The Privatization of Roads and Highways

Human and Economic Factors

By: Walter Block

Narrated by: Jim Vann

The Mises Institute is pleased to introduce Walter Block's remarkable new treatise on private roads that'll cause you to rethink the whole of the way modern transportation networks operate. It's bold, innovative, radical, and compelling and shows how free-market economic theory is the clarifying lens through which to see the failures of the state and see the alternative that's consistent with human liberty.

He shows that even the worst off-the-cuff scenario of life under private ownership of roads would be fantastic by comparison to the existing reality of government ownership of roads, which is awful in ways we don't entirely realize until Block fully explains them (think: highway deaths).

But that's only the beginning of what Professor Block has done. He has made a lengthy, detailed, and positive case that the privatization of roads would be socially optimal in every way. It would save lives, curtail pollution, save us (as individuals!) money, save us massive time, introduce accountability, and make transportation a pleasure instead of a huge pain in the neck.

Because this is the first-ever complete book on this topic, the length and detail are absolutely necessary. He shows that this isn't some libertarian pipe dream but the most practical application of free-market logic. Block is dealing with something that confronts us every day. And in so doing, he illustrates the power of economic theory to take an existing set of facts and help see them in a completely different way.

What's also nice is that the prose has great passion about it, despite its scholarly detail. Block loves answering the objections (aren't roads public goods? Aren't roads too expensive to build privately?) and making the case, fully aware that he has to overcome a deep and persistent bias in favor of public ownership.

©2009 Ludwig von Mises Institute (P)2015 Ludwig von Mises Institute

a fantastic read

a fantastic read. now i am much more equipped to advocate for the privatization of roadways with the .03% of the people willing to argue about the privatization of roadways who are worth arguing about the privatization of roadways with

NEW VERSION UPLOADED!

Hello all. The Mises Institute Has Edited and Repaired this Audiobook:

Please be aware the mistakes have been corrected and files replaced at Audible. Thank you to all who submitted feedback.

Tho Bishop, Mises Institute

Very well read editing could be better

This book is a great resource for ideas that can be used to further an argument for free markets. The narration is very high quality with an easy to listen to voice. My only issue is the six to ten errors retakes left in the recording.

great info, but not edited

this was a fantastic ebook. just seemed to have a lit of pickups and re records not edited out. the narrator had a great voice and kept on like a pro, but this needs an editing once over

Mostly Dumb and Boring

Although I'm a Libertarian who believes we should privatize roads, this book does not do a good job of defending that position. Block does not focus on or grapple well with reasonable objections, he hardly mentions reasonable objections that are unique to roads as opposed to other more common goods. He also seems to be dogmatic in unjustified ways (and I myself am speaking as an absolute moralist). He constantly repeats the same points over and over again. Lastly, this is one of the most painfully boring books I've ever read, and I'm the kind of guy who gets excited about reading an economics textbook. Block's book is unsophisticated and generally a waste of time.