Defending the Undefendable: The Pimp, Prostitute, Scab, Slumlord, Libeler, Moneylender, and Other Scapegoats in the Rogue's Gallery of American Society

Business & Money

Walter Block

Economics

Fleet Press

Just how far can the principles of individual liberty be pushed? Walter Block pushes them just as far as he can in defense of the activities of scallywags, rogues, rascals, and scoundrels. From the premise that activities involving force and fraud are outlawed, Block defends all of those "capitalist acts between consenting adults" that horrify right-thinking Americans by showing that they are actually beneficial. 
 "An outrageously funny yet ruthlessly logical book... If libertarians can't speak out forthrightly for individual freedom in unpopular areas, we haven't the courage of our alleged convictions. This book ought to be the cutting edge of the libertarian movement for years to come." -- D.T. Armentano 
 "Walter Block argues that some of the most socially offensive members of society--including prostitutes, libelers and moneylenders--are 'scapegoats' whose actual social and economic value is not being appreciated. Startling and illuminating! Block's lucid defenses often convince; sometimes they lead us to sharpen our attack. In either case, the reader cannot fail to be instructed and challenged by this mind-stretching, provocative, and occasionally infuriating book." -- Robert Nozick 
 "This witty and wonderful book is a veritable manual of the 'joy of freedom.' If we were only half as interested in liberty as in lust, we would not have half the problems we have." -- Dr. Thomas Szasz 
 "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. Buy two copies--one for yourself and one for the person you want most to catch up with you." -- Roger Lea MacBride 
 "There are things that I strongly agree with and things that I strongly disagree with, but the book throughout is amusingly and sharply reasoned, courageous and always provocative." -- Henry Hazlitt 
 "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." -- F.A. Hayek 
 "Until Prof. Block's book, no economist had the courage to tackle the moral and economic status of the dozens of reviled and misunderstood occupations in our society." -- Murray Rothbard

Business Culture

Fox & Wilkes

Building Blocks For Liberty

History

Legare Street Press

This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923. This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ++++ The below data was compiled from various identification fields in the bibliographic record of this title. This data is provided as an additional tool in helping to ensure edition identification: ++++ Privatization Of Roads And Highways: Human And Economic Factors reprint Walter Block Ludwig von Mises Institute, 2009 Business &amp; Economics; Economics; General; Business &amp; Economics / Economics / General; Business &amp; Economics / Government &amp; Business; Privatization; Roads; Traffic safety; Transportation / General; Transportation and state

The Privatization of Roads and Highways: Human and Economic Factors

Nabu Press

LARGE PRINT EDITION! More at LargePrintLiberty.com. The Mises Institute is pleased to introduce Walter Block's remarkable new treatise on private roads, a 494-page book that will cause you to rethink the whole of the way modern transportation networks operate. It is bold, innovative, radical, compelling, and shows how free-market economic theory is the clarifying lens through which to see the failures of the state and see the alternative that is consistent with human liberty.He shows that even the worst, off-the-cuff scenario of life under private ownership of roads would be fantastic by comparison to the existing reality of government-ownership of roads, which is awful in ways we don't entirely realize until Block fully explains it (think: highway deaths).But that is only the beginning of what Professor Block has done. He has made a lengthy, detailed, and positive case that the privatization of roads would be socially optimal in every way. It would save lives, curtail pollution, save us (as individuals!) money, save us massive time, introduce accountability, and make transportation a pleasure instead of a huge pain in the neck.Because this is the first-ever complete book on this topic, the length and detail are absolutely necessary. He shows that this is not some libertarian pipe dream but the most practical application of free-market logic. Block is dealing with something that confronts us every day. And in so doing, he illustrates the power of economic theory to take an existing set of facts and help see them in a completely different way.What's also nice is that the prose has great passion about it, despite its scholarly detail. Block loves answering the objections (Aren't roads public goods? Aren't roads too expensive to build privately?) and making the case, fully aware that he has to overcome a deep and persistent bias in favor of public ownership. The writer burns with a moral passion on the subjects of highway deaths and pollution issues. His "Open Letter to Mothers Against Drunk Driving" is a thrill to read!People have known that Block had been working on this book for many years, and some chapters have been seen in journals here and there. But there is something thrilling about seeing it all put together in one place. It comes together as a battle plan against government roads and a complete roadmap for a future of private transportation.

CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform

LARGE PRINT EDITION! More at LargePrintLiberty.com.  Walter Block ranks among the most prolific and provocative libertarian thinkers in human history. This volume fills an important gap in his corpus of writing: a series of accessible articles on cutting edge topics. His research and writing on roads, education, labor, secession, drugs, and money fill the scholarly journals, but these reductions bring this research to you in a format that is designed to persuade everyone. The book therefore extends the logic of liberty in new directions, helping the reader to come to a radical understanding of the implications of economic liberty for the social and political order. His mind is sharp as a tack in dealing with conventional objections. Block even tries his hand at taking on changes in language that subtly impact the position of liberty in our social and political lives, thereby picking up a project that Hayek had begun in the 1970s. Block alone seems to have seen the merit of this type of analysis and extended it into the age of political correctness. What first appears to be an eccentric collection of unpredictable opinions on a large range of provocative topics turns out to be a compelling presentation of the logic of liberty applied to a series of practical issues that surround us every day.

Building Blocks for Liberty

Politics & Social Sciences

Politics & Government

LARGE PRINT EDITION! More at LargePrintLiberty.com 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."

Social Sciences

Walter Block's daring, funny, iconoclastic Defending the Undefendable is a libertarian classic. In this sequel Block defends even more of society's hidden heroes, those unfairly maligned entrepreneurs, workers, and capitalists who create value through free and voluntary interaction, and he does it in the same colorful and engaging style. (Peter G. Klein)Walter Block has assembled thirty chapters defending behavior that is probably offensive to most Americans, such as dwarf tossing and stereotyping, and  many that are downright illegal, such as dueling and smuggling.  Plus, he's provided us with humorous cartoons at the end of many chapters.  The bottom line message in Freedom in All Realms: Defending the Undefendable is that the true test of our commitment to personal liberty doesn't come when we permit others to engage in those peaceable, voluntary acts with which we agree.  It comes when we permit others to engage in peaceable, voluntary acts we find offensive. (Walter E. Williams)In an age when all too many people run for cover when their controversial neighbors evoke the ire of intellectual elites, Walter Block heroically comes to the rescue. You don't have to agree with him on everything to respect his thoughtfulness on behalf of the unpopular and the misunderstood. Liberty's very survival depends upon such courage! (Lawrence W. Reed)Walter Block is the most courageous of libertarian economists. No issue is too tough for the application of solid principles-and that makes him unique. I find him to be absolutely consistent in his logic, clear enough for anyone to grasp, and bold enough to take on any and all challengers. On top of it all, he's provocative and fun to read. (Ken Schoolland)Defending the Undefendable: Freedom in All Realms is a worthy, indispensable sequel to DTU, written in a fun, punchy, and accessible style, but with no punches pulled. (Stephan Kinsella)

Defending the Undefendable II: Freedom in All Realms

Terra Libertas Limited

The Mises Institute is pleased to introduce Walter Block's remarkable new treatise on private roads, a 494-page book that will cause you to rethink the whole of the way modern transportation networks operate. It is bold, innovative, radical, compelling, and shows how free-market economic theory is the clarifying lens through which to see the failures of the state and see the alternative that is consistent with human liberty. He shows that even the worst, off-the-cuff scenario of life under private ownership of roads would be fantastic by comparison to the existing reality of government-ownership of roads, which is awful in ways we don't entirely realize until Block fully explains it (think: highway deaths). But that is only the beginning of what Professor Block has done. He has made a lengthy, detailed, and positive case that the privatization of roads would be socially optimal in every way. It would save lives, curtail pollution, save us (as individuals!) money, save us massive time, introduce accountability, and make transportation a pleasure instead of a huge pain in the neck. Because this is the first-ever complete book on this topic, the length and detail are absolutely necessary. He shows that this is not some libertarian pipe dream but the most practical application of free-market logic. Block is dealing with something that confronts us every day. And in so doing, he illustrates the power of economic theory to take an existing set of facts and help see them in a completely different way. 
 What's also nice is that the prose has great passion about it, despite its scholarly detail. Block loves answering the objections (Aren't roads public goods? Aren't roads too expensive to build privately?) and making the case, fully aware that he has to overcome a deep and persistent bias in favor of public ownership. The writer burns with a moral passion on the subjects of highway deaths and pollution issues. His "Open Letter to Mothers Against Drunk Driving" is a thrill to read! 
 People have known that Block had been working on this book for many years, and some chapters have been seen in journals here and there. But there is something thrilling about seeing it all put together in one place. It comes together as a battle plan against government roads and a complete road-map for a future of private transportation.

Engineering & Transportation

Engineering

Ludwig von Mises Institute

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

Defending the Undefendable

Biographies & Memoirs

Leaders & Notable People

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Walter Block. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Walter Block

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Walter Block. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Defending the Undefendable: The Pimp, Prostitute, Scab, Slumlord, Libeler, Moneylender, and Other Scapegoats in the Rogue's Gallery of American Society

Defending the Undefendable: The Pimp, Prostitute, Scab, Slumlord, Libeler, Moneylender, and Other Scapegoats in the Rogue's Gallery of American Society

Building Blocks For Liberty

The Privatization of Roads and Highways: Human and Economic Factors

The Privatization of Roads and Highways: Human and Economic Factors

Building Blocks for Liberty

Defending the Undefendable: The Pimp, Prostitute, Scab, Slumlord, Libeler, Moneylender, and Other Scapegoats in the Rogue's Gallery of American Society

Defending the Undefendable II: Freedom in All Realms

The Privatization of Roads and Highways: Human and Economic Factors

Defending the Undefendable