Women's History Month for Libertarians

At Cato's website is a celebration of the three women who can fairly be credited with launching the modern American libertarian movement, Ayn Rand, Isabel Paterson, and Rose Wilder Lane.

You might also want to see my May 2005 Reason magazine essay on Paterson, which discusses her relationship with Rand and Lane at length as well.

Also, you certainly want to see my book on the history of the American libertarian movement, which much much more on all three women, Radicals for Capitalism: A Freewheeling History of the Modern American Libertarian Movement.

Comments

[Barry Loberfeld]

Feminism's history ? for libertarians.

[off topic]

PA medical marijuana beer raids...

http://www.philly.com/philly/n.....aint_.html

[robc]

How many threads does that get posted in today?

We are at 3, at least.

[ransom147]

sorry... i've been pretty slack lately...

[pukool]

@Brian Doherty

Ever planning on putting out an audiobook version of Radicals for Capitalism?

[GABE e]

I've spent all day arguing with feminazis on facebook about income disparity.

It led me to this AWESOME talk by Warren Farrel:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v.....re=related

If you haven't seen this, you should.

[rctl]

The score is
4 men ignoring the topic
1 insulting women
1 jackass who thinks feminism destroys male sexuality

[The Art-P.O.G.]

Yeah, but you just made a post on the metatopic, so how much better are you?

[rctl]

It would be hard to calculate

[ransom147]

how do you know i'm a guy?

[rctl]

The probability of a female libertarian is very low. The fact that you went off-topic on a female issue indicates you have a dick (or wish you did).

[zoltan]

You're a cuntnugget.

As a female libertarian, I went off-topic.

[rctl]

Zoltan is female?

[rctl]

Check your panties, honey.

[bleek obummer]

"You're a cuntnugget."

Is there a special sauce for those?

[bleek obummer]

rctl,

Why would females be any different than males in the desire for liberty and freedom? It is a natural desire that transcends gender. Being socially liberal and fiscally conservative is appealing no matter what parts you have.

The part of society I don't understand are women social conservatives. Why would you want someone else to tell you what you cannot do with your body?

[rctl]

You should have posted that question yesterday on International Women's Day.

[rctl]

Vacation?

[bleek obummer]

Away but not a vacation.

[rctl]

"Away but not a vacation." Bleek, I'm glad you made bail.;-)

[rctl]

"The part of society I don't understand are women social conservatives. Why would you want someone else to tell you what you cannot do with your body?" I don't get it either but If their choice is to be subjugated, then let them make it.

[bleek obummer]

rctl,

You're all heart.

Actually, traveled to my sister's funeral. Away but not a vacation.

[rctl]

Sorry 🙁

[Joshua]

I've educated myself about Ms. Paterson. Interesting. I'd love to know how she insulted one of Rand's guests. Sounds like her columns would be worth a read.

Evidently Paterson & Lane both couched their discussion in terms of energy. It reminds me of Tesla's "Increasing Human Energy." I think Tesla would have been a fan of libertarian thought if he wasn't so focused on science. and insane.

I'm left wondering why all three of the female progenitors of liberteriana were such misanthropes. I don't know enough about Mises or Hayek - were they as bad?

[The Art-P.O.G.]

I don't think Rose Wilder Lane was a misanthrope, quite the opposite in fact. She was quite the philanthropist, apparently.

[Kant feel Pietzsche]

@Joshua: "I'm left wondering why all three of the female progenitors of liberteriana were such misanthropes. I don't know enough about Mises or Hayek - were they as bad?

A common mistake is to confuse a realist's acknowledgement of the tragic human condition with misanthrope.

Knowing that every human you will ever meet, including yourself, is motivated by self-interest in some form; and flawed in multi-dimensional ways; is not the same as hating them.

To the contrary, it induces deep thinkers to consider systems that take this fact into account, and to arrive at solutions that actually work.

Anyone who professes unconditional LOVE for mankind is either incredibly naive, or a con man.

[rctl]

I can't believe you have a son