled congress does little to curtail them? The answers may surprise you. This book goes a long way toward exploding many of the common misconceptions about libertarians, in particular, that they are conservatives. Libertarians are liberals, as evidenced by the fact that they primarily value the liberty and well-being of the individual. However, libertarians differ from statist liberals (largely represented by the Democratic Party), who believe that the greatest threat to individual liberty is from corporations and from other individuals. Walsh argues, convincingly, that both history and economics support the view that the much greater threat to individual liberty is from the government itself (whether democratically elected or not), and moreover, that the framers of the United States Constitution were keenly aware of this. Chapter by chapter, we see the relevance of this debate to contemporary issues, and how libertarianism offers pragmatic solutions. Walsh's arguments are eloquent and passionate, although not always convincing. (Even the most dyed-in-the-wool libertarian will find a thing or two to disagree with here.) But most importantly, this is a rare glimpse into the clear thinking of a true libertarian. In its zeal to deemphasize the economics of libertarianism in favor of its principles, the book overlooks the crucially important point that the history of government intervention ostensibly to benefit the working class at the expense of corporations has largely had the opposite effect. The interested reader should consult Free to Choose: A Personal Statement. Perhaps most striking are the proposals that this supposedly radical political viewpoint does *not* make. It does not advocate anarchy or the abolition of the federal reserve. It does not call for an end to intellectual property rights or anti-trust litigation. Even the Libertarian Party gets a well-deserved shunning. Ultimately, it all comes down to upholding sensible values.

Rights and Responsibilities

When the Founding Fathers started the United States of America, they had a strong notion of what liberty meant. It meant freedoms and rights; but it also meant taking responsibility for your beliefs and actions. They expected every American to balance these rights and responsibilities in his heart and in his life. We've drifted such a long way from that.... This book gives you a road map for getting back to those strong notions. Walsh explains the rights that Americans should expect--and the responsibilites they should accept. He makes it really clear. I've read lots of books about politics and society but I've never read one that puts things so well. In such a balanced way. To me, libertarians have always seemed like a kind of wacky and extreme group. But this book isn't wacky at all. I don't know anything about James Walsh. But why isn't he better known in mainstream political circles?

Great for insiders and outsiders to the libertarian movement

This is a great read! Mr. Walsh is spot on in his evaluations of the libertarian movement in America. If your a Libertarian,"l"ibertarian, Classical Liberal, or just an "Old School" Conservative, you will enjoy being brought up to present time to all things concerning the US liberty movement. For those who consider themselves none of the above, it can be a very informative read as well. "Conservative" and "Liberal" are terms that simply don't apply correctly to todays current US political spectrum, learn why..read this book!

explains why Dem's and Rep's sound the same

I loved this book. It gives you a good understanding of what "libertarian" means and why so many people say they're "libertarian on some issues." I also like the way he explains that the liberal-conservative scale doesn't work any more. Lots of people say the major US parties are the same. This book explains HOW and WHY. They both believe in expanding the state, so they agree to focus on fake issues like Medicare drug coverage and gay marriage. Meanwhile BOTH SIDES supported the Patriot Act. I just wonder if any media will cover this book, because it slams both parties...and political posers like Al Franken, Dennis Miller and Bill Maher.

Excellent!

This great book explains clearly and thoroughly what "liberty" and "libertarian" really mean. A must read!