David Bergland

Talks about his book, Libertarianism In One Lesson

David Bergland has a unique talent for explaining libertarian principles -- and how they apply to real-world problems. He put that skill to use in his best-selling book, Libertarianism In One Lesson, which has been called "the best brief introduction to libertarianism available today."

Bergland put those same talents to work as the Libertarian candidate for president in 1984. He traveled throughout the country, learning the concerns of the American people. Along the way, he conducted hundreds of media interviews. The lessons he learned from that campaign -- how to effectively explain libertarian ideas to voters, students, and journalists -- have been incorporated into Libertarianism In One Lesson.

In this interview, Bergland discusses how he came to write Libertarianism In One Lesson; what's new and improved in the Ninth Edition; how he decided on the one "central theme" of the book; why he's an optimist about liberty; and more.

Q: Why did you originally decide to write Libertarianism In One Lesson?

A: As a Libertarian presidential candidate in 1984, I was expected to produce a "campaign book." The three previous Libertarian candidates had done so. As the campaign proceeded, I learned more every day about how people viewed libertarianism and what their concerns were about what might happen under a libertarian system. Finally, I decided that, rather than a book for the 1984 campaign, I would write something that would have legs -- a book that might be useful for introducing libertarianism for years to come. So I sat down and started dictating, mostly on airplanes. Libertarianism In One Lesson is the result.

Q: Was it a challenge to fit everything you wanted to say about libertarianism in such a short book?

A: Actually, the first edition was much smaller. The book has expanded in the several editions since 1984. As a typical loquacious libertarian, I have always had much more to say about libertarianism than could be fit into a single book. But I also have some experience as an editor. You decide what you want the book to accomplish, then cover the most important ground as succinctly as possible. Shorter is better.

Q: Libertarian thought runs the gamut from "radical" to "mainstream." What kind of libertarianism does this book promote?

A: I don't think that either term -- "radical" or "mainstream" -- would be an accurate description of the libertarianism presented in the book. I tried to give readers the foundations of libertarian thought. Of course, the bulk of the book helps them to do that with discussions of issues that libertarians are always quizzed about -- education, gun rights, the War on Drugs, foreign policy, taxes, etc. Because government is so pervasive, and because most readers are new to libertarianism, I tried to lead them gently from where we are now to envisioning a world of much smaller, much less intrusive, much less costly government.

Q: Over the years, what kind of reaction have you gotten from readers about this book?

A: The most gratifying reaction from someone is that reading Libertarianism In One Lesson got him or her to embrace libertarianism. That has happened many times. Another gratifying reaction is when people tell me that this is the best book to give to someone who wants to learn about libertarianism. I especially like that because it is exactly what I wanted to accomplish when I wrote it.

Q: What is new about this Ninth Edition?

A: Bigger and more beautiful! The new full-color cover and the improved page design just make it a more pleasant read. As to content, the chapter subjects are the same, but the discussion is updated and expanded since the Eighth Edition in 2000. It presents the same fundamentals of libertarianism (those don't change) and continues to show how those fundamentals apply in the world as it is today.

Q: Over the past few years, there have been several "introductory" books written about libertarianism. How is Libertarianism In One Lesson different from other books?

A: I think the long-term success of Libertarianism In One Lesson is due to the fact that it is aimed at reasonably intelligent, but non-academic, readers who genuinely want to understand libertarianism -- but don't want to be preached to or lectured. People have questions about how libertarianism might work if applied in the real world. They want clear and succinct answers to their straightforward questions. That's what this book gives them.

Q: In the book, you write that the central theme of libertarianism is the idea that "you own yourself." How did you settle on that as a unifying theme?

A: It struck me that a book entitled Libertarianism In One Lesson should give the reader, explicitly, "one lesson." So I had to decide what that one lesson would be. I am certainly not the first to write that the self-ownership principle is the foundation of libertarianism, but it is clear to me that it is. Self-ownership is the explanatory tool; everything flows from and is consistent with it. So, it was not difficult to point the readers in the right direction. Once you grasp the self-ownership principle, libertarianism becomes much easier to understand.

Q: One of the most famous and oft-quoted lines in the book is: "Utopia is not one of the options." How did you come up with that concept?

A: Of all the obstacles to clear thinking about politics, I have found that the "Utopian Fallacy" is the worst. It comes up all the time. At some point, I realized that when people argued against liberty, they often did so by testing it against a Utopian standard. Their argument is that since liberty doesn't guarantee that everything will be perfect, it must be rejected. They never say it that clearly, of course. What they do is rattle off a list of problems that might still exist in a libertarian society -- and then assert that this proves liberty is fatally flawed. What they forget is that no political system can create Utopia. Utopia is not one of the options. Liberty is simply the best of the available options. It is crucially important for libertarians to be aware of the Utopian fallacy because it is so frequently thrown up as an argument against libertarian solutions.

Q: In the book, you have a chapter entitled: "Towards a Constitutional Government." Are you optimistic about the possibility of America moving in that direction?

A: In recent years, the Supreme Court has been, with important exceptions, more receptive to federalist arguments. That is, to rule that the federal government can't do just anything; that its power is actually limited by the Constitution. As a result, the federalism issue is out on the table and is being debated. That is a hopeful sign. On the down side, both Democrats and Republicans appear to have no appreciation for Constitutional limitations. One reform I would like to see is that when politicians take their oath of office, they must swear not only to uphold the Constitution -- but that they have read it. In general, I am optimistic about the future of libertarianism. Libertarianism is America's heritage; it is the natural right of human beings; it will ultimately prevail. Statism always collapses. I believe America's statists are in the early stages of collapse. As that continues, more and more people will seek to return to the Constitutional system of small, limited government that the Founders gave to us.

Q: Who is the ideal reader of this book? What kind of people will find it most useful?

A: There are several kinds of people for whom I wrote this book. Any sensible person who wants to know more about libertarianism and how the American political scene really works -- about America's true heritage of liberty -- will find it an enlightening and entertaining read. Students of American politics and political theory will find it invaluable as a resource, especially the bibliography that points them to some excellent books on libertarianism and the various topics covered. And more experienced libertarians should appreciate the intellectual ammunition that will help them enlighten others. Everyone can get something from this book. My view is that liberty is enjoyable. Reading about it should be as well.

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