I’m going to update this page to reflect shits in my views over the past few months. For the time being, here’s my Hall of Heroes as is it during my “Right-libertarian” times.
Changes to expect include moving Ayn Rand down a slot (as say below, she gets in only really for bringing me into the wider libertarian movement to begin with), adding Kevin Carson and a couple others, and possibly removing John Stossel, the sell-out. The rest, even the ones I no longer really side with, can stay.
God Tier:
Murray N Rothbard (1926-1997)
Rothbard is amongst the more ideologically pure libertarians out there, being one of the bigger thinkers behind modern Anarcho-Capitalism. Although I’m not specifically an An-cap, Rothbard has probably influenced me more than any other, in part because he had a tendency to put ideological purity above more practical considerations. Every political movement needs its radicals to act a sort of ideal vision, and Rothbard was Libertarianism’s. Once you’re exposed to an entirely consistent and uncompromising world view, even if you ultimately reject certain elements, you’ll go away with a new way of thinking on others.
Suggested reading: For A New Liberty; Egalitarianism As A Revolt Against Nature.
Ludwig von Mises (1881-1973)
Arguably the closest thing Rothbard had to precursor, I appropriately discovered Mises’s ideas before Rothbard’s. Before I read his book Liberalism, I was under the impression that Classical Liberalism was dead in modern times. Reading that book, and others by Mises was what made me realize it wasn’t, at least not entirely. I’ve just got a copy of the 1000 page biography of the man, The Last Knight of Liberalism. It may take me a while.
Suggested reading: Liberalism; Bureacracy.
Demi-God tier:
Friedrich von Hayek (1899-1992)
Hayek’s probably most famous for his works on economics, especially the business cycle. Personally, I’m more of a fan of his works of law and politics. Although I always found them a bit dry and not exactly easy going reading, Hayek’s books clarified my thinking on what the goals of law should be- at least, in as far as having a centralized legal system is necessary. Being more compromising than his more radical peers Mises and Rothbard, Hayek is one of the more famous libertarians of the 20th Century. Not related to Selma Hayek. One is better for a way of thinking, the other is better for a shag. No prizes for guessing which one is which.
Suggested reading: The Constitution of Liberty; Law, Legislation and Liberty.
Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826)
Third President of the USA, one of history’s greatest Classical Liberals. The main writer of the Declaration of Independence. He was not, despite his reputation, a libertarian as we would judge one today. He was opposed to woman’s suffrage; he kept slaves; etc. Some try to justify these things, and I won’t bother, but he was a very advanced thinker for his age.
Mid Tier:
Ayn Rand (1905-1982)
Rand is an odd character in this list. She gets in automatically for being a sort of gateway drug that led me to other libertarian thinkers, for putting me on the right track if you will (ha! ha! a train joke!). I ended up rejecting several of her ideas, as I have written about in the past (and gotten flak for), and so I’m no Objectivist. She is, though, one of the more famous libertarian thinkers of recent times, and has converted countless people to freedom, even if she is largely responsible for the “selfish capitalist” tag we’re all stuck with.
Suggested reading: Atlas Shrugged; The Fountainhead; Anthem.
Ron Paul (1935-HE’S NOT DEAD YET)
He’s the leader of the libertarians! Wait, that doesn’t make sense. Paul is, however, one of the very few true libertarians in politics today. A RINO (Republican in Name Only) congressman, he’s one of the few politicos that hasn’t yet sold his intellectual soul for a bit of silver to cross his palm, and long may that continue. I was amazed at the support he got during his Presidential campaign- it was grassroots, not corporate as the main player’s funding was. The campaign was a real eye opener for me, showing that libertarian ideals really do have support, real support, not merely the pocket books of vested interests.
Suggested reading: The Revolution: A Manifesto; End The Fed.
Suggested viewing: For Liberty: How the Ron Paul Revolution Watered The Withered Tree of Liberty
John Stossel (1947-Come on, he’s not that old)
Stossel hosts a weekly show on Fox Business, making him not only the one of the only real libertarians on Fox (I’m looking at you, Beck), but one of the only shows Fox makes worth watching. Although not exactly a great philosopher, he makes a pretty entertaining liberty oriented take on recent events. I’m still hoping for a DVD box set.
Recommended viewing: All his shows are great, and can be found on youtube. Why not start with Freedom of Speech?
And, not forgetting, myself. I am so great.
