Some here don’t like him or don’t like Libertarians running for office, but I’ve just started reading this and think it is if anything a great introduction to Libertarian philosophy explained very coherently and in a way that I feel will really stick with the apparently large number of people who are buying it currently. It’s well written and one can tell that Ron Paul is very well read on the subject and most definitely reads the Mises Institute website and great portion of the books available on this site. He reads like someone who could easily be a lecturer here or his own economic advisor. And he brings an insider approach instead of the usual theoretical approach or beltway approach of most libertarians today, which is actually great because he confirms with anecdotal evidence all of the theories (some of his information I wasn’t even aware of and is good info in general).
I haven’t finished reading it yet, but so far it is a very smooth read and I feel it will be very successful for libertarianism. Many of the things he says are just common sense things that many of us libertarians take for granted as being right and conservatives and democrats take for granted as being wrong. Forget the election, I feel the real success is in the high sales of this book.
The all Ron Paul movement opened the eyes of many people through out the world. He got people excited about expressing what they really believed, and interested in finding out more and thinking about the fundamentals of government. This is a man who spoke against the minimum wage, the Cuba embargo, the central bank, war against terrorism, military bases spread around the world, drug prohibition, health care as a right and other hot issues in televisioned debates! This book will only represent a small portion of his success.
I agree. I think some feel he is doing the wrong thing by trying to get in government only to be blocked by statist majority. But I don’t think that is the point. He isn’t detailing how he is going to get in office and bring utopia through a process of downscaling the government (for instance privatizing the post office and schools or whatever else). Really most of this stuff will only happen when people are ready for it. I think he has the same idea of how difficult this process is going to be as any of us. Running for office gave him a big platform to show the nation that anti-war and libertarianism are consistant with one another. And what’s more he spoke about actual economics instead of Reaganite platitudes (the look on Romney and McCain’s faces during debates was worth all of the money sent to Ron for sure). I think that has always been the mission of sites like lewrockwell.com and mises.org.
The book seems to be getting a lot of positive reviews. And I’m not surprised; Paul is a very good writer. Had his speaking skills been comparable, I have no doubt in my mind that he would be the presidential nominee.
Ron Paul for many, is a gateway to libertarianism and Austrian Economics. During the presidential debates last year (2007), Ron Paul opened the door with his sound arguments in regards to liberty and economic policy. He was the only one that made logical sense out of both Republicans and Democrats. Although not perfect, he is a step in the right direction. Eventually I stumbled upon Mises.com. Ever since mid-late 2007, I have been hooked and enlightened by Faculty and members of the Mises Institute, to rational and logical arguments in favor of libertarianism and Austrian Economics.
I am not sure if this was posted on this forum or not, but there is a Ron Paul Revolution Book organization, that is trying to get the word out as well. Prices are slightly cheaper than if you go to a bookstore, and even cheaper if you buy in bulk.
They also have a meetup to discuss the book. I’ve been to a few meetings. Ron Paul has attracted much of the liberals just as much as the conservatives. It is interesting to note discussions and debates countering popular misconceptions such public vs. private schools, government fiat money, centralization of powers. It’s kinda like this forum, sans the Austrian Economics, not to mention a good place to practice stengthen my libertarian arguements.
It might be a good introduction to people who haven’t been introduced to the philosophy of liberty as of yet, but generally speaking it seems to be that most people who are buying it up are just those that have already been introduced to the philosophy and are planning on redistributing it to others. That’s fine, if you have a lot of money to waste on these overpriced things, but for my money I think you could introduce a lot more people to the message with much cheaper alternatives. I’m not trying to bad mouth the book, I’m sure it’s fine and dandy - I really don’t know though, because I don’t have it, nor would I read it if I did have it. I’m already a libertarian and I have better things to do than read introductions about something I already feel amply read on - but like the Ron Paul campaign, it seems like a big, towering bulk of inefficient production which, though reaching a great deal of people, reaches the masses at a great cost in capital.
Aside from feeling apathetic about the book, I think it’s also kind of stifling to call the Ron Paul campaign a “revolution.”
lol. Those were donations, the bulk of the money raised by regular people, much less verbose than you, but infinitely more creative, positive and productive when they set a goal and fulfill it creatively.
Right, which is called viral marketing. [8-)] It’s why Paul has raised so much money, and reached so many people. Instead of making them feel bad like your rants do, he appeals to people’s sense of opportunity and hope when selling liberty.
Why do you care? Is this where you show your colors as a jealous socialist?
Yeah, you never bad mouth anything about Ron Paul…
And of course you wouldn’t read it. Why read something when you can talk about who wrote it, what it says, what it costs and why people would buy it? All great intellectuals write book reviews without reading the book.
And it’s at a great cost in capital, based on what?
When are you going to figure out, than no one is going to follow you, until you clean up your attitude and find a way to market yourself without alienating normal people who have jobs, raise families and own property? The angry young man routine is played out and tired. Now you’re resenting that a 72 year old country Doctor is becoming an icon with a watered down message, and yet his celebrity continues to promote the message, as distasteful and disgusting as that is for you, because he’s busy attacking evil, not other libertarians.
It’s stifling that you think you are revolutionary. A bunch of childish ranting about vulgar libertarians, when you completely overlook real evil in the world, and have little understanding of the North American political, economic or social experience.
I mean that the economic efficiency of Ron Paul is lacking. Sure, he’s convinced some people of his brand of libertarianism - a self-destructive one - and many of them have polarized radically, but at what cost? Subtract the people that have been subsequently turned off to libertarianism because of Ron Paul - some of our greatest possible allies, i.e. the feminists and the immigrants - and does $30 million really seem like a great investment?
Just because the product is similar does not mean the mode of production is. Transfer $30 million to say, the FSP or another Agoristendeavor and would you find better results? I’ve calculated that you would.
Compare it to socialism. If you have enough capital, perhaps you can construct a house, but at what cost? According to Mises the socialist can’t know, but to any external viewers the answer is blatantly obvious how futile and wasteful the project is.
That’s the problem of politics - it’s top down central planning.
The book isn’t that good anyways. Now I’ve only read the first ~50 pages, but It’s loaded with nothingness. He quotes fellow americans, appeals ot american Identity, however he never actually outlines some form of logical argument. I see it as only attractive to people who’ve already come to agree with his campaign, or are on the verge of. He uses “Republican” and “American” identities as if they’re proof enough he’s right, which Is hardly going to convince anyone new. I see Human Action and all the other economicly and ethically centered books so much more useful in convincing new people than quoting Taft and previous “revered” americans to prove they have the same position as you.
And then there’s the whole Constitution thing he seems infatuated with.
And yes, it is sort of an example of viral marketing - though true viral marketing tends to not be so focused on individual by individual passes; however, this does not mean that it is a particularly efficient way of going about it. What’s the price of a Paul book? $20? $15?
Say you distribute this to about 10 people (if you’re an organizer of anything, that shouldn’t be too difficult). What’s the cost? Between $150 - $200? That’s A LOT of money for most of the people that Ron Paul is targeting - the younger age group between 16 - 25. In contrast, say that you were to pass around three of the several MLL pamphlets written by SEK3. The cost of one is about $0.80. Multiply this by three - for each separate pamphlet - and to give it to ten people roughly translates to a monetary price of… $24
More importantly, any marketing student will tell you that a book is a terrible marketing tool. The purpose of marketing is simply to attract, not to explain, per se - though to a point that is permissible. Giving someone a book WILL NOT attract most people. With a short pamphlet, however, the possibility for a successful marketing ploy increases.
So what am I getting at? Basically, the Paul supporters spend a lot of capital in order to get a relatively low impact; Agorists, on the contrast, spend very little and receive a very high impact. The problem is, however, Ron Paul had such a high level of capital that it drained a large part of the libertarian market. This IS A PROBLEM. If you don’t think it is, ask the Soviets… er… nevermind.
I actually just think it was mistaken wishful thinking on the part of too many eager beavers at LewRockwell.com
No, this is where I show my colours as a student going for his MBA. I, as a part of the libertarian movement, am concerned about the nature of its production of education and progress. I feel that the broader movement is wasting a lot of potential resources and I am pointing it out.
Showing your true colours as a censoring authoritarian?
I’m not reviewing the book. I’m simply expressing my displeasure with the marketing measure.
See above.
First, I don’t want people to follow me. I’m not interested in that. I’m interested in convincing people to stand with me, which I have.
That’s the problem with you reformists. You call yourselves libertarians but your mindset is very much devoted to central planning.