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Anti-Libertarianism: Markets, Philosophy and Myth PDF

168 Pages·1994·2.91 MB·English
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Anti-libertarianism 2 1 0 2 r e b o t c O 7 Markets, philosophy and myth 1 9 3 : 1 0 t a ] i s e it Alan Haworth s r e v i n Ü r i h e l u b n a t s [ y b d e d a o l n w o D London and New York 2 1 0 2 r e b o t c O 7 1 9 3 : 1 0 t a ] i s e t i s r e v i n Ü r i h e l u b n a t s [ y b d e d a o l n w o D Anti-libertarianism 2 1 0 2 r e b o t c O 7 Advocates of the free market claim that it is the only economic mechanism 1 capable of respecting and furthering human freedom. Socialism, they say, 9 3 has been thoroughly discredited. Most libertarians treat the state in : 1 anything other than its minimal, ‘nightwatchman’ form as a repressive 0 t embodiment of evil. Some reject the state altogether. a ] But is the ‘free market idea’ a rationally defensible belief? Or have its i es proponents failed to examine the philosophical roots of their so-called t si freedom? Antdibertu~ reconsiders the theoretical libertarian stance, r e starting with an analysis of the model of ‘mutually beneficial’ exchanges v ni which is at the core of libertarian thinking. Alan Haworth’s book is a Ü sceptical exploration of the concepts and arguments which form the tenets r hi of free market politics. He offers the view that libertarianism is little more e l than an unfounded, quasi-religious statement of faith: a market romance. u b Moreover, libertarianism is exposed as profoundly antithetical to the very n a freedom which it purports to advance. t s This controversial book is for anyone interested in the cultural and [ y political impact of free market policies on the modern world. It will be b d useful to students and specialists of political and economic theory, social e d science and philosophy. a o Alan Haworth is Senior Lecturer in Philosophy at the University of l n North London. w o D 2 1 0 2 r e b o t c O 7 Fist published 1994 1 by Routledge 9 11 New Fetter Lane, London EC4P 4EE 3 : 1 Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada 0 t by Routledge a 29 West 35th Street, New York, NY 1000 1 ] i s Q 1994 Alan Haworth e t si Typeset in Baskerville by the EPPP Group at Routledge r e Printed and bound in Great Britain by v ni Mackays of Chatham PLC, Chatham, Kent Ü r All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or i reproduced or utilized in any form or by any electronic, h e mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter ul invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any b n information storage or retrieval system, without permission in a writing from the publishers. t s y [ British Library Catakguirg in Atblization Data b A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library d ISBN O-415482536 (lib) ISBN o-415-08254-4 @b) e d a Library of Gngress Calaloging in Adblication Data o Haworth, Alan, 1944 l n w Anti-libertarianism : markets, philosophy and myth / Alan Haworth. o p. cm. D Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-41508253-6 (hb). - ISBN &415-X)8254-4 (pb) 1. Libertarianism. I. Title. HB95.H385 1994 93-37964 330. 12’ 6-dc20 CIP 2 1 0 2 r e b For myf ather; for Rowan;f or Matthew o t c O 7 1 9 3 : 1 0 t a ] i s e t i s r e v i n Ü r i h e l u b n a t s [ y b d e d a o l n w o D 2 1 0 2 r e b o t c O 7 1 9 3 : 1 0 t a ] i s e t i s r e v i n Ü r i h e l u b n a t s [ y b d e d a o l n w o D Contents 2 1 0 2 r e b o t c O 7 1 Preface and acknowledgements ix 9 3 : 1 Part1 0 ] at 1 Libertarianism - anti-libertarianism 3 i es 2 Market romances I: nuts and bolts 6 t i rs 3 Reducibility, freedom, the invisible hand 12 e v ni 4 Market romances II: love is strange 32 Ü r 5 On freedom 38 i h e 6 The legend of the angels and the fable of the bees 58 l u b n a Part II t s y [ 7 Moralising the market 67 b d 8 Rights, wrongs and rhetoric 72 e ad 9 Visions of Valhalla 94 o l n w Part III o D 10 The good fairy’s wand 107 11 Hayek and the hand of fate 115 12 Conclusions and postscript 130 Notes 134 Bibliography 143 Index 147 2 1 0 2 r e b o t c O 7 1 9 3 : 1 0 t a ] i s e t i s r e v i n Ü r i h e l u b n a t s [ y b d e d a o l n w o D

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Free marketeers claim that theirs is the only economic mechanism which respects and furthers human freedom. Socialism, they say, has been thoroughly discredited. Most libertarians treat the state in anything other than its minimal, 'nightwatchman' form as a repressive embodiment of evil. Some reject
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