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Kevin Drum over at Washington Monthly has compiled a list of “harmful books to the cause of human progress” in response to the Human Events List cited earlier. The list is generated mostly through contributions by his readers. One of the books that caught my eye:
Social Statics, 1865, by Herbert Spencer
Taught that the functions of the state should be limited to internal police and foreign protection — no public education, no limitation of hours on labor, no welfare legislation. Spencer later made the argument that Charles Darwin’s “survival of the fittest” applied not just to biological organisms, but to cultures and societies as well, which gave rise to a trend in social theory later dubbed “Social Darwinism.” This became popular in the United States as a justification for the extreme laissez faire policies of the Gilded Age and the robber baron era.
Wouldn’t this book be almost like a bible for the Libertarians since it argues for minimal government? Just to make libertarians mad, The Road to Serfdom, 1944, by Friedrich Hayek is also mentioned. I am still a little fuzzy on the concept of libertarianism and although I am a sucker for civil liberties, I find it a little difficult to grant those rights to terrorists (“guilt proven beyond doubts” ones). I had a little discussion with MadMan when he hosted one of my posts in the blog mela but somehow never got around to being convinced. Of course, Washington Monthly is clearly a liberal blog and leans Democrat; hence the frequent mentions of ‘unfettered capitalism’ on the list (including Rand’s Atlas Shrugged). I am one of those ‘confused moderates’ who believe that neither pure capitalism nor pure socialism works. Can anyone from the Cartel offer any insight?
I do not agree with some selections but then I also am not in favor of banning books or any form of literary creation. A bad work of art or any creation bans itself. Don’t read the book, don’t see the movie, write harshly critical reviews, or dissuade your friends (by gentle persuasion).
by Patrix | on Tuesday, June 7th, 2005 at 2:00 pm | 
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June 7th, 2005 at 3:41 pm reply
Patzu…I agree with your conclusion…how can books in themselves be harmful? Ideas are thrown at us every minute of the day through a variety of sources…we pick and choose what we identify/agree with. Nice post. As for Herbert Spencer…his topic was a big time discussion subject during the 19th century in British India…specially amongst the young english-educated Hindu Brahmins. In other words…reading Spencer was considered “cool” during that time :)
June 7th, 2005 at 9:04 pm reply
Yogu - Nice to hear from you after such a long time. I agree on the temporal nature of ideas…after all, we all considered Indira Gandhi almost god-like until we realized much later the extent of her policies.
June 10th, 2005 at 8:12 am reply
for more read Fettered by Unfettered Language
http://cafehayek.typepad.com/hayek/2004/11/fettered_by_unf.html