Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Northwestern University law professor Koppelman (Gay Rights vs. Religious Liberty?) argues in this pointed and persuasive critique that libertarianism has mutated into "an infantile fantasy of godlike self-sufficiency." Tracing the core principles of "modern American libertarianism" to Austrian political philosopher Friedrich Hayek, Koppelman details how Hayek's belief that "opportunities created by the free markets" are the best way to alleviate poverty has been corrupted by thinkers including Ayn Rand, Robert Nozick, and Murray Rothbard, who share an extreme commitment to property rights, hostility to government regulation, and a willful blindness to market externalities such as pollution and the emergence of noncompetitive monopolies. This extreme form of libertarianism, Koppelman shows, has inspired Republican Party policy from the 1994 Contract with America to the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and is behind the party's steadfast opposition to Obamacare and environmental regulation. Though Koppelman's contention that Hayek's "middle way" aligns with modern-day Democratic principles has some blind spots--including Hayek's ambivalence toward antitrust laws--he makes a strong case that "unregulated markets cannot deliver a livable world." This treatise has the power to reach readers on both the right and the left. (Oct.)
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Review by Library Journal Review
Koppelman (John Paul Stevens Professor of Law, Northwestern Univ.; Gay Rights vs. Religious Liberty?) argues that despite seemingly opposite ideologies, U.S. liberals and libertarians have commonalities that should bring them together, in an era when libertarianism's free-market, small-government philosophy has become a driving force behind the Republican Party. The author writes from the perspective of a self-described "pro-capitalism leftist" and highlights points at which liberal and libertarian thinking converge. He posits that the current iteration of libertarianism used by the GOP is flawed, while classical libertarianism has crossover appeal. He looks at the history of libertarianism, highlights major thinkers including Friedrich Hayek and Murray Rothbard, and interrogates central principles of the ideology, such as the rights to personal liberty and property, through the lens of famous libertarian theorists. He also addresses major criticisms and limitations of libertarian thought and looks at the current political landscape, tracing how it has influenced the Republican Party through donations and political fights over Obamacare, the government's response to the 2008 recession, and COVID. VERDICT An interesting critical exploration of libertarian thought.--Rebekah Kati
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
Libertarianism and the common good. Law professor Koppelman, identifying himself as a "pro-capitalism leftist," offers a thorough examination of libertarianism and a vigorous critique of thinkers who have corrupted it into "an infantile fantasy of godlike self-sufficiency." As the author notes, "investigating philosophical debates in the law is what I do. I soon found that libertarianism comes in flavors, some more bitter than others." Koppelman defines libertarianism as "a mutated form of liberalism," which "holds the purpose of government to be guaranteeing to individuals the freedom to live as they like." Founded by Nobel laureate economist Friedrich Hayek, libertarianism proposed that unregulated markets "promise a better life for everyone." Hayek believed that "if you want more for the poor, you shouldn't try to equalize. You should make the economy grow, and that means letting the rich keep quite a lot of what they have." However, as interpreted by economist Murray Rothbard, philosopher Robert Nozick, and novelist Ayn Rand ("a hot ball of rage"), libertarianism has become a justification for "crass predation." Of the three, Koppelman sees Rothbard--who has influenced "America's most powerful libertarian, Charles Koch"--as the most noxious. "Nozick and Rand are minimal-state libertarians," writes the author." They want the state to prevent force and fraud but do nothing else. Rothbard is an anarcho-capitalist. He wants to do away with the state altogether." Koppelman makes a persuasive case for the need for state regulation and protection in areas such as workplace safety, consumer protection, drug laws, anti-discrimination laws, and financial protection. "Rejecting paternalistic regulation, because you hate the idea that your competence is limited," Koppelman asserts, "is like attacking the practice of medicine because you hate the idea of being vulnerable to illness." Because the individual is embedded within and supported by society, freedom is nothing less than "a collective achievement." A cogent analysis of a misunderstood political philosophy. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
