Letters

I enjoyed reading S. Andrew Swann's Profiteer Hostile Takeover #1, but it isn't going to get one of my Prometheus Award votes. I have three major criteria for selecting Prometheus and Hall of Fame books.

The first is that it's an enjoyable read. The second is that it reflects (or reflects on) libertarian values, broadly construed. The third criteria, which is the one that Swann misses on, is that it be good for outreach. Would the book attract non-libertarian readers to find out more about libertarianism, or to think about it in a more positive light?

Profiteer depicts a world on which no government exists and in which commercial firms compete with one another in actual battle, kill one another's employees or taking them hostage. Injuries to bystanders are common and while combatants try to miss the bystanders, they accept the occasional “collateral damage” as part of the process.

While I believe this kind of behavior would be unlikely, even in the absence of the state, I'm not dogmatic on the point; it's an interesting discussion topic among friends. However, for people who don't understand the way markets work, this scenario plays into their preconceptions, and forms the basis for a common attack on truly free markets. People to whom such a scenario is a convincing depiction of an unregulated market would be extremely likely to accept it as proof of their worst fears and not hear any further arguments about whether it's a plausible development.

That's why I won't vote for this enjoyable and libertarian book for the Prometheus Award.

—Chris Hibbert