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The Libertarian Party at Sea on Land, by Harold Kyriazi, published by the
Robert Schalkenbach Foundation.
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A Bridge Not Too Far
This book arrives at a crucial time in the life or death of the Libertarian
Party. The LP continues to do miserably at the polls in a country that
refuses to accept the party platform as a whole. Indeed, the party is often
cast as a caricature of the extreme right by mainstream media when it is not
being ignored. Will the LP choose to broaden its appeal to the Left and the
Center or simply remain the Church of Ayn Rand, Redeemer? Is there more than
one flavor of free thought?
Kyriazi provides a well-written alternative to the standard libertarian fare,
by espousing a form of libertarianism unfamiliar to many on the right. In a
masterful tour de force, the reader is led from familiar and difficult-to-refute principles toward a geo-libertarian position. Then, the author deftly
relates the history of geo-libertarian thought too long ignored by many
libertarians.
Kyriazi briefly discusses the right to life, equal freedom for all, and
self-ownership. These are linked with the principle of labor based property
familiar to the students of John Locke. Once the reader is left on sure
ground, the author skewers the "first user" principle of the ownership of
land and natural resources. At this point, the right wing libertarians will
begin squirming as unstated assumptions behind Randroid libertarianism are
exposed and thoroughly trounced.
Chapter Four is a compendium of arguments against the geo-libertarian
position. The author fortunately avoids a dogmatic approach in answering
every objection. Kyriazi has a gift for engaging people without insulting
cherished beliefs and sensitive egos. Thus, he builds a bridge in political
philosophy connecting the freedom fighters of the past with modern
libertarians. He also creates common ground on which the left may be able to
converse with the right.
The last chapter tells us what a geo-libertarian future might look like. The
author discusses modifying the LP platform to reflect the geo-libertarian
approach. As an added bonus, the book is rich in biographical and Internet
resources to explore the book's many topics.
The book can be purchased from the Robert Schalkenbach Foundation at
1-800-269-9555 or at www.progress.org/books
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