What do you think?
Rate this book
More Liberty Means Less Government: Our Founders Knew This Well
In this collection of thoughtful, hard-hitting essays, Walter E. Williams once again takes on the left wing's most sacred cows with provocative insights, brutal candor, and an uncompromising reverence for personal liberty and the principles laid out in our Declaration of Independence and Constitution.
280 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 1999
52 people are currently reading
632 people want to read
About the author
Walter E. Williams
30 books253 followersBorn in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Dr. Walter E. Williams holds a B.A. in economics from California State University, Los Angeles, and M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in economics from UCLA. He also holds a Doctor of Humane Letters from Virginia Union University and Grove City College, Doctor of Laws from Washington and Jefferson College and Doctor Honoris Causa en Ciencias Sociales from Universidad Francisco Marroquin, in Guatemala, where he is also Professor Honorario.
Dr. Williams has served on the faculty of George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, as John M. Olin Distinguished Professor of Economics, since 1980; from 1995 to 2001, he served as department chairman. He has also served on the faculties of Los Angeles City College, California State University Los Angeles, and Temple University in Philadelphia, and Grove City College, Grove City, Pa.
Dr. Williams is the author of over 150 publications which have appeared in scholarly journals such as Economic Inquiry, American Economic Review, Georgia Law Review, Journal of Labor Economics, Social Science Quarterly, and Cornell Journal of Law and Public Policy and popular publications such as Newsweek, Ideas on Liberty, National Review, Reader's Digest, Cato Journal, and Policy Review. He has authored six books: America: A Minority Viewpoint, The State Against Blacks, which was later made into the PBS documentary "Good Intentions," All It Takes Is Guts, South Africa's War Against Capitalism, which was later revised for South African publication, Do the Right Thing: The People's Economist Speaks, and More Liberty Means Less Government.
He has made scores of radio and television appearances which include "Nightline," "Firing Line," "Face the Nation," Milton Friedman's "Free To Choose," "Crossfire," "MacNeil/Lehrer," "Wall Street Week" and was a regular commentator for "Nightly Business Report." He is also occasional substitute host for the "Rush Limbaugh" show. In addition Dr. Williams writes a nationally syndicated weekly column that is carried by approximately 140 newspapers and several web sites.
Dr. Williams serves on several boards of directors: Grove City College, Reason Foundation and Hoover Institution. He serves on numerous advisory boards including: Cato Institute, Landmark Legal Foundation, Institute of Economic Affairs, and Heritage Foundation.
Dr. Williams has received numerous fellowships and awards including: Foundation for Economic Education Adam Smith Award, Hoover Institution National Fellow, Ford Foundation Fellow, Valley Forge Freedoms Foundation George Washington Medal of Honor, Veterans of Foreign Wars U.S. News Media Award, Adam Smith Award, California State University Distinguished Alumnus Award, George Mason University Faculty Member of the Year, and Alpha Kappa Psi Award.
Dr. Williams has participated in numerous debates, conferences and lectures in the United States and abroad. He has frequently given expert testimony before Congressional committees on public policy issues ranging from labor policy to taxation and spending. He is a member of the Mont Pelerin Society, and the American Economic Association.
Dr. Williams has served on the faculty of George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, as John M. Olin Distinguished Professor of Economics, since 1980; from 1995 to 2001, he served as department chairman. He has also served on the faculties of Los Angeles City College, California State University Los Angeles, and Temple University in Philadelphia, and Grove City College, Grove City, Pa.
Dr. Williams is the author of over 150 publications which have appeared in scholarly journals such as Economic Inquiry, American Economic Review, Georgia Law Review, Journal of Labor Economics, Social Science Quarterly, and Cornell Journal of Law and Public Policy and popular publications such as Newsweek, Ideas on Liberty, National Review, Reader's Digest, Cato Journal, and Policy Review. He has authored six books: America: A Minority Viewpoint, The State Against Blacks, which was later made into the PBS documentary "Good Intentions," All It Takes Is Guts, South Africa's War Against Capitalism, which was later revised for South African publication, Do the Right Thing: The People's Economist Speaks, and More Liberty Means Less Government.
He has made scores of radio and television appearances which include "Nightline," "Firing Line," "Face the Nation," Milton Friedman's "Free To Choose," "Crossfire," "MacNeil/Lehrer," "Wall Street Week" and was a regular commentator for "Nightly Business Report." He is also occasional substitute host for the "Rush Limbaugh" show. In addition Dr. Williams writes a nationally syndicated weekly column that is carried by approximately 140 newspapers and several web sites.
Dr. Williams serves on several boards of directors: Grove City College, Reason Foundation and Hoover Institution. He serves on numerous advisory boards including: Cato Institute, Landmark Legal Foundation, Institute of Economic Affairs, and Heritage Foundation.
Dr. Williams has received numerous fellowships and awards including: Foundation for Economic Education Adam Smith Award, Hoover Institution National Fellow, Ford Foundation Fellow, Valley Forge Freedoms Foundation George Washington Medal of Honor, Veterans of Foreign Wars U.S. News Media Award, Adam Smith Award, California State University Distinguished Alumnus Award, George Mason University Faculty Member of the Year, and Alpha Kappa Psi Award.
Dr. Williams has participated in numerous debates, conferences and lectures in the United States and abroad. He has frequently given expert testimony before Congressional committees on public policy issues ranging from labor policy to taxation and spending. He is a member of the Mont Pelerin Society, and the American Economic Association.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
February 23, 2024
Man, I think we'd call Walter Williams a libertarian these days. It's hard to remember a time when conservatives were this liberty-minded.
Lots to think about here.
Lots to think about here.
June 20, 2023
This book started my journey to becoming libertarian.
June 16, 2024
THE FOURTH COLLECTION OF WILLIAMS’ NEWSPAPER COLUMNS
Walter Edward Williams (born 1936) is Professor of Economics at George Mason University, as well as a syndicated columnist and author.
He wrote in the Preface to this 1999 book, “My core values derive from the principles of natural law, or what some might call God-given rights, expounded by philosophers like John Locke, Sir William Blackstone, and Edmund Burke. Their principles … had a major influence on our Founding Fathers… The initial premise of natural law is that each individual owns himself… From that initial premise, certain forms of behavior are readily and easily deemed just or unjust… Not everyone respects the natural rights of others; therefore, we form governments to enforce respect for private property rights…. When we form a government… we give up a limited number of rights to guarantee security… Rights is a concept that is widely confused these days… A right is something that is held simultaneously among people and imposes no burden on another… By the democratic principles we espouse, government cannot have a right that citizens do not grant it… If there is a general theme to my columns, that theme is the attention I give to the proper role of government in a free society and the need for politicians to … uphold the U.S. Constitution.”
He states, “Illegitimacy is the harbinger of just about all underclass problems… The values in communities without fathers are adolescent values: predatory sex, violence, and self-destructive behavior… Young women who lose self-control, are promiscuous, and engage in early sex activity are rewarded with welfare benefits… regular church attendance halves the chances a woman will have a child out of wedlock. These statistics confirm my long-held belief that, contrary to what liberals preach, the solutions to the devastating problems of black communities lie neither in Washington nor at state capitals but in our own communities.” (Pg. 11)
He asserts, “Survey polls show a high degree of black fear of crime. However, crime is an uncomfortable subject for black people. Given our history, this is understandably so. But when crime puts progress on hold for a third of the black population, we can no longer be silent and deny its widespread, devastating effects. We have to do something about it.” (Pg. 22)
He points out, “There is neither moral nor constitutional justification for government handouts to corporate welfare queens. Moreover, there’s no public support for these handouts. So if Republicans moved to eliminate them, they wouldn’t face irate voters. However, they would face an irate corporate lobbyist community that makes contributions to their campaign coffers. But we should press Republicans with this question: How can you possibly talk about slamming the handout door on a poor lazy, good-for-nothing welfare recipient while at the same time sponsoring handouts for members of America’s Fortune 500?” (Pg. 56)
He argues, “Welfare is another national disgrace I’ve called a failure. While it would take a little more than $50 billion to raise every poor American above the official poverty line, annual welfare spending is over four times that amount. Welfare has been a success for the pocketbooks of planners, researchers, social workers, administrators, and other assorted poverty pimps.” (Pg. 99-100)
He explains, “getting back to the decline in black enrollment at prestigious California universities, I’m not wringing my hands. More than 60 percent of blacks admitted… to the University of California at Berkeley do not graduate. But there are three thousand less-prestigious colleges that blacks can attend with more compatible … academic achievement… and thus a greater chance for catching up. Not getting into Berkeley is not the same as not getting into college… graduating from a less prestigious university is better than flunking out of a prestigious one.” (Pg. 128-129)
He says, “There’s no complete answer to why some nations are rich and others poor. But you can bet the rent money that a large part of the answer has to do with personal liberty and private property rights. Even if liberty and private property rights had nothing to do with wealth accumulation, we want it anyway because it’s morally superior to authoritarianism.” (Pg. 169)
He acknowledges, “Speaking of smoking… Sometimes I’m invited to an event… I’ll ask whether smoking is permitted. Most times, the answer is no. Then I tell the person, ‘Sorry, I can’t come because I just have to smoke.’ I tell them, ‘You have your rules, but I have mine.’” (Pg. 244)
This book will be of great interest for conservatives---particularly those interested in racial/ethnic economic issues.
Walter Edward Williams (born 1936) is Professor of Economics at George Mason University, as well as a syndicated columnist and author.
He wrote in the Preface to this 1999 book, “My core values derive from the principles of natural law, or what some might call God-given rights, expounded by philosophers like John Locke, Sir William Blackstone, and Edmund Burke. Their principles … had a major influence on our Founding Fathers… The initial premise of natural law is that each individual owns himself… From that initial premise, certain forms of behavior are readily and easily deemed just or unjust… Not everyone respects the natural rights of others; therefore, we form governments to enforce respect for private property rights…. When we form a government… we give up a limited number of rights to guarantee security… Rights is a concept that is widely confused these days… A right is something that is held simultaneously among people and imposes no burden on another… By the democratic principles we espouse, government cannot have a right that citizens do not grant it… If there is a general theme to my columns, that theme is the attention I give to the proper role of government in a free society and the need for politicians to … uphold the U.S. Constitution.”
He states, “Illegitimacy is the harbinger of just about all underclass problems… The values in communities without fathers are adolescent values: predatory sex, violence, and self-destructive behavior… Young women who lose self-control, are promiscuous, and engage in early sex activity are rewarded with welfare benefits… regular church attendance halves the chances a woman will have a child out of wedlock. These statistics confirm my long-held belief that, contrary to what liberals preach, the solutions to the devastating problems of black communities lie neither in Washington nor at state capitals but in our own communities.” (Pg. 11)
He asserts, “Survey polls show a high degree of black fear of crime. However, crime is an uncomfortable subject for black people. Given our history, this is understandably so. But when crime puts progress on hold for a third of the black population, we can no longer be silent and deny its widespread, devastating effects. We have to do something about it.” (Pg. 22)
He points out, “There is neither moral nor constitutional justification for government handouts to corporate welfare queens. Moreover, there’s no public support for these handouts. So if Republicans moved to eliminate them, they wouldn’t face irate voters. However, they would face an irate corporate lobbyist community that makes contributions to their campaign coffers. But we should press Republicans with this question: How can you possibly talk about slamming the handout door on a poor lazy, good-for-nothing welfare recipient while at the same time sponsoring handouts for members of America’s Fortune 500?” (Pg. 56)
He argues, “Welfare is another national disgrace I’ve called a failure. While it would take a little more than $50 billion to raise every poor American above the official poverty line, annual welfare spending is over four times that amount. Welfare has been a success for the pocketbooks of planners, researchers, social workers, administrators, and other assorted poverty pimps.” (Pg. 99-100)
He explains, “getting back to the decline in black enrollment at prestigious California universities, I’m not wringing my hands. More than 60 percent of blacks admitted… to the University of California at Berkeley do not graduate. But there are three thousand less-prestigious colleges that blacks can attend with more compatible … academic achievement… and thus a greater chance for catching up. Not getting into Berkeley is not the same as not getting into college… graduating from a less prestigious university is better than flunking out of a prestigious one.” (Pg. 128-129)
He says, “There’s no complete answer to why some nations are rich and others poor. But you can bet the rent money that a large part of the answer has to do with personal liberty and private property rights. Even if liberty and private property rights had nothing to do with wealth accumulation, we want it anyway because it’s morally superior to authoritarianism.” (Pg. 169)
He acknowledges, “Speaking of smoking… Sometimes I’m invited to an event… I’ll ask whether smoking is permitted. Most times, the answer is no. Then I tell the person, ‘Sorry, I can’t come because I just have to smoke.’ I tell them, ‘You have your rules, but I have mine.’” (Pg. 244)
This book will be of great interest for conservatives---particularly those interested in racial/ethnic economic issues.
July 3, 2021
BRILLIANCE IGNORED
Williams is a profound and prescient scholar of both economics and society. It deeply tragic that our leadership are either ignorant of his wisdom and prescriptions or simply choose to ignore it. His life experiences should benefit anyone willing to read and listen. Along with Thomas Sowell this knowledge is a result of lives experiences and rigorous scholarship. I highly recommend these authors to anyone willing to and to understand our deepest, most tragic societal issues that continue to plague our Nation.
Williams is a profound and prescient scholar of both economics and society. It deeply tragic that our leadership are either ignorant of his wisdom and prescriptions or simply choose to ignore it. His life experiences should benefit anyone willing to read and listen. Along with Thomas Sowell this knowledge is a result of lives experiences and rigorous scholarship. I highly recommend these authors to anyone willing to and to understand our deepest, most tragic societal issues that continue to plague our Nation.
January 17, 2025
A sharp, easy-to-read take on why less government means more freedom. Williams breaks down big ideas with clear examples, tying history to today’s issues in a way that just makes sense. It’s a great pick for anyone who cares about freedom.
August 14, 2017
A common sense explanation of how too much government infringes upon our liberty and makes our society weaker. This book is a collection of columns written by Walter E. Williams that highlight arguments for limited government and cover a wide array of topics. He explains his arguments clearly with examples that are easy to understand and underscore his point. This is a fantastic book; highly recommended.
December 19, 2013
I liked it very much. Although it is editorial opinion columns he wrote in the mid '90's they were still apropos to today. Makes on wonder--have we plateaued as a civilization in America, and are now getting ready to head downwards? According to most of the examples he stated in his columns then, and that apply today, it appears so. It appears that personal responsibility is out, along with charity to others less fortunate, replaced with government "care" and "charity".
February 6, 2008
I really like this guy! Logic and reason at its best.
December 17, 2014
If you've ever heard Walter E. Williams subsititute for Rush Limbaugh, you'll understand what 'common sense intellecutalism' is. A collection of some of Walter's columns - all excellent.
April 22, 2015
Nice collection of articles.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews