The Stuggle for Liberty: A Libertarian History of Political Thought

[Occam's Banana]

The Struggle for Liberty: A Libertarian History of Political Thought | Mises Institute

Ralph Raico was a historical revisionist in the best sense of the word. He cared not for ideological pedigrees or bias; he sought the grace of truth wherever it

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"The Struggle for Liberty: A Libertarian History of Political Thought" by Ralph Raico

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From the Preface by T. Hunt Tooley:

The Struggle for Liberty gives us vintage Ralph Raico in his roles of lecturer and professor. In these lectures he weaves together the daily life of the past, competing intellectual traditions, the history of the modern state, and the international background to create a broad and compelling narrative. He pulls no intellectual punches. But in these erudite talks, he presents to students a complex story in such a way that his mastery of learned disputes from a hundred, or from five hundred, years ago reaches us as living, breathing history.
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A History of Political Theory in the West
{Mises Media | 15 May 2025}

Radio Rothbard podcast

Political Scientist Joseph Solis-Mullen joins Ryan McMaken to review Ralph Raico’s newly published lectures on politics in the West. We recommend this book for all who want a pro-freedom history of political thought.

 

[Occam's Banana]

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Post in thread 'Revisionist History of War Conference (livestreams, etc.)'

Jun 5, 2025

The Importance of Ralph Raico’s Foreign Policy Revisionism | Ryan McMaken
{Mises Media | 05 June 2025}

Ryan McMaken discusses Ralph Raico’s critique of war propaganda, revealing how states systematically shape history to justify endless conflict—and why revisionism is essential for reclaiming peace and liberty.

Recorded at the Mises Institute in Auburn, Alabama, on May 17, 2025.

• Occam's Banana

 

[TheTexan]

Free PDF

Enjoying chapter 1 so far... it's a good description of why the US is stagnating... no "possibility of exit" due to the 50 states being increasingly uniform

States rights should have been the 1st amendment (or 2nd, after the 2nd)

 

[TheTexan]

Chapter 1 also goes into the hundreds of years of history that went into building a european concept and culture of liberty.

It basically says white people invented freedom.

Which is true

 

[Snowball]

Chapter 1 also goes into the hundreds of years of history that went into building a european concept and culture of liberty.

It basically says white people invented freedom.

Which is true

White is a hue, not a people.

 

[TheTexan]

White is a hue, not a people.

Wrong. White still has a culture associated with it.

Maybe in a generation or two after the globalists have been successful in erasing white culture you'll be right, but not yet.

 

[Snowball]

Wrong. White still has a culture associated with it.

Maybe in a generation or two after the globalists have been successful in erasing white culture you'll be right, but not yet.

What Im referring to is the cultural, ethnic and religious diversity which existed for centuries prior to when we became just "whites".
Who else became "white" ? They did. But they were never culturally, ethnically or religiously akin to us before.

 

[TheTexan]

What Im referring to is the cultural, ethnic and religious diversity which existed for centuries prior to when we became just "whites".

Yea whites used to have a rich and diverse set of cultures. But they still shared common values.

Who else became "white" ? They did. But they were never culturally, ethnically or religiously akin to us before.

I don't follow.

 

[Invisible Man]

Yea whites used to have a rich and diverse set of cultures. But they still shared common values.



I don't follow.

I'm not 100% sure that I'm reading between the lines properly. But I think that there's an unnamed antecedent of the pronoun "they," which is unnamed for reasons, and once you decipher that, you'll be in hearty agreement with Snowball.

 

[TheTexan]

I'm not 100% sure that I'm reading between the lines properly. But I think that there's an unnamed antecedent of the pronoun "they," which is unnamed for reasons, and once you decipher that, you'll be in hearty agreement with Snowball.

Upon second reading you are right

 

[Occam's Banana]

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'John Stuart Mill, An Enemy Disguised As a Friend'

Jul 17, 2025

by Joseph Solis-Mullen
Jul 17, 2025


In The Struggle for Liberty, Ralph Raico—one of the twentieth century’s foremost libertarian historians—offers a sweeping and penetrating critique of John Stuart Mill. With clarity, historical depth, and a touch of well-placed fire, Raico demolishes the myth that Mill belongs in the pantheon of classical liberalism. Instead, Raico exposes Mill as a forerunner of the modern progressive state: one who stripped liberalism of its essential emphasis on economic freedom and opened the door to a new, coercive moralism enforced by government.

This...

• PAF
• Replies: 2
• Forum: History

 

[Occam's Banana]

Five Myths About the History of Political Thought
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnaLXB9SP8s
{Mises Media | 15 August 2025}

In his important lectures on the history of political thought, historian Ralph Raico examined five myths that many still believe about classical liberalism and the origins of modern ideology.

Be sure to follow Radio Rothbard at https://mises.org/RadioRothbard

 

[PAF]

Five Myths About the History of Political Thought
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnaLXB9SP8s
{Mises Media | 15 August 2025}

In his important lectures on the history of political thought, historian Ralph Raico examined five myths that many still believe about classical liberalism and the origins of modern ideology.

Be sure to follow Radio Rothbard at https://mises.org/RadioRothbard

I have mentioned this before so consider it a reminder. I and others in my liberty group [extending to Ohio] buy and get for free books in the Mises Library. Once we are finished reading them, they don't get put on shelves only to collect dust. We 1. give them to others to read, and 2. donate them to Public Libraries.