Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime

FREE delivery: Wednesday, May 5 on orders over $25.00 shipped by Amazon. Details

In Stock.
As an alternative, the Kindle eBook is available now and can be read on any device with the free Kindle app. Want to listen? Try Audible.

$$12.95 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details

Secure transaction

Ships from	Amazon.com
Sold by	Amazon.com

Details

Ships from

Amazon.com

Sold by

Amazon.com

Return policy: This item is returnable

Add a gift receipt for easy returns

FREE Shipping on orders over $25.00 shipped by Amazon or get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime

FREE delivery: Wednesday, May 5 on orders over $25.00 shipped by Amazon. Details

Fastest delivery: Friday, April 30
Order within 4 hrs and 48 mins Details

Used: Good | Details

Sold by ZBK Books

Fulfilled by Amazon

Share <Embed>

Have one to sell?

Sell on Amazon

Flip to back Flip to front

Listen Playing... Paused You're listening to a sample of the Audible audio edition.
Learn more

See all 2 images

Follow the Author

Walter Block

Defending the Undefendable Paperback – April 18, 2018

by Walter Block (Author), Murray N. Rothbard (Foreword), F.A. Hayek (Contributor)

95 ratings

See all formats and editions Hide other formats and editions

Price

New from

Used from

Kindle

"Please retry"

$2.99

—

Audible Audiobook, Unabridged

"Please retry"

$0.00

Free with your Audible trial

Paperback

"Please retry"

$12.95

$2.41

Enhance your purchase

Professor Block's book is in a new edition from the Mises Institute, completely reset and beautifully laid out in an edition worthy of its contents.It is among the most famous of the great defenses of victimless crimes and controversial economic practices, from profiteering and gouging to bribery and blackmail. However, beneath the surface, this book is also an outstanding work of microeconomic theory that explains the workings of economic forces in everyday events and affairs.Murray Rothbard explains why:"Defending the Undefendable performs the service of highlighting, the fullest and starkest terms, the essential nature of the productive services performed by all people in the free market. By taking the most extreme examples and showing how the Smithian principles work even in these cases, the book does far more to demonstrate the workability and morality of the free market than a dozen sober tomes on more respectable industries and activities. By testing and proving the extreme cases, he all the more illustrates and vindicates the theory."F.A. Hayek agreed, writing the author as follows: "Looking through Defending the Undefendable made me feel that I was once more exposed to the shock therapy by which, more than fifty years ago, the late Ludwig von Mises converted me to a consistent free market position. … Some may find it too strong a medicine, but it will still do them good even if they hate it. A real understanding of economics demands that one disabuses oneself of many dear prejudices and illusions. Popular fallacies in economics frequently express themselves in unfounded prejudices against other occupations, and showing the falsity of these stereotypes you are doing a real services, although you will not make yourself more popular with the majority."SUPPORTERS "Looking through 'Defending the Undefendable' made me feel that I was once more exposed to the shock therapy by which, more than 50 years ago, the late Ludwig von Mises converted me to a consistent free market position. Even now I am occasionally at first incredulous and feel that "this is going too far," but usually find in the end that Block is right. Some may find it too strong a medicine, but it wills till do them good even if they hate it. A real understanding of economics demands that one disabuses oneself of many dear prejudices and illusions. Popular fallacies in economics frequently express themselves in unfounded prejudices against other occupations, and in showing the falsitty of these stereotypes Block is doing a real servic, although he will not make himself more popular with the majority."--FA Hayek"Judging from the outraged responses in many libertarian quarters, many of 'our people' are not ready for this exciting and shocking adventure. Since libertarians are, or are supposed to be on the forefront of thought, since their whole lives have been an intellectual adventure in many ways, the hostility becomes even more mysterious."--Murray N. Rothbard"There are things that I strongly agree with and things that I strongly disagree with, but the book thoughout is amusingly and sharply reasoned, couragous and always provocative."--Henry Hazlitt"Many years ago Hazlitt's little masterpiece, Economics in One Lesson, demonstrated how, in order to measure the consequences of economic activies, one must look beyond their immediately obvious effects to thir secondary effects. Here Professor Block sets out highly specific, and sometimes shocking examples of Hazlitt's thesis. By concentrating on the positive economic contributions of extreme cases, he forces the reader's consideration and greater appreciation of these principles."--Robert D. Kephart"It is a magnificent book, a trailblazer. I would call it ;Drano for Clogged Minds,' except that Drano is neither amusing nor stimulating, and this book is both. I suggest buying two copies: one for yourself and one for the person you want most to catch up with you."--Roger Lea MacBride

Print length

280 pages
Language

English
Publication date

April 18, 2018
Dimensions

6 x 0.64 x 9 inches
ISBN-10

1933550171
ISBN-13

978-1933550176
See all details

Frequently bought together

Total price: $34.85

Buy the selected items together

This item:Defending the Undefendable by Walter Block Paperback $12.95
In Stock.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
FREE Shipping on orders over $25.00. Details
Defending the Undefendable II: Freedom in All Realms by Walter Block Paperback $14.95
In Stock.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
FREE Shipping on orders over $25.00. Details
Anatomy of the State by Murray Rothbard Paperback $6.95
In Stock.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
FREE Shipping on orders over $25.00. Details

Customers who viewed this item also viewed

Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1

Murray Rothbard
814
Paperback
$6.95
In Stock.
Walter Block
11
Paperback
$14.95
In Stock.
Hayek
1,738
Paperback
$15.30
In Stock.
Murray N Rothbard
330
Paperback
$10.06
Available to ship in 1-2 days.
Frederic Bastiat
1,309
Paperback
$6.49
In Stock.
Walter Block
23
Paperback
$14.95
Only 12 left in stock (more on the way).

Customers who bought this item also bought

Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1

Walter Block
11
Paperback
$14.95
In Stock.
Murray Rothbard
814
Paperback
$6.95
In Stock.
Henry Hazlitt
2,393
Paperback
in Business Pricing
$10.39
In Stock.
Frederic Bastiat
1,309
Paperback
$6.49
In Stock.
Hayek
1,738
Paperback
$15.30
In Stock.
Robert P. Murphy
67
Paperback
$7.00
Available to ship in 1-2 days.

Special offers and product promotions

Amazon Business: Make the most of your Amazon Business account with exclusive tools and savings. Login now
Amazon Business : For business-only pricing, quantity discounts and FREE Shipping. Register a free business account

Start reading Defending the Undefendable (LvMI) on your Kindle in under a minute.

Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.

Product details

Publisher : Ludwig von Mises Institute (April 18, 2018)
Language : English
Paperback : 280 pages
ISBN-10 : 1933550171
ISBN-13 : 978-1933550176
Item Weight : 12.8 ounces
Dimensions : 6 x 0.64 x 9 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #648,480 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #1,015 in Theory of Economics
- #1,746 in Economic History (Books)
- #3,957 in Political Leader Biographies

Customer Reviews:
95 ratings

Customer reviews

5 star		64%
4 star		18%
3 star		12%
2 star		2%
1 star		4%

How are ratings calculated?

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Spencer Corwin

Shock therapy for libertarian thought

Reviewed in the United States on February 23, 2019

Verified Purchase

For a someone who is well versed in libertarian thought then there's not much that will shock you in this book. But there are still brilliant nuggets that even I had never heard before. The best example was the last chapter where Block applies libertarian homesteading theory to the question of: when does a child become an adult in the libertarian view? I won't give it away here, but it is brilliant and was laid out well. If you are not a libertarian but want to here the libertarian defense of things that you would think are utterly undefendable, then look no further. This is the shock therapy you are looking for and it very well may open up your mind.

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

Magnus

Very good at explaining the value of a free market

Reviewed in the United States on February 9, 2020

Verified Purchase

Block introduces readers to the beauty of the free market in dealing with what should and should not be allowed to flourish in a free society. He picks many extreme examples of seemingly despicable professions/trades to highlight the manner in which they often fill a societal need and/or are driven from the marketplace if deemed anathema. A weakness is that certain topics addressed (e.g., drug dealing) that are driven by addiction do not prove as compelling as other free market actions. It nevertheless opens readers' eyes to the value of a truly free marketplace.

Helpful

C Hoffmann

Cleverly argued, often funny.

Reviewed in the United States on March 12, 2013

Verified Purchase

This book is a good refresher (or introduction) on some very basic economic principles, applied to many of society's scorned, including prostitutes, pimps, drug dealers, heroin addicts, blackmailers, gypsy cab drivers, counterfeiters, misers, slumlords, profiteers, and strip miners, fat capitalist pig employers etc....

The author makes a strong case that:
1. Free markets will eliminate much of the negative societal effects of the above pariahs, and
2. Much of the negativity associated with said pariahs should actually be blamed on the state attempts at market intervention.

He labels them heroes for bearing the scorn of society, fighting state attempts at coercion, and providing services that benefit society in ways that society fails to see.

This book is very entertaining (okay, hilarious at times), and it is convincingly argued in most cases. But a few chapters were plagued with weak arguments that detracted from the book. For example, in his defense of litterbugs, the author states correctly that private businesses don 't have a litter problem. He suggests that if sidewalks and parks were privately owned, the litter problem would be solved by profit-driven entrepreneurs having financial incentives to pick up after their guests. He offers no helpful suggestions on how private ownership of sidewalks would be feasible. The chapter on yelling fire in a crowded theater was also unconvincing. His argument starts out strong, with the point that entrepreneurs utilizing a market contract system will be more efficient than government at securing safety on their own private property. But he blows his argument by suggesting that some entrepreneurs might prefer to cater to sado-masochists who enjoy having their shows interrupted, and as long as they advertised their intention to allow disruptions, ordinary people should respect the right of these sado-masochists to have their place. He might have just been being funny since he does pull off hilarious points elsewhere in the book with skill.

Still, this book is a terrific read for anyone interested for a fun read on free market economics.

7 people found this helpful

Helpful

The implication of Liberty and non-agression applied to (controversial) specific occupations

Reviewed in the United States on June 20, 2015

Verified Purchase

Very enjoyable read, if the Defending the undefendable II were available in kindle format, I would also buy/read it. The 'short story' nature of the book is helpful, because you can do the reading even if you don't have much time. The most important lesson I take away from this book is that we often find a profession/person/action/thing repulsive or criminal or wrong or dirty or whatever for the wrong reasons. For example: thanks to prof. Block, virtually all issues I used to have about 'the environment', I was able to trace back to 'property rights'. Also, I realised that we make the logical mistake to disapprove of certain occupations if they frequently involve force or coercion, while we should jugde only the coercion, and not the profession per se.

3 people found this helpful

Helpful

A. W. Holtzapple

A book to open your mind...

Reviewed in the United States on February 8, 2012

Verified Purchase

In this unique book, economics professor Walter Block defends people who follow controversial practices. Each chapter is devoted to a different type of person - most of whom the average American would consider the lowest of the low. Pimps, drug pushers, blackmailers, ticket scalpers, dishonest cops, slumlords, litterers, fat capitalist pigs, and child labor employers to name a few of the more than 30 practices discussed in this book.

After reading "Defending", one is not meant to come away with a new found appreciation for sex workers, outlaws or cheats, it is merely a book meant to make you think - and it does just that. It is meant to release you from the bonds of mainstream thinking and get you to open your mind and ask yourself, "why is this practice so bad?" It teaches you to think for yourself and how to stand up and defend your own positions. After reading this book I came away with a great respect for Dr. Block because through his book I had received a great lesson in critical thinking.

If you want to read an entertaining, politically incorrect book that really makes you open your mind, read "Defending the Undefendable" by Walter Block. Regardless of your opinion of the practices discussed within its pages you will find yourself enjoying its contents immensely.

11 people found this helpful

Helpful

Top reviews from other countries

M T.

Truthful with the economical

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 8, 2018

Verified Purchase

Great book explaining the usefulness and validity of people on the fringes of the economy. Ticket touts, prostitutes, and pimps are just three that stuck in my mind, but there are man more. Very interesting way to explore economic models.

Emir Catovic

Controversial, but logical. Read it

Reviewed in Australia on October 12, 2020

Verified Purchase

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. it will challenge you in so many ways but it's never illogical. A must read for Libertarians

joe

Four Stars

Reviewed in Canada on February 9, 2018

Verified Purchase

What a great read this book is..goes a long way to eliminating judgement.

One person found this helpful

Peter

Book size TOO large

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 8, 2016

Verified Purchase

This is not a review of the book itself (hence 5 stars to keep the rating unchanged).

As a warning to other potential buyers, when it says large print, it is not joking. Admittedly I did not notice that it was mentioned in the product description. That said, it basically makes the book unreadable for me as my only opportunity to read is on the train. Regardless of the content, the book is therefore destined for the bin.

One person found this helpful

Ruslan

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 19, 2014

Verified Purchase

Good book

See all reviews

What other items do customers buy after viewing this item?

Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1

Buy new: $12.95 FREE delivery: Wednesday, May 5 on orders over $25.00 shipped by Amazon. Ships from: Amazon.com Sold by: Amazon.com

Buy used: $12.30

Follow the Author

Similar authors to follow

Defending the Undefendable Paperback – April 18, 2018

Enhance your purchase

Frequently bought together

Customers who viewed this item also viewed

Customers who bought this item also bought

Special offers and product promotions

Product details

Customer reviews

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Top reviews from other countries

What other items do customers buy after viewing this item?

Buy new:

$12.95

FREE delivery: Wednesday, May 5 on orders over $25.00 shipped by Amazon.

Ships from: Amazon.com

Sold by: Amazon.com

Buy used:

$12.30