Vindiciae Gallicae was James Mackintosh’s first major publication, a contribution to the debate begun by Edmund Burke’s Reflections on the Revolution in France. The success of Mackintosh’s defense of the French Revolution propelled him into the heart of London Whig circles. The turn of events in France following the September 1792 Massacres caused Mackintosh, along with other moderate Whigs, to revise his opinions and to move closer to Burke’s position. A Discourse on the Law of Nature and Nations was the introduction to a popular course of public lectures at Lincoln’s Inn in 1799 and 1800. These lectures provided Mackintosh with an opportunity to complete the evolution of his political thought by expounding the principles of a Scottish version of the science of natural jurisprudence dealing with “the rights and duties of men and of states,” to announce his withdrawal of support for the French Revolution, and to criticize former allies on the radical wing of the reform movement. The Liberty Fund edition also includes Mackintosh’s Letter to William Pitt, an attack on the prime minister, Pitt the Younger, for going back on his own record as a parliamentary reformer; and On the State of France in 1815, his reflections on the nature and causes of the French Revolution.

Priestley supported the early phase of the French Revolution and saw it as an advance in human liberty, thus objecting to Burke’s severe criticisms.

Written toward the end of Mises’s life, his last monograph, The Ultimate Foundation of Economic Science, returned to economics as a science based on human action. Mises believed that, since the publication of Human Action, economists and scientists alike had misinterpreted the idea of economics as a science by deeming it epistemological positivism—that they believed that the “science” basis was still more rooted in philosophy than in actual science. In this volume, Mises argued that economics is a science because human action is a natural order of life and that it is the actions of humans that determine markets and capital decisions. Since Mises believed these links could be proven scientifically, he concluded that economics, with its basis on that human action, is indeed a science in its own right and not an ideology or a metaphysical doctrine.

Cantillon wrote one major work, Essay on the Nature of Trade in general, which was regarded by Jevons and Hayek as an important early contribution to the theory of marginal utility. It lay forgotten for over 100 years until Jevons rediscovered it in the late 19th century. This edition is a bi-ligual French and English version with essays on the significance of Cantillon by Higgs and Jevons.

A defence of the American Revolution by one of its key supporters in Britain, along with a letter by Turgot and a short essay by Mathon de la Cour (also known as Fortuné Ricard).

An first full-length assessment of the contributions to economics of Friedrich Hayek (Nobel Prize 1974). Hayek is unique, he argues, for a number of reasons: because of his emphasis on the function of institution s in coordinating the various plans of individuals in the market; his attack on the expansionary policies of central banks which discoordinate the patterns of business investment and produce depressions; and his view about the possibility of rational economic calculation under socialism.

Donisthorpe provides a theory of politics from the individualist standpoint in the tradition of Herbert Spencer and Auberon Herbert. He also attacks the rise of socialism which he regards as the greatest threat to social progress.

A clear and strong case for free trade against proctectionism. The chapter of the fallacies of protectionism is very thorough.

A collection of essays by a radical individualist political thinker on a range of topics which he called “the hardest nuts to crack”, in other words, topics which pushed the theory of individual liberty to its limits. He discusses questions of libel, of cruelty to animals, of copyright, of adulteration, of the relation of the sexes, of rights over land, and of nuisance

This volume contains Knox’s letters written to a lord on “Personal Nobility” and his criticism of the British state during its war against the French, “The Spirit of Despotism” (1795), and his translation of a work of Erasmus “Antipolemus”. The fuller table of contents of “The Spirit of Despotism” (1795) is as follows: SECTION I.: Introductory. SECTION II. Oriental Manners, and the Ideas imbibed in Youth, both in the West and East Indies, favourable to the Spirit of Despotism. SECTION III. Certain Circumstances in Education which promote the Spirit of Despotism. SECTION IV. Corruption of Manners has a natural Tendency to promote the Spirit of Despotism. SECTION V. An Abhorrence of Despotism and an ardent Love of Liberty perfectly consistent with Order and Tranquillity; and the natural Consequence of well-informed Understandings and benevolent Dispositions. SECTION VI. On the Venality of the Press under the Influence of the despotic Spirit, and its Effects in diffusing that Spirit. SECTION VII. The fashionable Invectives against Philosophy and Reason, a Proof of the Spirit of Despotism. SECTION VIII. Of Loyalty, and certain mistaken Ideas of it. SECTION IX. On taking Advantage of popular Commotions, accidental Excesses, and foreign Revolutions, to extend Prerogative and Power, and encroach on the Liberties of the People. SECTION X. When Human Life is held cheap, it is a Symptom of a prevailing Spirit of Despotism. SECTION XI. Indifference of the middle and lower Classes of the People to public Affairs, highly favourable to the Encroachments of the Tory Principle, and therefore to the Spirit of Despotism. SECTION XII. The despotic Spirit is inclined to discourage Commerce, as unfavourable to its Purposes. SECTION XIII. The Spirit of Despotism displaying itself in private Life, and proceeding thence to avail itself of the Church and the Military. SECTION XIV. The despotic Spirit inclined to avail itself of Spies, Informers, false Witnesses, pretended Conspiracies, and self-interested Associations affecting Patriotism. SECTION XV. The Manners of Tory Courtiers, and of those who ape them, as People of Fashion, inconsistent with Manliness, Truth, and Honesty; and their Prevalence injurious to a free Constitution, and the Happiness of Human Nature. SECTION XVI. The Spirit of Truth, Liberty, and Virtue, public as well as private, chiefly to be found in the Middle Ranks of the People.- SECTION XVII. On debauching the Minds of the rising Generation and a whole People, by giving them Military Notions in a frée and commercial Country. SECTION XVII. Levity, Effeminacy, Ignorance, and Want of Principle in private Life, inimical to all public Virtue, and favourable to the Spirit of Despotism. SECTION XIX. Certain Passages in Dr. Brown’s “Estimate” which deserve the serious Consideration of all who would oppose the Subversion of a free Constitution by Corruption of Manners and Principles, and by undue Influence. SECTION XX. On several Subjects suggested by Lord Melcombe’s Diary; particularly the Practice of bartering the Cure of Souls for the Corruption of Parliament. SECTION XXI. On choosing rich Men, without Parts, Spirit, or Liberality, as Representatives in the National Council. SECTION XXII. Of the despotic Influence of great Merchants over their Subalterns, of Customers over their Tradesmen, and rich trading Companies over their various Dependents, in compelling them to vote for Court Candidates for Seats in Parliment, merely to serve private interest, without the smallest regard for public Liberty and Happiness, or the Fitness or Unfitness of the Candidate. SECTION XXIII. Of the Pageantry of Life; that it originates in the Spirit of Despotism; and contributes to it, without advancing private any more than public Felicity. SECTION XXIV. Insolence of the higher Orders to the Middle Ranks and the Poor; with their affected Condescension, in certain Circumstances, to the lowest of the People. SECTION XXV. Of a Natural Aristocracy. SECTION XXVI. The excessive Love of Distinction and Power which prevails wherever the Spirit of Despotism exists, deadens some of the finest Feelings of the Heart, and counteracts the Laws of Nature. SECTION XXVII. On the Opinion that the People are annihilated or absorbed in Parliament; that the Voice of the People is no where to be heard but in Parliament; and on similar Doctrines, tending to depreciate the People. SECTION XXVIII. The fashionable Contempt thrown on Mr. Locke, and his Writings in Favour of Liberty; and on other Authors and Books espousing the same Cause. SECTION XXIX. Of the Despotism of Influence; while the Forms of a free Constitution are preserved. SECTION XXX. The Spirit of Despotism delights in War or systematic Murder. SECTION XXXI. On the Idea that we have arrived at Perfection in Politics, though all other Sciences are in a Progressive State. SECTION XXXII. On Political Ethics; their chief Object is to throw Power into the Hands of the worst Part of Mankind, and to render Government an Institution calculated to enrich and aggrandize a few, at the expense of the Liberty, Property, and Lives of the many. SECTION XXXIII. On trafficking with the Cure of Souls, (Cura Animarum,) for the Purposes of Political, i. e. Moral, Corruption. SECTION XXXIV. Of Mr. Hume’s Idea, That absolute Monarchy is the easiest Death, the true Euthanasia of the British Constitution. SECTION XXXV. The Permission of Lawyers by Profession, aspiring to Honours in the Gift of the Crown, to have the greatest Influence in the Legislature, a Circumstance unfavourable to Liberty. SECTION XXXVI. Poverty, when not extreme, favourable to all Virtue, public and private, and consequently to the Happiness of human Nature; and enormous Riches, without Virtue, the general Bane. SECTION XXXVII. On the natural Tendency of making Judges and Crown Lawyers, Peers; of translating Bishops and annexing Preferments to Bishoprics, in, what is called Commendam. SECTION XXXVIII. That all Opposition to the Spirit of Despotism should be conducted with the most scrupulous Regard to the existing Laws, and to the Preservation of public Peace and good Order. SECTION XXXIX. The Christian Religion favourable to Civil Liberty, and likewise to Equality rightly understood. SECTION XL. The Pride which produces the Spirit of Despotism conspicuous even on the Tombstone. It might be treated with total Neglect, if it did not tend to the Oppression of the Poor, and to Bloodshed and Plunder. SECTION XLI.: Conclusion.