Lecture series · recorded 2005
Radical Austrianism, Radical Libertarianism
Radical Austrianism, Radical Libertarianism is a free lecture series (10 recordings, 14.7 hours) you can stream or download at freecapitalists.org, with Walter Block.
In this ten-lecture seminar sponsored by Steven Berger, the roots and reach of both Libertarian and Austrian theory are covered by a leading authority: Walter Block. The economic theory is value-free, but it takes flight when combined with a theory of natural rights in the Thomist-Rothbardian tradition.
Free MarketsMoney and BanksThe EnvironmentHealthWorld History
Cover painting: Richard Cobden addresses an Anti-Corn Law League meeting at Covent Garden Theatre, London, 1843. See every painting in the art gallery.
-
01
1:24:26 Download MP3
Free Trade 2005
Free trade is "I give you something; you give me something in return". Trade rights are part of property rights. Nosick calls trade a capitalist act between consenting adults. If you trade, you won't fight. It becomes harder to have wars. Trade benefits all parties.
Political TheoryFree Markets
Read the transcript 13,030 words
-
02
1:27:13 Download MP3
Introduction to Libertarianism I 2005
Block says he was a pinko commie type at 22 who believed that laissez-faire capitalism would result in mass starvation. Then, he met Ayn Rand and read Atlas Shrugged and Economics in One Lesson. Block says libertarianism is the non-aggression principle. Keep your mitts to yourself.
Philosophy and MethodologyPolitical Theory
Read the transcript 13,452 words
-
03
1:27:36 Download MP3
Minimum Wage 2005
Minimum wage laws are not only counterproductive, but they make situations worse. All voluntary mutual trade benefits all. Minimum wages and union legislation make it difficult if not impossible for poor youth to get jobs.
InterventionismProduction TheoryMoney and Banks
Read the transcript 13,051 words
-
04
1:28:54 Download MP3
Introduction to Libertarianism II 2005
Block continues to parse all of the cases of libertarianism found in his book, Defending the Undefendable. Privatization solves the tragedy of the commons scenarios. Rent control resulted in nobody building residential units.
Philosophy and MethodologyPolitical Theory
Read the transcript 14,174 words
-
05
1:35:53 Download MP3
Environmentalism 2005
Environmentalism sees market failure as the cause of environmental problems. Block sees the absence of private property rights and the interference of government as the causes of problems. Libertarianism provides solutions. Man is not a cancer on the planet. Markets have not failed.
Political TheoryThe Environment
Read the transcript 14,936 words
-
06
1:27:53 Download MP3
Ronald Coase: A Libertarian Critique 2005
There are many enemies of a free society. Some, like Ronald Coase, call themselves libertarians or free enterprisers. Block’s main critique of Coase is that Ronald Coase denies any private property rights. Coase deals with externalities through taxes only, but not with property rights at all.
Philosophy and MethodologyPolitical Theory
Read the transcript 13,388 words
-
07
1:19:44 Download MP3
A Statistical Calculation of Economic Freedom 2005
Block, Gwartney and Lawson at Frazier Institute of Canada created an annual index of Economic Freedom of the World. It has been more widely used than any other reports. 102 countries were ranked according to factors like life expectancies or income equality.
Calculation and KnowledgeFree Markets
Read the transcript 11,446 words
-
08
1:37:48 Download MP3
Abortion 2005
Libertarians do not favor abortion (pro-choice). Nor are they opposed to it either (pro-life). Rather, libertarianism offers a philosophical compromise, evictionism. When does life begin? A fertilized egg seems the likely beginning.
Health
Read the transcript 15,278 words
-
09
1:30:36 Download MP3
Monopoly and Anti-Trust, Monopsony 2005
The Austrians view is that monopoly came about as privilege, usually granted by royalty, given to a particular person or industry. This process is arbitrary and capricious. Free entry is required in capitalism. There cannot be restrictions on entry, as with doctors.Price, quantity, profit, and deadweight loss are four criticisms of monopolies.
Money and BankingMonopoly and CompetitionProduction Theory
Read the transcript 13,481 words
-
10
1:22:03 Download MP3
Reparations 2005
Libertarian punishment theory is two teeth for a tooth plus cost of capturing plus scaring if appropriate. It is part of reparations. It is necessary to find the rightful owner of property even if many generations have passed. But, the burden of proof of ownership gets harder.
Read the transcript 12,415 words
People in this series
Speakers
Recording dates, summaries and topics for 10 of these 10 lectures come from the Mises Institute's page for Radical Austrianism, Radical Libertarianism, checked 2026-07-23.
Community
Discuss this course
No thread on Mises Community names this course yet. Start one.
Questions
About this series
- Is Radical Austrianism, Radical Libertarianism free to listen to?
- Yes. All 10 mirrored recordings stream in the browser or download as audio, at no cost and with no signup.
- How long is Radical Austrianism, Radical Libertarianism?
- 10 recordings, 14.7 hours in total.
- Who lectures in Radical Austrianism, Radical Libertarianism?
- Walter Block.
- When was Radical Austrianism, Radical Libertarianism recorded?
- 2005, per the recording dates recovered for this series.
- Is there a transcript of Radical Austrianism, Radical Libertarianism?
- Yes. Every lecture in the series has one, 134,651 words in total, free to read on each lecture's page and searchable in the browser.
Playback speed
Keyboard shortcuts
- Space or K
- Play or pause
- J or left arrow
- Back 15 seconds
- L or right arrow
- Forward 30 seconds
- , and .
- Slower and faster
- N and P
- Next and previous lecture
- ?
- This list