Lecture series · recorded 2009
Defending the Undefendable
Defending the Undefendable is a free lecture series (34 recordings, 7.9 hours) you can stream or download at freecapitalists.org, with 3 speakers.
It is among the most famous of the great defenses of victimless crimes and controversial economic practices, from profiteering and gouging to bribery and blackmail. Narrated by Jeff Riggenbach.
Legal SystemHealthMoney and BanksBooms and BustsThe EntrepreneurFree Markets
Read the book: Defending the Undefendable by Walter Block, free to download here.
Cover painting: a corn dealer locked in the pillory at Cheapside market for forestalling grain, London, 1560s. See every painting in the art gallery.
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01
6:47 Download MP3
Foreword 2009
Foreword to Walter Block’s Defending the Undefendable . Narrated by Jeff Riggenbach.
Austrian Economics OverviewPolitical TheoryLegal System
Read the transcript 854 words
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02
1:13 Download MP3
Commentary 2009
F. A. Hayek’s Commentary in Walter Block’s Defending the Undefendable . Read by Jeff Riggenbach.
Austrian Economics OverviewPolitical TheoryLegal System
Read the transcript 157 words
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03
10:16 Download MP3
1. The Prostitute 2009
From Part I of Defending the Undefendable, "Sexual." Read by Jeff Riggenbach. [10:15]
Political TheoryLegal System
Read the transcript 1,337 words
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04
4:34 Download MP3
2. The Pimp 2009
From Part I of Defending the Undefendable, "Sexual." Read by Jeff Riggenbach. [4:33]
Political TheoryLegal System
Read the transcript 610 words
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05
26:37 Download MP3
3. The Male Chauvinist Pig 2009
From Part I of Defending the Undefendable, "Sexual." Read by Jeff Riggenbach. [26:36]
Political TheoryLegal System
Read the transcript 3,297 words
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06
12:12 Download MP3
4. The Drug Pusher 2009
From Part II of Defending the Undefendable, "Medical." Read by Jeff Riggenbach. [12:11]
Political TheoryHealthLegal System
Read the transcript 1,603 words
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07
10:17 Download MP3
5. The Drug Addict 2009
From Part II of Defending the Undefendable , “Medical.” Read by Jeff Riggenbach.
Political TheoryHealthLegal System
Read the transcript 1,406 words
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08
11:22 Download MP3
6. The Blackmailer 2009
From Part III of Defending the Undefendable, "Free Speech." Read by Jeff Riggenbach. [11:21]
Political TheoryLegal System
Read the transcript 1,509 words
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09
5:08 Download MP3
7. The Slanderer or Libeler 2009
From Part III of Defending the Undefendable, "Free Speech." Read by Jeff Riggenbach. [5:07]
Political TheoryLegal System
Read the transcript 622 words
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10
7:15 Download MP3
8. The Denier of Academic Freedom 2009
From Part III of Defending the Undefendable , “Free Speech.” Read by Jeff Riggenbach.
Political TheoryLegal System
Read the transcript 938 words
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11
26:45 Download MP3
9. The Advertiser 2009
From Part III of Defending the Undefendable, "Free Speech." Read by Jeff Riggenbach. [26:44]
Philosophy and MethodologyPolitical TheoryLegal System
Read the transcript 3,383 words
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12
7:10 Download MP3
10. The Person Who Yells "Fire!" in a Crowded Theatre 2009
From Part III of Defending the Undefendable , “Free Speech.” Read by Jeff Riggenbach.
Philosophy and MethodologyPolitical TheoryLegal System
Read the transcript 986 words
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13
15:52 Download MP3
11. The Gypsy Cab Driver 2009
From Part IV of Defending the Undefendable , “Outlaw.” Read by Jeff Riggenbach.
Philosophy and MethodologyPolitical TheoryLegal System
Read the transcript 2,155 words
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14
14:21 Download MP3
12. The Ticket Scalper 2009
From Part IV of Defending the Undefendable , “Outlaw.” Read by Jeff Riggenbach.
Political TheoryLegal System
Read the transcript 1,876 words
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15
14:18 Download MP3
13. The Dishonest Cop 2009
From Part IV of Defending the Undefendable, "Outlaw." Read by Jeff Riggenbach. [14:17]
Philosophy and MethodologyPolitical TheoryLegal System
Read the transcript 1,805 words
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16
27:30 Download MP3
14. The (Non-Government) Counterfeiter 2009
From Part V of Defending the Undefendable , “Financial.” Read by Jeff Riggenbach.
Money and BankingPhilosophy and MethodologyPolitical TheoryLegal SystemMoney and Banks
Read the transcript 3,522 words
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17
9:43 Download MP3
15. The Miser 2009
From Part V of Defending the Undefendable, "Financial." Read by Jeff Riggenbach. [9:43]
Business CyclesEntrepreneurshipMoney and BankingPolitical TheoryBooms and BustsThe EntrepreneurLegal SystemMoney and Banks
Read the transcript 1,253 words
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18
5:20 Download MP3
16. The Inheritor 2009
From Part V of Defending the Undefendable , “Financial.” Read by Jeff Riggenbach.
Money and BankingPolitical TheoryLegal SystemMoney and Banks
Read the transcript 693 words
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19
13:38 Download MP3
17. The Moneylender 2009
From Part V of Defending the Undefendable , “Financial.” Read by Jeff Riggenbach.
Money and BankingPhilosophy and MethodologyPolitical TheoryLegal SystemMoney and Banks
Read the transcript 1,866 words
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20
13:42 Download MP3
18. The Non-Contributor to Charity 2009
From Part V of Defending the Undefendable , “Financial.” Read by Jeff Riggenbach.
Philosophy and MethodologyPolitical TheoryLegal System
Read the transcript 1,761 words
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21
14:28 Download MP3
19. The Curmudgeon 2009
From Part VI of Defending the Undefendable, "Business and Trade." Read by Jeff Riggenbach. [14:27]
Philosophy and MethodologyPolitical TheoryLegal System
Read the transcript 1,897 words
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22
17:29 Download MP3
20. The Slumlord 2009
From Part VI of Defending the Undefendable, "Business and Trade." Read by Jeff Riggenbach. [17:28]
Philosophy and MethodologyPolitical TheoryLegal System
Read the transcript 2,351 words
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23
18:20 Download MP3
21. The Ghetto Merchant 2009
From Part VI of Defending the Undefendable, "Business and Trade." Read by Jeff Riggenbach. [18:19]
Philosophy and MethodologyPolitical TheoryLegal System
Read the transcript 2,527 words
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24
7:57 Download MP3
22. The Speculator 2009
From Part VI of Defending the Undefendable, "Business and Trade." Read by Jeff Riggenbach. [7:56]
Philosophy and MethodologyPolitical TheoryLegal System
Read the transcript 1,063 words
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25
27:27 Download MP3
25. The Profiteer 2009
From Part VI of Defending the Undefendable, "Business and Trade." Read by Jeff Riggenbach. [27:26]
Philosophy and MethodologyPolitical TheoryLegal System
Read the transcript 3,397 words
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26
8:38 Download MP3
26. The Stripminer 2009
From Part VII of Defending the Undefendable, "Ecology." Read by Jeff Riggenbach. [8:37]
Philosophy and MethodologyPolitical TheoryLegal System
Read the transcript 1,118 words
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27
14:06 Download MP3
27. The Litterer 2009
From Part VII of Defending the Undefendable, "Ecology." Read by Jeff Riggenbach. [14:05]
Philosophy and MethodologyPolitical TheoryLegal System
Read the transcript 1,813 words
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28
21:01 Download MP3
28. The Wastemakers 2009
From Part VII of Defending the Undefendable, "Ecology." Read by Jeff Riggenbach. [21:00]
Philosophy and MethodologyPolitical TheoryLegal System
Read the transcript 2,562 words
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29
23:30 Download MP3
29. The Fat Capitalist-Pig Employer 2009
From Part VIII of Defending the Undefendable, "Labor." Read by Jeff Riggenbach. [23:29]
Philosophy and MethodologyPolitical TheoryLegal System
Read the transcript 2,988 words
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30
7:47 Download MP3
30. The Scab 2009
From Part VIII of Defending the Undefendable, "Labor." Read by Jeff Riggenbach. [7:46]
Philosophy and MethodologyPolitical TheoryLegal System
Read the transcript 994 words
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31
10:53 Download MP3
31. The Rate Buster 2009
From Part VIII of Defending the Undefendable , “Labor.” Read by Jeff Riggenbach.
Philosophy and MethodologyPolitical TheoryLegal System
Read the transcript 1,491 words
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32
22:50 Download MP3
32. The Employer of Child Labor 2009
From Part VIII of Defending the Undefendable, "Labor." Read by Jeff Riggenbach. [22:49]
Philosophy and MethodologyPolitical TheoryLegal System
Read the transcript 2,868 words
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33
26:16 Download MP3
23. The Importer 2009
From Part VI of Defending the Undefendable , “Business and Trade.” Read by Jeff Riggenbach.
Philosophy and MethodologyPolitical TheoryLegal System
Read the transcript 3,421 words
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34
8:22 Download MP3
24. The Middleman 2009
From Part VI of Defending the Undefendable , “Business and Trade.” Read by Jeff Riggenbach.
Philosophy and MethodologyPolitical TheoryLegal System
Read the transcript 1,122 words
People in this series
Speakers
Recording dates, summaries and topics for 34 of these 34 lectures come from the Mises Institute's page for Defending the Undefendable, checked 2026-09-27.
Community
Discussed on the forum
Threads on Mises Community, this archive's companion forum, whose titles name this course. These are reader conversations, not part of the archive.
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Walter Block's book defending the undefendableDormant
Economics Questions
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Does Walter Block really endorse of the positions in Defending the Undefendable?Dormant
Economics Questions
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Walter Block's Defending the UndefendableDormant
General
Questions
About this series
- Is Defending the Undefendable free to listen to?
- Yes. All 34 mirrored recordings stream in the browser or download as audio, at no cost and with no signup.
- How long is Defending the Undefendable?
- 34 recordings, 7.9 hours in total.
- When was Defending the Undefendable recorded?
- 2009, per the recording dates recovered for this series.
- Is the book behind Defending the Undefendable available here?
- Yes. Defending the Undefendable by Walter Block is in this archive as a free download, on its own page.
- Is there a transcript of Defending the Undefendable?
- Yes. Every lecture in the series has one, 61,245 words in total, free to read on each lecture's page and searchable in the browser.
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