Democracy: The God That Failed

The Economics and Politics of Monarchy, Democracy and Natural Order (Perspectives on Democratic Practice)

By: Hans-Hermann Hoppe

Narrated by: Paul Strikwerda

This sweeping book is a systematic treatment of the historic transformation of the West from limited monarchy to unlimited democracy. Revisionist in nature, it reaches the conclusion that monarchy, with all its failings, is a lesser evil than mass democracy but outlines deficiencies in both as systems of guarding liberty.

By focusing on this transformation from private to public government, the author is able to interpret many historical phenomena, such as rising levels of crime, degeneration of standards of conduct and morality, the decline in security and freedom, and the growth of the mega-state.

In addition, Hoppe deconstructs the classical liberal belief in the possibility of limited government and calls for an alignment of anti-statist conservatism and libertarianism as natural allies with common goals. He defends the proper role of the production of defense as undertaken by insurance companies on a free market and describes the emergence of private law among competing insurers.

The author goes on to assess the prospects for achieving a natural order of liberty. Informed by his analysis of the radical deficiencies of social democracy, and armed with the social theory of legitimation, he foresees secession as the likely future of the US and Europe, resulting in a multitude of region and city-states.

Democracy: The God That Failed is a brilliant and unflinching work that will be of intense interest to scholars and students of history, political economy, and political philosophy.

©2001 Routledge (P)2021 Ludwig von Mises Institute

Paradigm Changing Book

This book lays out the fundamental problem with Western Civilization as well as the solution.

Good content delivered in a very convoluted manner

This is a great dissection on why democracies are failures and why even monarchies are more preferable. While the beginning of the book dissects monarchies and democracies and why monarchies are preferable, the later portions of the book delve into anarcho-capitalist ideas and refutations of the states monopoly on defense.

If you are interested in anarcho-capitalism then pick this book up. However this book is a difficult read and a lot of ideas are explained in the most convoluted matter, and I would not consider it as your introduction to these ideas. While I understand why it is written in this fashion and I appreciate the intellectual rigor, I would also like to warn others that this is a very dense book.

Excellent book, excellent narration

Definitely interesting to chew on and consider. Well articulated and argued, whether you agree or disagree you'll find something on here to turn over in your mind and be enriched by the engagement.

Also just wanna mention that Mr Strikwerda's narration was excellent. Lively and vital, expressive, moving at an even and measured clip, does a good job with names, makes his points with the sort of force and conviction that one imagines the author wrote it with. I'll be looking for more books narrated by Strikwerda, whatever the subject of the book happens to be!

Great book unless you're multitasking

This book was very thoughtfully written. Every word was measured and placed by a scholar. The ideas in this work are controversial in modern discourse, but Hoppe pulls no punches. You will find that while you might not agree with every point the author makes, each idea expressed is carefully constructed. His arguments cannot be dismissed as illogical, they must be individually disproven, accepted, or carefully contemplated.

Audiobook Chapter 11 is actually a repeat of Chapter 9

Terrific book. However, Chapter 11 “On the Errors of Classical Liberalism and the Future of Liberty” is not included. Instead, the audiobook repeats Chapter 9 and then goes straight to Chapter 12 as the next chapter on National Defense. Perhaps it is included later but I wanted to write this review just in case I forgot.