The Ethics of Liberty
Encyclopedia
The Ethics of Liberty, by American
economist
and historian Murray N. Rothbard, first published in 1982, is an exposition of the libertarian
political position. It roots the case for freedom
in the concept of natural rights
and applies it to a host of practical problems.
Hans-Hermann Hoppe
, who wrote the introduction to later editions of the book, has described the 273-page The Ethics of Liberty as Murray Rothbard's second magnum opus
, the other being Man, Economy, and State
.
2. Natural Law as "Science"
3. Natural Law Versus Positive Law
4. Natural Law and Natural Rights
5. The Task of Political Philosophy
7. Interpersonal Relations: Voluntary Exchange
8. Interpersonal Relations: Ownership and Aggression
9. Property and Criminality
10. The Problem of Land Theft
11. Land Monopoly, Past and Present
12. Self-Defense
13. Punishment and Proportionality
14. Children and Rights
15. "Human Rights" as Property Rights
16. Knowledge, True and False
17. Bribery
18. The Boycott
19. Property Rights and the Theory of Contracts
20. Lifeboat Situations
21. The "Rights" of Animals
23. The Inner Contradictions of the State
24. The Moral Status of Relations to the State
25. On Relations Between States
27. Isaiah Berlin
on Negative Freedom
28. F.A. Hayek
and the Concept of Coercion
29. Robert Nozick
and the Immaculate Conception of the State
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
economist
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
and historian Murray N. Rothbard, first published in 1982, is an exposition of the libertarian
Libertarianism
Libertarianism, in the strictest sense, is the political philosophy that holds individual liberty as the basic moral principle of society. In the broadest sense, it is any political philosophy which approximates this view...
political position. It roots the case for freedom
Freedom (political)
Political freedom is a central philosophy in Western history and political thought, and one of the most important features of democratic societies...
in the concept of natural rights
Natural rights
Natural and legal rights are two types of rights theoretically distinct according to philosophers and political scientists. Natural rights are rights not contingent upon the laws, customs, or beliefs of any particular culture or government, and therefore universal and inalienable...
and applies it to a host of practical problems.
Hans-Hermann Hoppe
Hans-Hermann Hoppe
Hans-Hermann Hoppe is an Austrian School economist of the anarcho-capitalist tradition, and a Professor Emeritus of economics at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.-Academic career:...
, who wrote the introduction to later editions of the book, has described the 273-page The Ethics of Liberty as Murray Rothbard's second magnum opus
Masterpiece
Masterpiece in modern usage refers to a creation that has been given much critical praise, especially one that is considered the greatest work of a person's career or to a work of outstanding creativity, skill or workmanship....
, the other being Man, Economy, and State
Man, Economy, and State
Man, Economy, and State: A Treatise on Economic Principles, first published in 1962, is a book on economics by Murray Rothbard, and is one of the most important books in the Austrian School of economics...
.
Part I: Introduction: Natural Law
1. Natural Law and Reason2. Natural Law as "Science"
3. Natural Law Versus Positive Law
4. Natural Law and Natural Rights
5. The Task of Political Philosophy
Part II: A Theory of Liberty
6. A Crusoe Social Philosophy7. Interpersonal Relations: Voluntary Exchange
8. Interpersonal Relations: Ownership and Aggression
9. Property and Criminality
10. The Problem of Land Theft
11. Land Monopoly, Past and Present
12. Self-Defense
13. Punishment and Proportionality
14. Children and Rights
15. "Human Rights" as Property Rights
16. Knowledge, True and False
17. Bribery
18. The Boycott
19. Property Rights and the Theory of Contracts
20. Lifeboat Situations
21. The "Rights" of Animals
Part III: The State Versus Liberty
22. The Nature of the State23. The Inner Contradictions of the State
24. The Moral Status of Relations to the State
25. On Relations Between States
Part IV: Modern Alternative Theories of Liberty
26. Utilitarian Free-Market Economics- Introduction: Utilitarian Social Philosophy
- The Unanimity and Compensation Principles
- Ludwig von MisesLudwig von MisesLudwig Heinrich Edler von Mises was an Austrian economist, philosopher, and classical liberal who had a significant influence on the modern Libertarian movement and the "Austrian School" of economic thought.-Biography:-Early life:...
and "Value-Free" Laissez-Faire
27. Isaiah Berlin
Isaiah Berlin
Sir Isaiah Berlin OM, FBA was a British social and political theorist, philosopher and historian of ideas of Russian-Jewish origin, regarded as one of the leading thinkers of the twentieth century and a dominant liberal scholar of his generation...
on Negative Freedom
28. F.A. Hayek
Friedrich Hayek
Friedrich August Hayek CH , born in Austria-Hungary as Friedrich August von Hayek, was an economist and philosopher best known for his defense of classical liberalism and free-market capitalism against socialist and collectivist thought...
and the Concept of Coercion
29. Robert Nozick
Robert Nozick
Robert Nozick was an American political philosopher, most prominent in the 1970s and 1980s. He was a professor at Harvard University. He is best known for his book Anarchy, State, and Utopia , a right-libertarian answer to John Rawls's A Theory of Justice...
and the Immaculate Conception of the State
Release history
- New York University Press. New York, N.Y. February 1, 2003. Paperback. ISBN 0-8147-7559-4
- New York University Press. New York, N.Y. May 1, 1998. Hardcover. ISBN 0-8147-7506-3
- Humanities Press. Atlantic Highlands, N.J. 1982. Hardcover. ISBN 0-391-02371-3
External links
- The Ethics of Liberty Full Text, Audio Book (MP3)
- Introduction to The Ethics of Liberty by Hans-Hermann HoppeHans-Hermann HoppeHans-Hermann Hoppe is an Austrian School economist of the anarcho-capitalist tradition, and a Professor Emeritus of economics at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.-Academic career:...
in HTML format - Introduction to the French edition of The Ethics of Liberty
- 1998 review by Sheldon Richman