Customer Reviews

Liberalism : In the Classical Tradition

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Years ago, when I was in college and my instinctual attachment to libertarian principles was stronger than my philosophical and economic grounding in them, a friend gave me a copy of this book. On the flyleaf, he inscribed it to me with, he wrote, "best wishes for you and the future of classical liberalism."

He could hardly have chosen a better book for helping ensure my own future as a classical liberal. As a "gateway drug," so to speak, for the works of Ludwig von Mises and the Austrian School generally, "Liberalism" is a wonderful way to go. In barely 200 pages, Mises (as translated by Ralph Raico) lays out all the central ideas and themes of liberalism properly understood, and helps the reader see how ideas of economics, politics, history, sociology, and philosophy all fit together in one unified, consistent world view.

It's probably a testimony to my own interests that I find the section on liberal foreign policy the most interesting and inspiring -- as well as timely when re-read in 2008 -- although the parts on liberal economic policy, and liberalism and parliamentarism, are certainly just as important. Though "Liberalism" *can* be a quick read, it of course also repays close reading and careful study. I would certainly not recommend it be read to the exclusion of Mises' other works, but as a bracing intellectual refresher -- or, as my friend clearly saw, an introductory work to someone in need of an intellectual grounding in principles only incompletely understood -- it is very hard to beat.