Political Philosophy, Clearly: Essays on Freedom and Fairness, Property and Equalities

Political Philosophy, Clearly delivers on the promise of its title: essays that tackle foundational political issues such as the relationship between justice and liberty, the role of property, and the effect of confusing liberty with “rights” and justice with “fairness.” Although these issues are complex, Jasay lays out his libertarian philosophy with clarity and precision.

The articles collected in this volume delve deeply into the realm of political thought and its philosophical criticism. They will appeal to students of philosophy, politics, and economics, or anyone who is interested in a clear, jargon-free account of libertarian thought. The essays in Part 1 familiarize readers with Jasay's basic antistatist philosophy, especially the reasons for his disbelief in “bounded” government and other fallacies of modern political thought. In Parts 2 and 3, Jasay deftly argues for the preeminence of liberty and the need to defend it against spurious claims of “fairness” and “rights.” Parts 4 and 5 present Jasay's most provocative ideas on the private provision of public goods, including those usually considered the exclusive domain of the state, such as the securing of social order.

Essays previously published in such journals as Independent Review, Cato Journal, and Economic Affairs are collected in this volume along with new material that deepens and unifies their arguments. Unlike the theories of many antistatist philosophers and economists, Jasay's ideas are neither Utopian nor vague. Impressively argued here, they show why Jasay is considered one of the most influential libertarian political philosophers of our time.