The Machinery of Freedom

ISBN 0812690699

David Friedman's fascinating collection of essays describing the privatization of just about everything, exploring the consequences of libertarian thought, and offering his personal statement about why he chose to be a libertarian.

Friedman is a professor of law at Santa Clara University. Earlier in his career he was a professor of economics, and most of his arguments in favor of libertarian approaches rest on their economic consequences. Friedman is a master of economic reasoning and these arguments are quite compelling.

Some of the more interesting topics in the book include the privatization of law (both legislation and enforcement) and the knotty problem of providing for public goods (such as national defense) in a purely libertarian society.

See also: privately produced law