This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Legobot (talk | contribs) at 21:52, 26 February 2013 (Bot: Migrating langlinks to WP:Wikidata - d:q786997). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.
Revision as of 21:52, 26 February 2013 by Legobot (talk | contribs) (Bot: Migrating langlinks to WP:Wikidata - d:q786997)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff) | The topic of this article may not meet Misplaced Pages's notability guideline for books. Please help to demonstrate the notability of the topic by citing reliable secondary sources that are independent of the topic and provide significant coverage of it beyond a mere trivial mention. If notability cannot be shown, the article is likely to be merged, redirected, or deleted. Find sources: "The Machinery of Freedom" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (August 2012) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "The Machinery of Freedom" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (August 2012) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
| File:Bookmachineryoffreedomdavidfreidman.jpgPaperback | |
| Author | David D. Friedman |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Subject | anarcho-capitalism, anarchist law |
| Publication date | 1973; 2nd edition 1989 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | Paperback |
| ISBN | ISBN 0-8126-9069-9 Parameter error in {{ISBNT}}: invalid character |
| OCLC | 19388655 |
| Dewey Decimal | 323.44 19 |
| LC Class | JC585 .F76 1989 |
The Machinery of Freedom is a 1973 nonfiction book by libertarian economist David D. Friedman outlining the means by which an anarcho-capitalist society could operate. The Institute of Public Affairs included it in a list of the "Top 20 books you must read before you die."
The book calls for the abolition or privatization of all government functions, details suggestions for many specific instances of privatization, explores the consequences of libertarian thought, examples of libertarian society (such as the Icelandic Commonwealth), and offers the author's personal statement about why he became a libertarian. Topics addressed in the book include the privatization of law (both legislation and enforcement), and the knotty problem of providing for public goods (such as national defense) in a purely libertarian society. Friedman's approach and conclusions are anarcho-capitalist.
While some libertarians and anarcho-capitalists offer deontological views and argue in terms of natural rights, Friedman argues from utilitarianism that the consequences of anarcho-capitalism will be beneficial to the vast majority, including the poor. Friedman's strategy for moving from the current status quo to anarcho-capitalism is pragmatic in spirit, advocating incremental change. For example, he favors the introduction of education vouchers as a prelude to privatization of the school system, and the decentralization of the police as a similar first step toward privatized defense.
See also
References
- Shearmur, Jeremy. Institute of Public Affairs Review, July 2006, Vol. 58 Issue 2, p28-28, 1/3p; (AN 22056148)
External links
- The Machinery of Freedom full text pdf file
- The Machinery of Freedom at Friedman's personal website, including free chapters of the book.
 | This article about a book on economics or finance is a stub. You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it. |