The Declaration of Independents
| Company type | Book |
|---|---|
| Industry | Publishing |
| Founded | 2011 |
| Founder | Matt Welch, Nick Gillespie |
| Products | Non-fiction book |
| Parent | PublicAffairs (Perseus Books Group) |
The Declaration of Independents: How Libertarian Politics Can Fix What's Wrong with America is a 2011 non-fiction work authored by American political commentators Matt Welch and Nick Gillespie, both of whom previously served as editors-in-chief of Reason. This book examines the role of libertarianism in the United States and offers a critical perspective on the current political environment. Released by PublicAffairs, a division of the Perseus Books Group, its title cleverly references both the U.S. Declaration of Independence and the concept of independent voters.
Contents
Welch and Gillespie challenge the dominance of the two-party system controlled by the Republican and Democratic parties, arguing that these parties behave similarly, prioritizing electoral rivalry over substantive policy reform. They maintain that a political framework in which a narrow majority governs the property and lives of the minority results in growing government expenditure and heightened regulation of individuals.[1] The authors state, "Assuming that hunger will persist, clothing will be lacking, and education will be absent if government spending as a share of GDP decreases is as flawed as believing no one would attend church without an official state religion."[2]
Reviews
On his blog Marginal Revolution, economist Tyler Cowen commended the book as "consistently well written" and regarded it as "the contemporary articulation of libertarianism," highlighting its focus on liberty beyond partisan divisions. Nonetheless, he pointed out that some policy proposals, especially those related to health care reform, were somewhat unclear.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
Kirkus Reviews characterized the book as "a spirited, engaging libertarian assessment of American politics," noting its positive tone and self-assurance but criticizing it for lacking detailed reform plans. While praising the authors' vigorous critique of the two-party system, the review observed that many proposed changes for sectors like education and social insurance seemed conventional or insufficiently developed.[1]
See also
- 2011 in literature
- Free to Choose – 1980 publication by Milton Friedman