The Revolution: A Manifesto
Encyclopedia
The Revolution: A Manifesto is a New York Times #1 best seller
by Republican
U.S. Congressman Ron Paul
. According to Paul, the book is based on written notes during his 2008 presidential campaign
.
The slogan for the book, also reproduced in jacket copy, is: Dr. Paul cured my apathy,' says a popular campaign sign. THE REVOLUTION may cure yours as well."
s and presenting the message of freedom and individual rights
as rallying a new widespread revolution, yet one grounded in the tradition of Robert Taft
Republicanism
. Paul describes the book as "an opportunity to highlight and explain [my views] in the kind of systematic fashion that campaign speeches and presidential debates simply do not allow", "a long-term manifesto based on ideas, and perhaps some short-term marching orders", and "what the agenda of George W. Bush's successor should be if we want to move toward a free society once again".
The longer Chapters 2–6 each take up a particular political issue in turn. A foreign policy of nonintervention is defended from texts of the Founding Fathers
and influential conservatives, and diversely elaborated in relation to al-Qaeda
, Iraq
, Iran
, foreign aid, and Israel
. Strict construction of the U.S. Constitution, especially as it establishes states' rights
, is defended against signing statements and judicial activism
, and employed to affirm declaration of war by Congress, opposition to military conscription, a strongly anti-war and non-interventionist foreign policy, rejection of racism
, and Paul's pro-life
position. Economic solutions are proposed to abolish the income tax while sustaining Social Security, to restore the previous high-quality American health care
system Paul recalls from his career, and to address regulation
, free trade
, environmentalism
, and campaign finance
. Paul emphasizes civil liberties
as expressed in the American Freedom Agenda
Act and warns against dangers of a surveillance
state, the War on Drugs
, and educational mental health
screening. Finally, he employs free-market economics against the Federal Reserve, hyperinflation
, the subprime mortgage crisis, and taxes on gold
and silver
transactions.
Paul closes by stressing the need for laymen to seek education "in the scholarship of liberty", citing the Mises Institute
and LewRockwell.com
for particular attention, and by laying out a presidential agenda based on the issues presented. He believes the people possess the power to free themselves, ending the book by saying, "If freedom is what we want, it is ours for the taking. Let the revolution begin." Books that have influenced Paul and which he recommends to his readers include 48 titles, such as The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
, The Creature from Jekyll Island, The Road to Serfdom
, Economics in One Lesson
, Human Action
, Doctor Zhivago
, Atlas Shrugged
, and Democracy in America
, as well as titles from Thomas DiLorenzo
, Thomas Fleming
, Chalmers Johnson
, Rose Wilder Lane
, Andrew Napolitano
, Robert Pape
, Lew Rockwell
, Michael Scheuer
, Murray Rothbard
, and Hans Sennholz
.
of Instapundit
gave the book a favorable, though mixed, review, saying, "The book benefits from many of the Paul campaign’s virtues, in the form of accessibility, clarity, and straightforwardness. On the other hand, it also suffers from some of the Paul campaign’s vices." Paul Constant at The Stranger
likened Paul to an "ancient high-school civics teacher" who "puffs up" at the notion of the Constitution as a "living document."
David Weigel
of Reason
reviewed the book favorably, comparing Paul's political ideas to those of fellow anti-war conservative Sen. Chuck Hagel
. "Paul has a grand unified theory to offer readers, knowing full well that he's opening minds, not programming them," Weigel wrote, adding that Paul "offers readers, first and foremost, the lesson that 'leaders' and universally accepted concepts shouldn't be trusted. It is worried and informed neostructuralists who can change things, not historical 'great men.' If Ron Paul doesn't provide perfect solutions, he certainly provides a blueprint."
In September 2008, The Washington Post
reported that the book was "largely written" by Thomas Woods
. Woods contends that his role in authoring the book has been "overemphasized" and that "this is Ron Paul's book in every way."
Bestseller
A bestseller is a book that is identified as extremely popular by its inclusion on lists of currently top selling titles that are based on publishing industry and book trade figures and published by newspapers, magazines, or bookstore chains. Some lists are broken down into classifications and...
by Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
U.S. Congressman Ron Paul
Ron Paul
Ronald Ernest "Ron" Paul is an American physician, author and United States Congressman who is seeking to be the Republican Party candidate in the 2012 presidential election. Paul represents Texas's 14th congressional district, which covers an area south and southwest of Houston that includes...
. According to Paul, the book is based on written notes during his 2008 presidential campaign
Ron Paul presidential campaign, 2008
Ron Paul was a Republican Party primary candidate in the 2008 United States presidential election.Initial opinion polls during the first three quarters of 2007 showed Ron Paul consistently receiving support from 3% or less of those polled...
.
The slogan for the book, also reproduced in jacket copy, is: Dr. Paul cured my apathy,' says a popular campaign sign. THE REVOLUTION may cure yours as well."
Summary
The contents include a brief preface, seven chapters, and a bibliographic appendix. The preface emphasizes that the book was written to contrast Paul's ideas against "the deadening consensus that crosses party lines, that dominates our major media". Chapter 1 carries this theme by describing recent American elections as false dilemmaFalse dilemma
A false dilemma is a type of logical fallacy that involves a situation in which only two alternatives are considered, when in fact there are additional options...
s and presenting the message of freedom and individual rights
Individual rights
Group rights are rights held by a group rather than by its members separately, or rights held only by individuals within the specified group; in contrast, individual rights are rights held by individual people regardless of their group membership or lack thereof...
as rallying a new widespread revolution, yet one grounded in the tradition of Robert Taft
Robert Taft
Robert Alphonso Taft , of the Taft political family of Cincinnati, was a Republican United States Senator and a prominent conservative statesman...
Republicanism
Republicanism
Republicanism is the ideology of governing a nation as a republic, where the head of state is appointed by means other than heredity, often elections. The exact meaning of republicanism varies depending on the cultural and historical context...
. Paul describes the book as "an opportunity to highlight and explain [my views] in the kind of systematic fashion that campaign speeches and presidential debates simply do not allow", "a long-term manifesto based on ideas, and perhaps some short-term marching orders", and "what the agenda of George W. Bush's successor should be if we want to move toward a free society once again".
The longer Chapters 2–6 each take up a particular political issue in turn. A foreign policy of nonintervention is defended from texts of the Founding Fathers
Founding Fathers of the United States
The Founding Fathers of the United States of America were political leaders and statesmen who participated in the American Revolution by signing the United States Declaration of Independence, taking part in the American Revolutionary War, establishing the United States Constitution, or by some...
and influential conservatives, and diversely elaborated in relation to al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda is a global broad-based militant Islamist terrorist organization founded by Osama bin Laden sometime between August 1988 and late 1989. It operates as a network comprising both a multinational, stateless army and a radical Sunni Muslim movement calling for global Jihad...
, Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, foreign aid, and Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
. Strict construction of the U.S. Constitution, especially as it establishes states' rights
States' rights
States' rights in U.S. politics refers to political powers reserved for the U.S. state governments rather than the federal government. It is often considered a loaded term because of its use in opposition to federally mandated racial desegregation...
, is defended against signing statements and judicial activism
Judicial activism
Judicial activism describes judicial ruling suspected of being based on personal or political considerations rather than on existing law. It is sometimes used as an antonym of judicial restraint. The definition of judicial activism, and which specific decisions are activist, is a controversial...
, and employed to affirm declaration of war by Congress, opposition to military conscription, a strongly anti-war and non-interventionist foreign policy, rejection of racism
Racism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
, and Paul's pro-life
Pro-life
Opposition to the legalization of abortion is centered around the pro-life, or anti-abortion, movement, a social and political movement opposing elective abortion on moral grounds and supporting its legal prohibition or restriction...
position. Economic solutions are proposed to abolish the income tax while sustaining Social Security, to restore the previous high-quality American health care
Health care
Health care is the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in humans. Health care is delivered by practitioners in medicine, chiropractic, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy, allied health, and other care providers...
system Paul recalls from his career, and to address regulation
Regulation
Regulation is administrative legislation that constitutes or constrains rights and allocates responsibilities. It can be distinguished from primary legislation on the one hand and judge-made law on the other...
, free trade
Free trade
Under a free trade policy, prices emerge from supply and demand, and are the sole determinant of resource allocation. 'Free' trade differs from other forms of trade policy where the allocation of goods and services among trading countries are determined by price strategies that may differ from...
, environmentalism
Environmentalism
Environmentalism is a broad philosophy, ideology and social movement regarding concerns for environmental conservation and improvement of the health of the environment, particularly as the measure for this health seeks to incorporate the concerns of non-human elements...
, and campaign finance
Campaign finance
Campaign finance refers to all funds that are raised and spent in order to promote candidates, parties or policies in some sort of electoral contest. In modern democracies such funds are not necessarily devoted to election campaigns. Issue campaigns in referendums, party activities and party...
. Paul emphasizes civil liberties
Civil liberties
Civil liberties are rights and freedoms that provide an individual specific rights such as the freedom from slavery and forced labour, freedom from torture and death, the right to liberty and security, right to a fair trial, the right to defend one's self, the right to own and bear arms, the right...
as expressed in the American Freedom Agenda
American Freedom Agenda
The American Freedom Agenda is a United States organization established in March 2007 by disaffected libertarian-oriented conservatives demanding that the Republican Party return to its traditional mistrust of concentrated government power...
Act and warns against dangers of a surveillance
Surveillance
Surveillance is the monitoring of the behavior, activities, or other changing information, usually of people. It is sometimes done in a surreptitious manner...
state, the War on Drugs
War on Drugs
The War on Drugs is a campaign of prohibition and foreign military aid and military intervention being undertaken by the United States government, with the assistance of participating countries, intended to both define and reduce the illegal drug trade...
, and educational mental health
Mental health
Mental health describes either a level of cognitive or emotional well-being or an absence of a mental disorder. From perspectives of the discipline of positive psychology or holism mental health may include an individual's ability to enjoy life and procure a balance between life activities and...
screening. Finally, he employs free-market economics against the Federal Reserve, hyperinflation
Hyperinflation
In economics, hyperinflation is inflation that is very high or out of control. While the real values of the specific economic items generally stay the same in terms of relatively stable foreign currencies, in hyperinflationary conditions the general price level within a specific economy increases...
, the subprime mortgage crisis, and taxes on gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
and silver
Silver
Silver is a metallic chemical element with the chemical symbol Ag and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it has the highest electrical conductivity of any element and the highest thermal conductivity of any metal...
transactions.
Paul closes by stressing the need for laymen to seek education "in the scholarship of liberty", citing the Mises Institute
Ludwig von Mises Institute
The Ludwig von Mises Institute , based in Auburn, Alabama, is a libertarian academic organization engaged in research and scholarship in the fields of economics, philosophy and political economy. Its scholarship is inspired by the work of Austrian School economist Ludwig von Mises...
and LewRockwell.com
LewRockwell.com
LewRockwell.com is a 501 libertarian web magazine operated by Burton Blumert , Lew Rockwell , Eric Garris , and others associated with the Center for Libertarian Studies ; its motto is "anti-state, anti-war, pro-market"...
for particular attention, and by laying out a presidential agenda based on the issues presented. He believes the people possess the power to free themselves, ending the book by saying, "If freedom is what we want, it is ours for the taking. Let the revolution begin." Books that have influenced Paul and which he recommends to his readers include 48 titles, such as The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire is a non-fiction history book written by English historian Edward Gibbon and published in six volumes. Volume I was published in 1776, and went through six printings. Volumes II and III were published in 1781; volumes IV, V, VI in 1788–89...
, The Creature from Jekyll Island, The Road to Serfdom
The Road to Serfdom
The Road to Serfdom is a book written by the Austrian-born economist and philosopher Friedrich von Hayek between 1940–1943, in which he "warned of the danger of tyranny that inevitably results from government control of economic decision-making through central planning," and in which he argues...
, Economics in One Lesson
Economics in One Lesson
Economics in One Lesson is an introduction to free market economics written by Henry Hazlitt and published in 1946, based on Frédéric Bastiat's essay .The "One Lesson" is stated in Part One of the book:...
, Human Action
Human Action
Human Action: A Treatise on Economics is the magnum opus of the Austrian economist Ludwig von Mises. It presents a case for laissez-faire capitalism based on Mises' praxeology, or rational investigation of human decision-making. It rejects positivism within economics...
, Doctor Zhivago
Doctor Zhivago
-Original creation:*Doctor Zhivago, by Boris Pasternak, published in 1957**Yuri Andreyevich Zhivago, a fictional character and the main protagonist of the book Doctor Zhivago-Adaptations:There are several adaptations based on the Doctor Zhivago book:...
, Atlas Shrugged
Atlas Shrugged
Atlas Shrugged is a novel by Ayn Rand, first published in 1957 in the United States. Rand's fourth and last novel, it was also her longest, and the one she considered to be her magnum opus in the realm of fiction writing...
, and Democracy in America
Democracy in America
De la démocratie en Amérique is a classic French text by Alexis de Tocqueville. A "literal" translation of its title is Of Democracy in America, but the usual translation of the title is simply Democracy in America...
, as well as titles from Thomas DiLorenzo
Thomas DiLorenzo
Thomas James DiLorenzo is an American economics professor at Loyola University Maryland. He is an adherent of the Austrian School of Economics. He is a senior faculty member of the Ludwig von Mises Institute and an associated scholar of the Abbeville Institute...
, Thomas Fleming
Thomas Fleming (historian)
Thomas James Fleming is an American military historian and historical novelist.-Biography:Thomas Fleming was born in 1927 in Jersey City, New Jersey. He is a historian and novelist with a special interest in the American Revolution....
, Chalmers Johnson
Chalmers Johnson
Chalmers Ashby Johnson was an American author and professor emeritus of the University of California, San Diego. He served in the Korean War, was a consultant for the CIA from 1967–1973, and chaired the Center for Chinese Studies at the University of California, Berkeley from 1967 to 1972...
, Rose Wilder Lane
Rose Wilder Lane
Rose Wilder Lane was an American journalist, travel writer, novelist, and political theorist...
, Andrew Napolitano
Andrew Napolitano
Andrew Paolo Napolitano is a former New Jersey Superior Court Judge and now a political and legal analyst for Fox News Channel. Napolitano started on the channel in 1998, and currently serves as the network's senior judicial analyst, commenting on legal news and trials...
, Robert Pape
Robert Pape
Robert Anthony Pape, Jr. , is an American political scientist known for his work on international security affairs, especially the coercive strategies of air power and the rationale of suicide terrorism. He is currently a professor of Political Science at the University of Chicago and founder of the...
, Lew Rockwell
Lew Rockwell
Llewellyn Harrison "Lew" Rockwell, Jr. is an American libertarian political commentator, activist, proponent of the Austrian School of economics, and chairman of the Ludwig von Mises Institute.-Life and work:...
, Michael Scheuer
Michael Scheuer
Michael F. Scheuer is a former CIA intelligence officer, American blogger, historian, foreign policy critic, and political analyst. He is currently an adjunct professor at Georgetown University's Center for Peace and Security Studies...
, Murray Rothbard
Murray Rothbard
Murray Newton Rothbard was an American author and economist of the Austrian School who helped define capitalist libertarianism and popularized a form of free-market anarchism he termed "anarcho-capitalism." Rothbard wrote over twenty books and is considered a centrally important figure in the...
, and Hans Sennholz
Hans Sennholz
Hans F. Sennholz was an economist of the Austrian school of economics who studied under Ludwig von Mises. After serving in the Luftwaffe in World War II, he took degrees at the universities of Marburg and Köln. He then moved to the United States to study for a Ph.D. at New York University...
.
| Item | Page | Length |
|---|---|---|
| (Titles and Dedication) | (i) | 5 |
| Contents | vii | 1 |
| Preface (and Main Title) | ix | 5 |
| 1: The False Choices of American Politics | 1 | 7 |
| 2: The Foreign Policy of the Founding Fathers | 9 | 31 |
| 3: The Constitution | 41 | 27 |
| 4: Economic Freedom | 69 | 39 |
| 5: Civil Liberties and Personal Freedom | 109 | 27 |
| 6: Money: The Forbidden Issue in American Politics | 137 | 20 |
| 7: The Revolution | 157 | 11 |
| A Reading List for a Free and Prosperous America | 169 | 5 |
Reception
Upon release, the book moved to the top of several bestseller lists. It was one of Amazon's Top 10 best sellers, its #1 seller of all political books, and became its #1 seller among all categories. Revolution debuted at #7 on the New York Times nonfiction bestseller list and at #2 on its list of bestselling political books for the period of April 12 to May 3, 2008; some bookstores reported receiving bulk orders. It became #1 on the nonfiction list for the week of May 18, 2008. The book spent its third week on the Times best seller list at #7, its fourth at #5, its fifth week at #8 and its sixth week at #10. In its seventh and eighth weeks it was #13 on the list. It took a dip in its ninth week to #22 on The New York Times Bestsellers list and in its 10th week it held steady at #23. As of August 3, 2008 the book is at #24 on the New York Times Best Seller List. On the week of September 15, The Revolution bounced to #10 on the New York Time best seller list and the following week dropped down to #27.Reviews
Glenn ReynoldsGlenn Reynolds
Glenn Harlan Reynolds is Beauchamp Brogan Distinguished Professor of Law at the University of Tennessee, and is best known for his weblog, Instapundit, one of the most widely read American political weblogs...
of Instapundit
Instapundit
Instapundit is a United States political blog produced by Glenn Reynolds, a law professor at the University of Tennessee. The blog began in August 2001 as an experiment, and a part of Reynolds' class on Internet law...
gave the book a favorable, though mixed, review, saying, "The book benefits from many of the Paul campaign’s virtues, in the form of accessibility, clarity, and straightforwardness. On the other hand, it also suffers from some of the Paul campaign’s vices." Paul Constant at The Stranger
The Stranger (newspaper)
The Stranger is an alternative weekly newspaper in Seattle, Washington, USA. It runs a blog known as Slog.-History:The Stranger was founded by Tim Keck, who had previously co-founded the satirical newspaper The Onion, and cartoonist James Sturm. Its first issue came out on September 23, 1991...
likened Paul to an "ancient high-school civics teacher" who "puffs up" at the notion of the Constitution as a "living document."
David Weigel
David Weigel
David "Dave" Weigel , is an American journalist, currently working for Slate magazine and MSNBC. Weigel began appearing on MSNBC in 2009, accepting a position as a paid contributor in June 2010...
of Reason
Reason (magazine)
Reason is a libertarian monthly magazine published by the Reason Foundation. The magazine has a circulation of around 60,000 and was named one of the 50 best magazines in 2003 and 2004 by the Chicago Tribune.- History :...
reviewed the book favorably, comparing Paul's political ideas to those of fellow anti-war conservative Sen. Chuck Hagel
Chuck Hagel
Charles Timothy "Chuck" Hagel is a former United States Senator from Nebraska. A member of the Republican Party, he was first elected in 1996 and was reelected in 2002...
. "Paul has a grand unified theory to offer readers, knowing full well that he's opening minds, not programming them," Weigel wrote, adding that Paul "offers readers, first and foremost, the lesson that 'leaders' and universally accepted concepts shouldn't be trusted. It is worried and informed neostructuralists who can change things, not historical 'great men.' If Ron Paul doesn't provide perfect solutions, he certainly provides a blueprint."
In September 2008, The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
reported that the book was "largely written" by Thomas Woods
Thomas Woods
Thomas E. "Tom" Woods, Jr. is an American historian, economist, political analyst, and New York Times-bestselling author. He has written extensively on the subjects of American history, contemporary politics, and economic theory...
. Woods contends that his role in authoring the book has been "overemphasized" and that "this is Ron Paul's book in every way."