The Individualists

Radicals, Reactionaries, and the Struggle for the Soul of Libertarianism

By: Matt Zwolinski, John Tomasi

Narrated by: Leon Nixon

Length: 12 hrs and 26 mins

Publisher's summary

This audiobook narrated by Leon Nixon traces the history of libertarian thought from radical anarchists to conservative defenders of the status quo

Libertarianism emerged in the mid-nineteenth century with an unwavering commitment to progressive causes, from women’s rights and the fight against slavery to anti-colonialism and Irish emancipation. Today, this movement founded on the principle of individual liberty finds itself divided by both progressive and reactionary elements vying to claim it as their own. The Individualists is the untold story of a political doctrine continually reshaped by fierce internal tensions, bold and eccentric personalities, and shifting political circumstances.

Matt Zwolinski and John Tomasi trace the history of libertarianism from its origins as a radical progressive ideology in the 1850s to its crisis of identity today. They examine the doctrine’s evolution through six defining themes: private property, skepticism of authority, free markets, individualism, spontaneous order, and individual liberty. They show how the movement took a turn toward conservativism during the Cold War, when the dangers of communism at home and abroad came to dominate libertarian thinking. Zwolinski and Tomasi reveal a history that is wider, more diverse, and more contentious than many of us realize.

A groundbreaking work of scholarship, The Individualists uncovers the neglected roots of a movement that has championed the poor and marginalized since its founding, but whose talk of equal liberty has often been bent to serve the interests of the rich and powerful.

©2023 Matt Zwolinski and John Tomasi (P)2023 Princeton University Press

Critic reviews

“The Individualists is the definitive intellectual history of a movement that is the unacknowledged motive force behind much of postwar American politics and culture. Zwolinski and Tomasi provide an indispensable guide to libertarian ideas and an invaluable map to where the movement—and thus the country, if not the globe—is likely to head over the next generation.”—Nick Gillespie, editor at large, Reason magazine

“This important book has a long historical sweep while being urgent and timely. Zwolinski and Tomasi reclaim the radical and humane core of libertarianism at its best while honestly examining why it has so often failed to realize its promise. Libertarian thought and politics are at a moment of decision: continued alignment with an increasingly authoritarian and populist right or fulfillment of the liberal individualist vision of freedom. This is a book about that decision, and about choosing well.”—Jacob T. Levy, McGill University

“Zwolinski and Tomasi have written the definitive book about libertarian ideas reaching up to the present day. They show that libertarianism remains a vital and fascinating source of ideological energy and influence.”—Tyler Cowen, coauthor of Talent: How to Identify Energizers, Creatives, and Winners around the World

Fantastic philosophical history of libertarianism

See my full review at Acton.org’s Poser Blog! I summarize the historical account and then walk through a few of the debates that arose for each of their six core libertarian commitments.

Fantastic and well written

I stumbled across this book and was pleasantly surprised by how well written and researched it was. The authors not only outlined what the reader could expect but also what was not to be expected at the onset of the book and they held true to their statements.

Wonderful overview of libertarianism.

A great thematic overview of libertarianism philosophy from the last 200 years. Especially useful for libertarian thinkers from the nineteenth and twenty-first centuries that many aren't familiar with.