Awesome Libertarianism

Curated list of awesome books and authors on libertarianism, anarcho-capitalism and austrian school of economics.

Awesome Books

Personal reviews

Economic Policy, Thoughts for Today and Tomorrow

Ludwig von Mises, 1979

An introductory book indicated for whoever are interested in free market economy. Very acessible it is a good start point to economics and regulatory aspects of the austrian school of economics.

The Law

Frédéric Bastiat, 1849

An introductory book and a critique for regulations and the use of legislation by authorities. His criticism is very actual even for a book write more than 150 years ago. It is specialy good for lawyers and people interested in legislation from a liberal perspective.

The Anatomy of the State

Murray Rothbard, 1974

This is an excelent simple book to desconstruct the aurea of state and start to think objectively about it necessity. A good start point to anarcho capitalism ideas.

The origin of money

Carl Menger, 1892

This book is a discussion about something we hardly asks its origins. Money. It is a simple and objective approach. Very indicated understanding the origins of gold standard.

The Production of Security

Gustave de Molinari, 1849

This book is a pionner view on security as a private service, a simple, objective and logical argumentation. It was written about hundred years before the beginning of development of anarcho capitalism.

No Treason: The Constitution of No Authority

Lysander Spooner, 1867

This book is a objective analises how american constitution is imposed against the will of american citizens. And how it goes against the rights of people.

The Fountainhead

Ayn Rand, 1943

This book is a novel about a bright architect and his objective views of the world. The dificulties that a person only focused in doing his job the best it can with no social skills is the central thema. Very indicated as a first contact with liberal ideas or for someone who just want to enjoy a good novel.

Human Action

Ludwig von Mises, 1949

This book is a masterclass in capitalism. Mises introduces praxeology and then use it in all economics. It is the most influential book in austrian school of economics and a must read if you are interested in this ideas.

Principles of Economics

Carl Menger, 1871

This book is considered the begining of Austrian School of Economics. It introduces very important concepts that the great majority if not all authors will follow. The book presents his pioneer work in theory of value the so called marginal utility.

For a New Liberty

Murray Rothbard, 1973

This book is a presentation and a very good start point of the anarcho capitalism ideas by it creator in simple terms with real world examples.

A Theory of Socialism and Capitalism

Hans-Hermann Hoppe, 1988

This book shows that only exists two economic systems. Capitalism and socialism. Everything else can be explained as a combination of these ideas.

Socialism: An Economic and Sociological Analysis

Ludwig von Mises, 1922

This book is a complete analisys of socialism, where mises presents his famous argument about the impossibility of economic calculation under socialism. It contains a lot of historical information, some ethical considerations, and an amazing defense of private property and capitalism.

The Ethics of Liberty

Murray Rothbard, 1982

This book is a praxeological construction of ethics. Which together with mises economics ideas. Rothbard created the anarcho capitalism.

Democracy: The God That Failed

Hans-Hermann Hoppe, 2001

This book is a desconstruction in the believe that democracy and majority opinion is an optimal or ethical system.

Competition and Entrepreneurship

Israel Kirzner, 1978

This book is an analysis of the role of the enterpreuner in equilibrating the
market, it brings elements of mises views in praxeology and hayeks views on descentralized knowledge and spontaneous order.

The Road to Serfdom

Friedrich Hayek, 1944

This book shows how central planing always converge to authoritarism and socialism. A good critique to keynesian economics.

Economic Science and the Austrian Method

Hans-Hermann Hoppe, 1995

This is an advanced book. For people interested in praxeology, epistemology and the cientific foundations of economics, human sciences and a general discussion on the topic. This book is recomended for people who already understand reasonably well austrian school of economics and want to have a better understanding of its foundations or people interested in metodology.

The Austrian Theory of the Trade Cycle and Other Essays

Mises, Haberler, Rothbard, Hayek, 1978

This book is a collection of four articles about austrian trade cycle theory. It is recomended for anyone interested in economic cycles and the central bank influence in economy in special keynesian politics.

Individualism and Economic Order

Friedrich Hayek, 1948

This book presents Hayek's views on social sciences metodology and how knowledge is decentralized and influence people's decision in the market, with criticism for central planing and socialism. This book is recomended for people interested in a criative view of market process.

The Denationalization of Money

Friedrich Hayek, 1976

This book presents ideas about free banking, private money and how to implement it in a world with central bank. Many ideas presented in this book are now seen in tech communities.

The Most Dangerous Superstition

Larken Rose, 2011

This book is amazing discussion about the moral problems involved in blind respect to political authority. It is a very easy reading not too rigorous, very good for general public. The author fully understood libertarian ethics and created a very accessible book that will try to shock the reader from the very beginning to the end.

Against Intellectual Property

Stephan Kinsella, 2008

This book presents a discussion on ethical grounds on the legitimacy of intellectual property, in doing this he presents a revised discussion on some popular rothbard's ideas

Praxeology and Understanding: An Analysis of the Controversy in Austrian Economics

George Selgin, 1990

A great analysis on lachman, kizner debate of market equilibrium, where he improve on kizner's arguments and construct a case against kaleidic future defended by lachman

Capital and Interest

Eugen von Böhm-Bawerk, 1890

This book brings the history of economic theories and politics behind interest. It is a great exposition of the most populars ideas on interest, it presents great refutations on then and prepare the reader for his next book where he introduces his time preference theory.