The Ethics of Liberty

Murray N. Rothbard's classic The Ethics of Liberty stands as one of the most rigorous and philosophically sophisticated expositions of the libertarian political position. What distinguishes this book is the manner in which it roots the case for freedom in the concept of natural rights and applies it to a host of practical problems. And while Rothbard's conclusions are radical--that a social order that strictly adheres to the rights of private property must exclude the institutionalized violence inherent in the state--his applications of libertarian principles prove surprisingly practical for a host of social dilemmas, solutions to which have eluded alternative traditions. This updated edition is freshly indexed and includes a new introduction that takes special note of the controversies between Robert Nozick and Murray Rothbard.