Hi, I am a newbie here, well not a complete newbie as I was into Austrianism a while ago, but dropped out for a couple of years for various reasons. Now I want to get back and learn about liberty and free markets. Any suggestions for beginners reading materials would be highly appreciated.[:)]
Introduction to Economic Reasoning - by David Gordon
Economics in One Lesson - by Henry Hazlitt
I really recommend this as well. Also, be on the lookout for Robert Murphy’s new book which should be coming out soon-ish.
O…k?
I’m sorry, totally irrelevant. If I were you I would return and edit that out because it’s pointless and only serves as flame bate.
I would go with (in order)
The Complete Works of Friedrich Bastiat (Duh as for the author)
For a New Liberty (Murray Rothbard)
Economics in One Lesson (Henry Hazlitt)
Principals of Economics (Carl Menger)
I really do believe that these works will make a decent and anti government economist out of anyone. The easiest ones are the two in the middle, Menger’s probably the most difficult. If you’re looking for really easy and simplistic reading go with Economics For Real People, although I must say I really did think that, that was kind of a bad book, I felt it was far, far to simplistic and didn’t really teach me much of anything that couldn’t be discovered in a pamphlet about one fifth the size of the book itself.
Out of this list the most fulfilling is For a New liberty, it is also the most relevant, easy to read, and interesting so if you only read one go with that. Be warned though that it’s only partially an economic tomb, it is, as the name states, the Libertarian Manifesto. It is not pure economic to be sure, but it certainly inspires one to respect market forces and give one an idea as to how the market effects things today.
Second most relevant is Economics in One Lesson. Hazlitt’s books seem to mostly be aimed at fighting the Keynesian fallacies and it should help you quite a lot.
Finally Bastiat is also good for establishing basic economic ideas in a simple and often witty way.
I assume when he says he is an atheist he doesn’t want content that bases its claims on “Because my interpretation of the Bible says so”.
I think Human Action or Liberalism by Ludwig Mises are both good explanatory works. Liberalism if you are interested more in the political and legal framework of the Misesian Framework, or Human Action if you want a book about everything. Mises was a utilitarian, so I think you will find him much more enjoyable if you are an atheist.
Economics in One Lesson - Henry Hazlitt
Essentials of Economics - Faustino Ballve
The Concise Guide to Economics - Jim Cox
Not a Zero-Sum Game - Manuel Ayau
What Has Government Done to Our Money - Murray Rothbard
The Law - Frederic Bastiat
Thanks to all for the suggestions. I have started out with Hazlitt’s Economics in One Lesson, which I remember reading years ago. Also I didn’t mean the atheist bit as a flamebait at all, so I humbly request that my religious views must be shown a bit of freedom.
You may just want to refrain from mentioning them, then. People here have a variety of beliefs. They really are not at all pertinent, especially to threads such as this.
No, what you’re looking for is tolerance, no one is talking about infringing upon your liberties, simply requesting that you not do such a thing. If I could see a reason in it I would not object in the slightest, but it simply seems irrelevant so I request that you edit the OP, and I implore you that in future you not bring up religious issues unless it is in some way relevant for it is humanities oldest of conflict starters even though I am in agreement with you on this issue.
I indeed apologize for this. I don’t know how to edit it, but could some admin take care it please?
I indeed deeply apologize for this error on my part. I don’t know how to edit it, but could some admin take care it please?
Next to the name of your post, on the far right side there is an icon which says “more” put your cursor over it and the dropdown bar should appear. In the menu select the edit option.
It’s over with. I think, well speaking for myself obviously, we can move on. Yet I’m also not being critical of the suggestions of others on this issue. It is a concern. Now the important stuff!!!
The books given so far are undoubtedly good, though, I haven’t read all the intro. economic books given, except “Economics in One Lesson”. I find that Murray Rothbard’s; History of Economic Thought to be superb, at least it has been for me, in not only introducing economics to me but also providing context, characters, arguments and counter-arguments, providing insight into economists and their thoughts that I will like to learn more about in their own writings, and the evolving aspect of ideas that historical commentary brings, etc… I’m almost finished with volume one in which I linked and this is part of the two volume set just so you know.
enjoy and welcome [:)]
edit: Oh. And since your OP also asks for reading on liberty too, I suggest “Ethics of Liberty” by Rothbard, “Groundwork for Rights: Man’s Natural End” by Rasmussen, “Natural Law or Science of Justice” by Spooner, and this brief article by Tucker called “Marxism without Polylogism” because I think it provides a decent insight into the importance of logic (amongst other things are mentioned in the article) when it comes to studying liberty and economics as Ludwig Von Mises had said and Tucker notes in that Mises Daily Article:
“…Mises told his seminar students that the first book on economics that they should read is a book on logic by Morris Cohen, a book which is in fact one of the last complete texts on logic to be published for universal use in the college classroom.”
Done. Welcome to the Forum!
I recommend Human Action: the best, most important book in the social sciences ever written.
Thank you. Human Ation is next on my list after EiOL.