by Neville Kennard, veteran preaching and practising capitalist

In 1970 Morris and Linda Tannehill wrote a beautiful little book entitled The Market for Freedom (available in free PDF here).  Karl Hess, wrote the Forward and in the edition I have Doug Casey wrote the Introduction. It is a little classic, just 169 pages of clear explanation of how everything we think government must or should do can be done without government.

Linda and Morris Tannehill are unknown outside of this under-appreciated classic, now in its third printing. Without once using the dreaded “A” word, the Tannehills look at all the usual questions about how individuals and a society can operate without an over-arching authority which has final say — without, in other words The State.

Police, courts, roads, national defence, crime and punishment, money-issue, diplomatic relations, and many more issues and questions are handled calmly and logically.

An interesting thing I continue to learn in reading and listening about The State not doing things, is that at some time in history The State did not do such things. Traders, cities, communities, countries, empires even, have had their own institutions and accepted practices that did not involve The State as the supreme ruler. Restitution has been accepted practice, private roads have always existed, private security, competing legal systems and courts, insurance for most all things, private philanthropy and charity, education as a Non-State function, for-profit libraries … you name it, at some time everything has been accomplished without a State Authority.

The Nation State, this construct we have got so used to and which it is hard to imagine living without, is a construct that came into full power in the twentieth century

The Twentieth Century brought enormous advances in health, in technology, in wealth and prosperity to many while also bringing the most horrid and destructive wars, ethnic cleansings, mass starvations and vile repressions of human rights.

How to have peace and prosperity without the wars and repressions that the modern Nation States seem to thrive on? This is the question curious minds can ponder. It is a fascinating and challenging intellectual journey, exploring the idea of “The Market for Freedom” and the Tannehills’ book is a good place to start.