Description
Book SynopsisThe core of this book is a systematic treatment of the historic transformation of the West from monarchy to democracy. Revisionist in nature, it reaches the conclusion that monarchy is a lesser evil than democracy, but outlines deficiencies in both. Its methodology is axiomatic-deductive, allowing the writer to derive economic and sociological theorems, and then apply them to interpret historical events.
A compelling chapter on time preference describes the progress of civilization as lowering time preferences as capital structure is built, and explains how the interaction between people can lower time all around, with interesting parallels to the Ricardian Law of Association. By focusing on this transformation, the author is able to interpret many historical phenomena, such as rising levels of crime, degeneration of standards of conduct and morality, and the growth of the mega-state. In underscoring the deficiencies of both monarchy and democracy, the author demonstrates how
Table of Contents
Introduction 1. On Time Preference, Government, and the Process of Decivilization 2. On Monarchy, Democracy, and the Idea of Natural Order 3. On Monarchy, Democracy, Public Opinion, and Delegitimation 4. On Democracy, Redistribution, and the Destruction of Property 5. On Centralization and Secession 6. On Socialism and Desocialization 7. On Free Immigration and Forced Integration 8. On Free Trade and Restricted Immigration 9. On Cooperation, Tribe, City, and State 10. On Conservatism and Libertarianism 11. On the Errors of Classical Liberalism and the Future of Liberty 12. On Government and the Private Production of Defense 13. On the Impossibility of Limited Government and the Prospect for Revolution
