This book partakes of the value and frustration of other works by Hazlitt. It is clear, direct, and provides very useful insight into his libertarian positions. One frustration I encountered depends on the type of reader. When he traces the development of ideas and government, he includes brief quotations, generally without footnotes. If you try to track one down it can be painful. A second drawback is that this work from the late 1960s uses dated statistics and examples. If he was shocked by a federal deficit under LBJ, what would he say today?

That aside, the reader is treated to the author’s clarity and simplicity as he tracks the growth of government interference in scope and scale. He passionately argues for anarchic or libertarian positions, and gives some suggested actions. The greatest problem posed by him is the boundary between individual and government, or in his words: “How can we mitigate the penalties of failure and misfortune without undermining the incentives to effort and success?” The question remains as valid as when he proposed it, and most of his arguments are also just as relevant. Recommended reading for anyone interested in understanding the left-right struggle. ( )