Perhaps the most politically provocative book I have ever come across is Walter Block's Defending the Undefendable. While the book as a whole defends a swath of consistently libertarian positions, the section that most interests me is that on speech. Block (correctly, in my view) notes that most people do not consistently believe in freedom of speech, and takes aim at those areas where people make exceptions, defending those areas. Thus, there are chapters defending blackmailers, slanders/libelers, people yelling fire in a crowded theater, and others. I confess I do not find his arguments compelling (such as his resorting to people having the right to enjoy masochistic enjoyment from being crushed in a crowded theater), but the book is worth a read, or at least individual chapters one is curious about.
The text is available here: http://mises.org/document/3490/Defen...e-Undefendable (This is the publisher's website so there shouldn't be any copyright concerns with me posting it)
The rest of the book (non-free speech) has mixed results in my view. I don't have a problem with ticket scalping; I do have a problem with pimps.
The text is available here: http://mises.org/document/3490/Defen...e-Undefendable (This is the publisher's website so there shouldn't be any copyright concerns with me posting it)
The rest of the book (non-free speech) has mixed results in my view. I don't have a problem with ticket scalping; I do have a problem with pimps.
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