Libertarian Anarchy: Against the State

Description

Political philosophy is dominated by a myth, the myth of the necessity of the state. The state is considered necessary for the provision of many things, but primarily for peace and security. In this provocative book, Gerard Casey argues that social order can be spontaneously generated, that such spontaneous order is the norm in human society and that deviations from the ordered norms can be dealt with without recourse to the coercive power of the state. Casey presents a novel perspective on political philosophy, arguing against the conventional political philosophy pieties and defending a specific political position, which he identifies as 'libertarian anarchy'. The book includes a history of the concept of anarchy, an examination of the possibility of anarchic societies and an articulation of the nature of law and order within such societies. Casey presents his specific form of anarchy, undergirded by a theory of human action that prioritises liberty, as a philosophically and politically viable alternative to the standard positions in political theory.

Gerard Casey is Associate Professor of Philosophy at University College Dublin, Ireland, Adjunct Professor at the Maryvale Institute, Birmingham, UK, and Adjunct Scholar at the Ludwig von Mises Institute, Alabama, USA.

'In Libertarian Anarchy Gerard Casey presents a modern, clear and compelling case for anarcho-capitalism. Any lover of human freedom should read this book that very probably will set the agenda of the philosophical and political discussions of the next decades.' -- Jesus Huerta de Soto, Professor of Political Economy at Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Spain 'Gerard Casey has written a truly astonishing book, one that relentlessly dismantles some of the most deeply embedded presuppositions in political philosophy. From now on, this will be the first book I use to persuade someone who insists on the vast benefits the state provides. A lasting and vastly significant addition to the literature.' -- Thomas Woods, Senior Fellow at Ludwig von Mises Institute, USA and New York Times bestselling author Casey does an admirable job of representing the philosophical case for libertarian anarchism. -- Alex Sager * Marx & Philosophy Review of Books *