Austro-Libertarianism and the Reformed Christian Worldview C.Jay Engel www.reformedlibertarian.com
Part I: Foundations Introduction: The Need for the Present Volume.. 1 -The Forgotten Goodness of Ideology -The Development of Political Thought -Church and State -The Rise of Statism and the Failure of American Evangelical Politics -On Theonomy Chapter 1: Worldview and Political Theory...12 -Worldview as Philosophical System -Political Theory as a Subset of Worldview -The Reformed Christian Worldview -On Christian Political Theorists and the Utilization of Non-Christian Theorists Chapter 2: The Nature and Aim of Political Theory.25 -The Problem of Social Organization -Ethics vs. Pragmatism -Political Theory, Legal Theory, and Ethics -A Comment on the Nature of Man -The Theory of the State as a Subset of Political Theory
Part II: Libertarianism Chapter 3: Private Property.. 42 -The Scarcity of Resources -Self Ownership -Ownership of External Goods -The Intellectual Property Issue -Private Property as the Solution to Common Issues -The Absurdity of Public Property Chapter 4: The Non-Aggression Principle and Criminality 57 -Interpersonal Relations: Voluntary Exchange and Aggression -Morality and Legality -Self-Defense and its Outsourcing -Civil Justice and the Purpose of Legal Order -Prosecution, Punishment, and Proportionality Chapter 5: Toward a Libertarian Theory of Contracts.......73 -Promises and Oaths -The Transfer of Property Titles -Illegitimate Contracts Chapter 6: On Society, Rights, and Justice......79 -Against the Progressivist Corruption of Terms -Human Rights and Social Justice -Individualism Against Collectivism in All its Forms -Libertarianism Against Democracy
Part III: Austrian Economics Chapter 7: The Austrian School of Economics........88 -The History and Achievements of the Austrian School -The Austrian School versus Alternative Schools -The Austrian School and the Christian Worldview Chapter 8: The Methodology of Economic Science..101 -Technicalities: Economics vs. Political Theory/Ethics -Empiricism and Positivism vs. Apriorism -In Defense of Economics Chapter 9: Human Action and Its Implications..116 -The Meaning of Action (With a Note on Choice and Free Will) -Valuation: Means and Ends -The Law of Marginal Utility -Exchange and the Division of Labor Chapter 10: Money and Prices..125 -From Direct Exchange to Indirect Exchange -Prices and the Allocation of Resources -Bureaucracy and the Economic Impossibility of Socialism -Money and Banking Chapter 11: Economic Growth and Depressions.....132 -Savings, Capital Investment, and Production -Interest Rates and Time Preferences -The Cause of Economic Depressions
Part IV: The State and Civil Order Chapter 12: The Necessity of Governance in Society.. 151 -The Role of Government in Society -Toward a Distinction Between Government and State -On Minarchy and Anarcho-Capitalism Chapter 13: The Nature of the State.... 173 -What the State is Not Against Social Contract Theory -What the State is -The Non-Aggression Principle and the State -The State and the Intellectuals -The Historical Development of Governmental Systems and the Rise of Statism Chapter 14: Capitalism, Socialism, and Interventionism. 198 Chapter 15: On Taxation. 205 Chapter 16: The Private Property Order.....210 -The Privatization of Law and Order -The Privatization of the Courts -The Hoppean Historical Thesis: Aristocracy, Monarchy, and Democracy Chapter 17: The State and Theological Concerns 217 -The State in Christian History -The State and God s Ordination -The State and the Christian Individual -The State and Specific Biblical Passages
Part V: Austro-Libertarianism Applied: Select Issues Chapter 18: Civil Issues 240 -Marriage and Gay Marriage -Prostitution and Adultery -Drugs -Public Education -Bribery -Abortion -Immigration -The Death Penalty Chapter 19: Economic Issues.. 250 -Minimum Wage -Fractional Reserve Banking and Central Banking -Social Security and Health Care -Welfare -Unions and Labor Laws -Public Debt and Deficits Chapter 20: Toward a Theory of War.. 260
Part VI: Liberty: Past, Present, and Future Chapter 21: Libertarian View of American History.. 269 -The Founders and the Constitution -The Civil War and the Death of Federalism -Progressivism and the Death of the Old Republic -The Eastern Establishment and the Neoconservatives Chapter 22: The Culture of Statism....280 -The Worst Get to the Top -The State and the Family -The State and Social Institutions -Propaganda, Education, and the Will of the People Chapter 23: The State of the Union....295 -An Indictment of Washington DC. -Present Day American Evangelicalism and Politics -The Present State of the Libertarian Movement -Libertarianism, the Right, and the Left Chapter 24: The Strategy for Liberty..302 -An Historical Overview of the Libertarian Movement -Overrated Strategies: Revolution and Voting -Three Strategies: Education, Nullification, Secession Chapter 25: Conclusion: Thy Kingdom Come, Thy Will Be Done 305