Individualism
A Reader
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Prime members: New to Audible?Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Individualism
Buy for $19.95
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
James Foster
About this listen
Individualism is one of most criticized and least understood ideas in social and political thought. Is individualism the ability to act independently amidst a web of social forces? A vital element of personal liberty and a shield against conformity? Does it lead to or away from unifying individuals with communities?
Individualism: A Reader provides a wealth of illuminating essays from the 17th to the early 20th centuries. In 26 selections from 25 writers, individualism is explained and defended, often from unusual perspectives. This anthology includes not only selections from well-known writers, but also many lesser-known pieces - recorded here for the first time - by philosophers, social theorists, and economists who have been overlooked in standard accounts of individualism.
The depth and complexity of ideas about individualism are reflected in the six sections in this collection. The first examines individuality generally, with the following five detailing social, moral, political, religious, and economic individualism. Throughout, individualism is analyzed and defended through the lenses of classical liberalism, free market libertarianism, individual anarchism, voluntary socialism, religious individualism, abolitionism, free thought, and radical feminism.
Both richly historical and sharply contemporary, Individualism: A Reader provides a multitude of perspectives and insights on personal liberty and the history of freedom.
©2015 Cato Institute (P)2015 Cato InstituteListeners also enjoyed...
-
The Story of Philosophy
- The Lives and Opinions of the Greater Philosophers
- By: Will Durant
- Narrated by: Grover Gardner
- Length: 19 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,864
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,511
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,495
Durant lucidly describes the philosophical systems of such world-famous “monarchs of the mind” as Plato, Aristotle, Francis Bacon, Spinoza, Kant, Voltaire, and Nietzsche. Along with their ideas, he offers their flesh-and-blood biographies, placing their thoughts within their own time and place and elucidating their influence on our modern intellectual heritage. This book is packed with wisdom and wit.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Fantastic and insightful book
- By ESK on 01-25-13
By: Will Durant
-
Beyond Good and Evil
- By: Friedrich Nietzsche
- Narrated by: Alex Jennings, Roy McMillan
- Length: 8 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,715
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,434
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 1,412
Continuing where Thus Spoke Zarathustra left off, Nietzsche's controversial work Beyond Good and Evil is one of the most influential philosophical texts of the 19th century and one of the most controversial works of ideology ever written. Attacking the notion of morality as nothing more than institutionalised weakness, Nietzsche criticises past philosophers for their unquestioning acceptance of moral precepts. Nietzsche tried to formulate what he called "the philosophy of the future".
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Great Book, great Audio Narration
- By Robert on 01-07-11
-
Democracy in America
- By: Alexis de Tocqueville
- Narrated by: John Pruden
- Length: 34 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 731
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 601
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 609
In 1831, Alexis de Tocqueville, a young French aristocrat and civil servant, made a nine-month journey through the eastern United States. The result was Democracy in America, a monumental study of the strengths and weaknesses of the nation’s evolving politics. His insightful work has become one of the most influential political texts ever written on America.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Most Listenable, if not the Best Translation
- By Michael Allen on 10-04-13
-
On Liberty
- By: John Stuart Mill
- Narrated by: Alastair Cameron
- Length: 5 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 50
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 47
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 47
On Liberty is a book by John Stuart Mill, one of the most celebrated philosophers on the subject of leadership and governing ideals. The book focuses on Mill's philosophy on utilitarianism which is one of his defining principles. The principles of the book are focused on developing a relationship between the ruling authority and liberty.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Must read
- By Trevor M. on 08-04-21
By: John Stuart Mill
-
The Abolition of Man
- By: C. S. Lewis
- Narrated by: Douglas Gresham
- Length: 1 hr and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 999
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 846
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 834
Both astonishing and prophetic, The Abolition of Man remains one of C. S. Lewis's most controversial works. Lewis sets out to persuade his audience of the ongoing importance and relevance of universal objective values, such as courage and honor, and the foundational necessity of natural law. He also makes a cogent case that a retreat from these pillars of our educational system, even if in the name of "scientism", would be catastrophic. National Review lists it as number seven on their "100 Best Nonfiction Books of the 20th Century".
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Lewis the philosopher, not the theologian
- By Ian McKay on 05-11-17
By: C. S. Lewis
-
Rediscovering Americanism
- And the Tyranny of Progressivism
- By: Mark R. Levin
- Narrated by: Jeremy Lowell, Mark R. Levin
- Length: 6 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,015
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 903
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 895
In Rediscovering Americanism, Mark R. Levin revisits the founders' warnings about the perils of overreach by the federal government and concludes that the men who created our country would be outraged and disappointed to see where we've ended up. Levin returns to the impassioned question he's explored in each of his best-selling books: How do we save our exceptional country? Because our values are in such a precarious state, he argues that a restoration to the essential truths on which our country was founded has never been more urgent.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
More scholarly than I expected
- By Wayne on 06-29-17
By: Mark R. Levin
-
The Story of Philosophy
- The Lives and Opinions of the Greater Philosophers
- By: Will Durant
- Narrated by: Grover Gardner
- Length: 19 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,864
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,511
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,495
Durant lucidly describes the philosophical systems of such world-famous “monarchs of the mind” as Plato, Aristotle, Francis Bacon, Spinoza, Kant, Voltaire, and Nietzsche. Along with their ideas, he offers their flesh-and-blood biographies, placing their thoughts within their own time and place and elucidating their influence on our modern intellectual heritage. This book is packed with wisdom and wit.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Fantastic and insightful book
- By ESK on 01-25-13
By: Will Durant
-
Beyond Good and Evil
- By: Friedrich Nietzsche
- Narrated by: Alex Jennings, Roy McMillan
- Length: 8 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,715
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,434
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 1,412
Continuing where Thus Spoke Zarathustra left off, Nietzsche's controversial work Beyond Good and Evil is one of the most influential philosophical texts of the 19th century and one of the most controversial works of ideology ever written. Attacking the notion of morality as nothing more than institutionalised weakness, Nietzsche criticises past philosophers for their unquestioning acceptance of moral precepts. Nietzsche tried to formulate what he called "the philosophy of the future".
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Great Book, great Audio Narration
- By Robert on 01-07-11
-
Democracy in America
- By: Alexis de Tocqueville
- Narrated by: John Pruden
- Length: 34 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 731
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 601
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 609
In 1831, Alexis de Tocqueville, a young French aristocrat and civil servant, made a nine-month journey through the eastern United States. The result was Democracy in America, a monumental study of the strengths and weaknesses of the nation’s evolving politics. His insightful work has become one of the most influential political texts ever written on America.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Most Listenable, if not the Best Translation
- By Michael Allen on 10-04-13
-
On Liberty
- By: John Stuart Mill
- Narrated by: Alastair Cameron
- Length: 5 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 50
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 47
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 47
On Liberty is a book by John Stuart Mill, one of the most celebrated philosophers on the subject of leadership and governing ideals. The book focuses on Mill's philosophy on utilitarianism which is one of his defining principles. The principles of the book are focused on developing a relationship between the ruling authority and liberty.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Must read
- By Trevor M. on 08-04-21
By: John Stuart Mill
-
The Abolition of Man
- By: C. S. Lewis
- Narrated by: Douglas Gresham
- Length: 1 hr and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 999
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 846
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 834
Both astonishing and prophetic, The Abolition of Man remains one of C. S. Lewis's most controversial works. Lewis sets out to persuade his audience of the ongoing importance and relevance of universal objective values, such as courage and honor, and the foundational necessity of natural law. He also makes a cogent case that a retreat from these pillars of our educational system, even if in the name of "scientism", would be catastrophic. National Review lists it as number seven on their "100 Best Nonfiction Books of the 20th Century".
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Lewis the philosopher, not the theologian
- By Ian McKay on 05-11-17
By: C. S. Lewis
-
Rediscovering Americanism
- And the Tyranny of Progressivism
- By: Mark R. Levin
- Narrated by: Jeremy Lowell, Mark R. Levin
- Length: 6 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,015
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 903
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 895
In Rediscovering Americanism, Mark R. Levin revisits the founders' warnings about the perils of overreach by the federal government and concludes that the men who created our country would be outraged and disappointed to see where we've ended up. Levin returns to the impassioned question he's explored in each of his best-selling books: How do we save our exceptional country? Because our values are in such a precarious state, he argues that a restoration to the essential truths on which our country was founded has never been more urgent.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
More scholarly than I expected
- By Wayne on 06-29-17
By: Mark R. Levin
-
Russell Kirk's Concise Guide to Conservatism
- By: Russell Kirk, Wilfred M. McClay - introduction
- Narrated by: Bob Souer
- Length: 2 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 59
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 52
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 52
The modern conservative intellectual movement began in 1953 with Russell Kirk’s groundbreaking book The Conservative Mind. Four years later, he published a pithy, wry, philosophical summary of what conservatism really means. Originally titled The Intelligent Woman's Guide to Conservatism, this little book was essentially a popular version of The Conservative Mind. Now, a century after its author’s birth, this neglected gem has been recovered. It remains what Kirk intended it to be: an accessible introduction to conservative ideas, especially for the young.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Conservatives are defined by what they condone
- By JB on 05-12-25
By: Russell Kirk, and others
-
The Anarchist Handbook
- By: Michael Malice
- Narrated by: Michael Malice
- Length: 13 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 547
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 455
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 446
Anarchism has been both a vision of a peaceful, cooperative society — and an ideology of revolutionary terror. Since the term itself — anarchism — is a negation, there is a great deal of disagreement on what the positive alternative would look like. The black flag comes in many colors.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
An absolute gem
- By Tim on 12-16-21
By: Michael Malice
-
Ameritopia
- The Unmaking of America
- By: Mark R. R. Levin
- Narrated by: Adam Grupper, Mark R. Levin
- Length: 7 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 888
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 781
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 780
#1 New York Times best-selling author Mark Levin explores the philosophical basis of America's foundations and the crisis that faces government today.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Great book deserved better audio production
- By Gary M. Watson on 01-21-12
By: Mark R. R. Levin
-
Civilization and Its Discontents
- By: Sigmund Freud
- Narrated by: Steven Crossley
- Length: 3 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 580
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 483
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 476
First published in 1930, Civilization and Its Discontents is one of the most influential works of pioneering psychologist Sigmund Freud. Focusing on the tension between the primitive drives of the individual and the demands of civilization for order and conformity, Freud draws upon his psychoanalytic theories to explain the fundamental structures, conflicts, and consequences of society.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Don't conform
- By Sam Motes on 03-26-14
By: Sigmund Freud
-
The Social Contract
- By: Jean-Jacques Rousseau
- Narrated by: Neville Jason
- Length: 6 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 79
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 64
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 64
Man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains. In The Social Contract, Rousseau explores the concept of freedom and the political structures that may enable people to acquire it. He argues that the sovereign power of a state lies not in any one ruler but in the will of the general population. Rousseau argues that the ideal state would be a direct democracy where executive decision making is carried out by citizens who meet in assembly, as they would in the ancient city-state of Athens.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Rosseau's works
- By Anonymous User on 07-24-19
-
Proposed Roads to Freedom
- By: Bertrand Russell
- Narrated by: James Langton
- Length: 5 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 62
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 54
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 54
A concise version of Bertrand Russell's political philosophy and thoughts, focusing on his favoring of guild socialism. While Russell believed that pure Anarchism should be the ultimate goal, his realism lead him to favor the guild socialism which he expands upon in this volume. Russell first discusses the various aspects of socialism, anarchism, and syndicalism, focusing also on the major men/movements associated with each school.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Good start, problematic ending
- By Jacob Lively on 12-03-20
By: Bertrand Russell
-
Rerum Novarum
- Encyclical of Pope Leo XIII on Capital and Labor
- By: Pope Leo XIII
- Narrated by: Bruno Belmar
- Length: 1 hr and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 49
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 46
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 45
Rerum Novarum, the opening words and the title of the Encyclical issued by Leo XIII, May 15, 1891, on the "Condition of Labor". Although the Encyclical follows the lines of the traditional teaching concerning the rights and duties of property and the relations of employed and employee, it applies the old doctrines specifically to modern conditions.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Brilliant work
- By Gary Hunt on 05-16-25
By: Pope Leo XIII
-
Political Ideals
- By: Bertrand Russell
- Narrated by: Peter Bishop
- Length: 1 hr and 54 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 60
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 55
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 55
He details the issues that his current economic system and the unequal distribution of wealth present in achieving said ideals. He puts forth his beliefs on what the purposes of an economic system should be, including production and security. He criticizes monopolies and all the damage that they have done.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Plain talk from a complex personality
- By Patrick Zircher on 03-16-24
By: Bertrand Russell
-
The Conservative Mind
- From Burke to Eliot
- By: Russell Kirk
- Narrated by: Phillip Davidson
- Length: 19 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 271
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 206
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 204
Kirk defines "the conservative mind" by examining such brilliant men as Edmund Burke, James Fenimore Cooper, Alexis de Tocqueville, John Quincy Adams, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Benjamin Disraeli, Cardinal Newman, George Santayana, and finally, T.S. Eliot. Vigorously written, the book represents conservatism as an ideology born of sound intellectual traditions.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
An interim review
- By James on 09-18-09
By: Russell Kirk
-
The World as I See It
- By: Albert Einstein
- Narrated by: Pete Cross
- Length: 3 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 81
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 68
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 67
Including letters, speeches, articles, and essays written before 1935, this collection offers a complete portrait of Einstein as a humanitarian and as a human being trying to make sense of the world changing around him.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Enjoyed the narrator
- By Milena Pritel on 03-29-25
By: Albert Einstein
-
The Law
- By: Frederick Bastiat
- Narrated by: Floy Lilley
- Length: 1 hr and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 189
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 161
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 160
How is it that the law enforcer itself does not have to keep the law? How is it that the law permits the state to lawfully engage in actions which, if undertaken by individuals, would land them in jail? These are among the most intriguing issues in political and economic philosophy. More specifically, the problem of law that itself violates law is an insurmountable conundrum of all statist philosophies. The problem has never been discussed so profoundly and passionately as in this essay by Frederic Bastiat from 1850. This essay might have been written today. It applies to our own time.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
This is abridged
- By Kipling Oren on 09-10-14
-
The Will to Power
- An Attempted Transvaluation of All Values
- By: Friedrich Nietzsche
- Narrated by: Michael Lunts
- Length: 23 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 111
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 93
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 92
Nietzsche never recovered from his mental breakdown in 1889 and therefore was unable to further any plans he had for the ‘magnum opus’ he had once intended, bringing together in a coherent whole his mature philosophy. It was left to his close friend Heinrich Köselitz and his sister Elizabeth Förster-Nietzsche to go through the remaining notebooks and unpublished writings, choosing sections of particular interest to produce The Will to Power, giving it the subtitle An Attempted Transvaluation of All Values.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Finally!
- By Daniel on 04-17-19