Recommended Reading

Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand

Admittedly sometimes laborious and often dogmatic, this book shaped the way that I look at the proper relationship between the Individual and the State.  Just as importantly it introduced me to the immense importance of both free markets and private property rights and their connection to individual liberty.  No one will blame you if you do not read the entire radio speech!

Liberty and Tyranny by Mark Levin

Mr. Levin crystalizes not only the founding princples of America but also a real intellectual definition of what it means to be a Conservative.  Espousing a conservative political philosophy that preserves the “civil society”, Levin very accurately identifies the imminent danger posed by the people that he brilliantly but simply labels as statists.  This one is an absolute must-read and will help you in your defense of an anti-collectivist philosphy.

Free to Choose by Milton Friedman

A basic discussion of how economics really works.

The Road to Serfdom by F.A. Hayek

Written in the mid 1940s, the essence of the book is Hayek’s argument that all forms of collectivism end up in tyranny.  He espouses eschewing centrally planned economies in favor of a more free market captialistic system.  I found it interesting that the meanings of some words had changed over the years, most notably Hayek’s use of the word liberal to describe what we would call a libertarian today.  Click here to read The Road to Serfdom in condensed format from Reader’s Digest in 1945.